Connecting your Google Ads account
Before creating any Google campaigns, you must connect your Google Ads account to the Ad Manager.Open Ad Manager settings
Connect Google
Grant all required permissions
Select your Google Ads account
Campaign types
The Ad Manager supports two Google Ads campaign types.Google Search Ads
Google Demand Gen Ads
Creating a Google Search campaign
Name your campaign
Set your budget and schedule
- Daily budget — the maximum you want to spend per day across all ad groups in the campaign
- Start date — when the campaign should begin serving ads
- End date (optional) — leave blank to run indefinitely, or set an end date for time-limited promotions
- Bidding strategy — choose from manual CPC or automated bidding options based on your optimization goal
Configure audience targeting
- Location — target by country, region, city, or radius around a specific address
- Language — target users whose Google interface is set to specific languages
- Gender — male, female, or unknown
- Age range — 18–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65+, or unknown
Add ad groups and keywords
- Add up to 40 positive keywords (terms that should trigger your ads)
- Add up to 40 negative keywords (terms that should not trigger your ads)
- Use keyword match types: broad match, phrase match, or exact match
Write your ad creative
- Up to 3 headlines (30 characters each)
- Up to 2 descriptions (90 characters each)
- A final destination URL
Creating a Google Demand Gen campaign
Demand Gen campaigns use visual creatives to reach users across Google’s properties. The setup follows the same general steps as a Search campaign, with these key differences:- Creative format — upload images (landscape, square, and portrait), logos, and videos instead of writing text-only headlines
- Audience targeting — target using Google Audience Segments (interest categories, demographics, in-market audiences) configured in the Ad Manager > Audiences tab
- Placement — ads appear across Gmail inboxes, YouTube feeds, and Google Discover rather than in search results
Google Ads audience segments
Build custom audience segments for Google campaign targeting in the Ad Manager > Settings > Audiences tab. Click + Create New Audience, select Audience Segment for Google Ads, and define the segment based on CRM data, website visitor behavior, or Google’s built-in audience categories. Segments created here are available for selection in the targeting step when creating any Google campaign.
Tracking conversions
For accurate conversion tracking — so Google can optimize bids toward actions that matter — configure conversion events:- Go to Settings > Integrations and locate the Google Ads integration
- Set up conversion goals (form submissions, purchases, phone calls, or custom events)
- The platform sends conversion data back to Google using the connected account, enabling Google’s Smart Bidding algorithms to optimize for real outcomes
Frequently asked questions
How many Google Ads accounts can I connect?
How many Google Ads accounts can I connect?
Can I manage existing Google campaigns from the Ad Manager?
Can I manage existing Google campaigns from the Ad Manager?
What is the difference between Search and Demand Gen campaigns?
What is the difference between Search and Demand Gen campaigns?
Why are my ads not showing after I published the campaign?
Why are my ads not showing after I published the campaign?
Offline conversions
Send offline conversion data (phone calls, in-person sales) back to Google to improve campaign optimization:Configure offline conversion tracking
Map conversion events
- Opportunity moved to “Won” stage
- Invoice paid
- Appointment completed
- Custom status change
Multiple ad groups
Organize your Google Search campaign into multiple ad groups for better targeting and relevance:- Create up to 10 ad groups per campaign
- Each ad group has its own set of keywords and ads
- Group keywords by theme or intent (e.g., “emergency plumbing” vs. “plumbing installation”)
- Write ad copy specific to each keyword group for higher Quality Scores
- Use negative keywords at the ad group level to prevent overlap between groups
| Ad Group | Keywords | Ad Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Services | emergency plumber, 24/7 plumbing | ”Available 24/7 — Call Now” |
| Installation | plumbing installation, new fixtures | ”Professional Installation — Free Quote” |
| Repair | fix leaky faucet, pipe repair | ”Fast Repairs — Same Day Service” |
Audience segments
Build custom audience segments for Google campaign targeting:- Go to Ad Manager > Settings > Audiences and click + Create New Audience
- Select Audience Segment for Google Ads
- Define the segment based on:
- CRM data — contacts matching specific tags, custom fields, or pipeline stages
- Website visitors — people who visited specific pages (requires Google tag)
- Google’s built-in audiences — in-market audiences, affinity audiences, and detailed demographics
- Apply the segment during campaign creation in the targeting step
Additional assets at campaign level
Enhance your Google Search ads with additional assets (formerly extensions):| Asset type | What it adds | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Sitelinks | Additional links below the ad | ”About Us”, “Pricing”, “Contact” |
| Callouts | Short text highlights | ”Free Shipping”, “24/7 Support” |
| Call asset | Clickable phone number | Your business phone number |
| Location asset | Business address and map link | Your Google Business Profile address |
| Structured snippets | Category lists | ”Services: Plumbing, HVAC, Electrical” |