Process Flow
Animated overview of the full workflow
TL;DR
The Google Ads dashboard is your central command centre. Key sections include the Overview page (snapshot of account performance), Campaigns view (where you manage and monitor campaigns), Search terms report (actual queries triggering your ads), and Recommendations page. Essential metrics to monitor: impressions, clicks, CTR, CPC, conversions, conversion rate, CPA, ROAS, impression share, and Quality Score.
Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these 2 steps to complete this guide
- 1
Dashboard Navigation
**Overview:** High-level account performance with cards showing spend, clicks, conversions, and trend charts. Customise which cards appear. **Campaigns:** List of all campaigns with performance metrics. Click into any campaign to see ad groups, ads, keywords, and search terms. **Recommendations:** Google's suggestions for improving performance. Review carefully — not all recommendations are beneficial. Apply selectively. **Insights:** Automated analysis of performance trends, competitive changes, and search demand shifts.
- 2
Essential Metrics Explained
**Impressions:** How many times your ad was shown. **Clicks:** How many times someone clicked your ad. **CTR (Click-Through Rate):** Clicks ÷ Impressions. Measures ad relevance. Aim for 3-8% on Search. **CPC (Cost Per Click):** Average cost of each click. **Conversions:** Actions completed on your site attributed to ads. **Conversion Rate:** Conversions ÷ Clicks. Measures landing page effectiveness. **CPA (Cost Per Acquisition):** Cost ÷ Conversions. Your cost per customer or lead. **ROAS (Return on Ad Spend):** Conversion Value ÷ Cost. Revenue generated per dollar spent. **Impression Share:** Percentage of eligible impressions your ads received.
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