Splitting & Scaling Google Ads Campaigns: Advanced Strategies for Maximum ROI

May 23, 2024

If you’re anything like me—a certified Google Ads nerd—you’re always on the lookout for reliable methods to scale your campaigns effectively. In today’s blog post, we’re diving into one of the best ways to scale a Google Ads campaign: splitting your campaign into separate, more manageable campaigns.

Why Split Google Ads Campaigns?

Before we delve into the how-to, let's clarify why splitting your campaigns can be a game-changer. It's a common misconception that more campaigns automatically translate to better results. However, the real power of multiple campaigns lies in the control they offer over your budget and bidding settings. Here are four compelling reasons to consider splitting your campaigns:

  1. Better Location Targeting
  2. Enhanced Network & Audience Targeting
  3. Separation of Products or Search Themes Due to Profit Margins
  4. Testing Underperforming Products or Services

Let's break these down further.

1. Better Location Targeting

If you're targeting multiple countries, it’s often beneficial to create separate campaigns for each region. This allows you to tailor your approach to the unique characteristics of each market.

Example:

  • Seasonal Differences: A clothing brand selling in both the USA and Australia would need separate campaigns due to the opposing seasons—Australia's summer coincides with the USA's winter.
  • Budget Allocation: Different marketing budgets for Europe and the USA can be managed more effectively with separate campaigns, ensuring the right funds are allocated to each market.

Separate location campaigns also enable precise optimizations based on:

  • User Search Terms: A term like "men’s thongs" means very different things in Australia compared to the USA.
  • Languages: Campaigns can be focused on a single language, enhancing relevance and performance.
  • Demographics and Audiences: Tailor ad copies and bidding targets more effectively.

2. Enhanced Network & Audience Targeting

Different networks and audiences often require distinct strategies. For example, video ads and display network ads might need unique budgets and messages.

Why Separate?

  • Performance Max Campaigns: These show ads across all of Google Ads networks but lack control over budget distribution among video, search, display, or shopping ads.
  • Remarketing and Outreach: Targeting specific websites or channels is more effective through dedicated display or video campaigns.

3. Separation of Products or Search Themes Due to Profit Margins

Understanding your business's profit margins is crucial for campaign structuring. Products or services with vastly different profit margins require different approaches to maximize profitability.

Considerations:

  • Product Costs: High-margin products (e.g., 60%) should be separated from low-margin ones (e.g., 20%) due to differing cost/conversion protocols.
  • Service-Based Businesses: High-profit services, such as emergency plumbing, have different cost structures and should be targeted separately.
  • Supplier Relationships: For instance, a liquor supplier might separate campaigns based on importer relationships to capitalize on seasonal deals.

4. Testing Underperforming Products or Services

When using bidding strategies like maximize conversions or conversion value, it’s common to see certain ad groups dominate the budget due to higher conversion metrics. This can sideline other potentially valuable products.

Strategic Approach:

  • Categorize Products/Services: Visualize them into four categories—Hero, Sidekick, Zombie, and Villain products.
  • Budget Allocation: Focus more budget on Hero and Sidekick products, while adjusting spend on Zombies and minimizing on Villains.

Conclusion

Splitting and scaling Google Ads campaigns is not just about creating more campaigns but about having clear, strategic reasons for each one. By focusing on better location targeting, network and audience segmentation, profit margin differentiation, and systematic testing, you can achieve superior control over your budget and bidding settings, leading to optimized performance and higher ROI.

Remember, the goal is to maintain clarity and purpose for each campaign you run. If you stick to these principles, you’ll avoid the common pitfall of over-complicating your account with unnecessary campaigns.

👉 The Key to Profitable Google Ads Campaigns: Strategy Over Secrets