The comprehensive guide to setting up, optimising, and scaling your ecommerce Google Ads campaigns
This checklist provides a comprehensive framework for ecommerce businesses looking to leverage Google Ads to drive traffic, conversions, and sales. Whether you're just getting started or looking to optimise existing campaigns, this guide covers all the essential steps needed to maximise your return on ad spend (ROAS).
Pro Tip: Google Ads for ecommerce requires ongoing optimisation. Mark off each item as you complete it, but revisit this checklist regularly as part of your optimisation process.
Before launching campaigns, properly set up your Google Ads account foundation:
Pro Tip: Create an MCC (My Client Centre) account if you manage multiple stores or brands. This allows you to access all accounts from a single dashboard.
The foundation for Shopping campaigns and Performance Max:
Pro Tip: If you're using Shopify, WooCommerce, or another major ecommerce platform, use their dedicated app or plugin to automatically sync your product feed to Merchant Centre.
Optimise your product feed to improve visibility and performance:
Pro Tip: Use custom labels to segment your products by profit margin, allowing you to bid more aggressively on high-margin items in your Shopping campaigns.
Create a logical, scalable campaign structure:
Pro Tip: Mirror your website's category structure in your campaign organisation to maintain alignment between user experience and ad targeting.
Optimise your Google Shopping campaigns for maximum ROAS:
Pro Tip: Use a tiered Shopping campaign structure with campaign priorities to bid differently for generic vs. specific search queries. Higher intent queries typically convert better and justify higher bids.
Create effective text ads that complement your Shopping campaigns:
Pro Tip: Deep-link your ads to specific product or category pages rather than the homepage for better user experience and higher conversion rates.
Configure Google's automated campaign type for cross-channel promotion:
Pro Tip: For best results with Performance Max, include at least 5 headlines, 5 descriptions, and 20 images per asset group. The more creative assets you provide, the better Google can optimise your campaign.
Re-engage visitors who haven't converted:
Pro Tip: Create a multi-touchpoint remarketing strategy with different messages based on where visitors dropped off in the funnel. Cart abandoners should receive different messaging than someone who only viewed a product page.
Choose the right bidding strategy for your business goals:
Pro Tip: When setting Target ROAS values, start with realistic goals based on your historical performance. Gradually increase targets over time as campaigns optimise rather than setting aggressive targets immediately.
Allocate your budget effectively for maximum ROAS:
Pro Tip: When launching a new product, allocate higher budgets in the first few weeks to gather data quickly, then optimise based on performance metrics before scaling back or increasing spend.
Measure what matters to optimise campaign performance:
Pro Tip: When tracking ecommerce purchases, always send the transaction ID to Google Ads to prevent duplicate conversions from being counted if a user reloads the confirmation page.
Monitor performance and derive insights:
Pro Tip: Create custom reports that focus on incrementality by comparing the performance of users exposed to your ads versus those who weren't. This helps measure the true impact of your advertising beyond simple last-click attribution.
Regular optimisation tasks to improve performance:
Pro Tip: Build an optimisation calendar with scheduled tasks at different intervals (daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly). This ensures you're consistently improving campaigns rather than making sporadic, reactive changes.
Strategies to grow your Google Ads accounts:
Pro Tip: When scaling budgets, monitor your conversion rates closely. If they start to decline as spend increases, you may be reaching audience saturation and should consider expanding to new audiences or channels instead of simply increasing budgets.
Google Ads for ecommerce is a powerful channel that requires ongoing attention and optimisation. By systematically working through this checklist, you'll build a strong foundation for profitable campaigns. Remember that Google Ads is always evolving, so staying current with new features and best practices is essential for long-term success.
The most successful ecommerce brands view Google Ads not as a "set it and forget it" platform but as a dynamic marketing channel that requires continuous testing, learning, and refining. Be patient with new campaigns, giving them time to gather data before making major changes, and always tie your advertising efforts back to measurable business objectives.
Now it's time to put this checklist into action and start driving more revenue with Google Ads!