# Paid Ads

> When to activate: paid ads, Google Ads, Meta Ads, PPC, paid search, paid social, ROAS, campaign structure, bidding strategy, ad creative testing, CAC

- Skill: `mattakushi432/paid-ads` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add mattakushi432/paid-ads`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/mattakushi432/paid-ads/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Marketing & Growth
- Author: Mattakushi432 (https://skillmd.com/u/mattakushi432)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/mattakushi432/paid-ads

---


# Paid Ads

## Google Ads Structure

### Campaign Hierarchy
```
Account
└── Campaign (budget, targeting, bidding)
    └── Ad Group (keyword theme)
        └── Ads (headlines, descriptions)
            └── Keywords
```

### Campaign Type Matrix
| Type | Best For | Bidding |
|------|----------|---------|
| Search | High-intent, bottom-funnel | tCPA or Maximize Conversions |
| Performance Max | Full-funnel automation | tCPA or tROAS |
| Display | Retargeting, awareness | tCPA or Maximize Clicks |
| YouTube | Brand, demo, awareness | CPV or tCPA |
| Demand Gen | Discovery, MOFU | tCPA |

### Search Campaign Structure (Best Practice)
```
Campaign: [Product] — Brand
  Ad Group: Brand Exact
    Keywords: [brand], [brand product]

Campaign: [Product] — Non-Brand
  Ad Group: [Core Use Case]
    Keywords: [use case keywords]
  Ad Group: [Competitor]
    Keywords: [competitor name] alternative

Campaign: [Product] — RLSA (Remarketing)
  Ad Group: Past Visitors
  Ad Group: Trial Abandoned
```

### Keyword Match Types
| Match Type | Syntax | Coverage | Use Case |
|-----------|--------|----------|---------|
| Exact | [keyword] | Most narrow | High-intent, proven converts |
| Phrase | "keyword" | Medium | Test new intent variations |
| Broad (modified) | +keyword | Wide | Discovery, only with Smart Bidding |

### Ad Copy Structure
```
Responsive Search Ad:
  15 headlines (30 chars each) — Google rotates best
  4 descriptions (90 chars each)

Headline categories to include:
  - Value proposition (benefit)
  - Social proof (X customers, rated 4.9)
  - CTA (Try free, Get started)
  - Feature (key capability)
  - Urgency (limited offer, ends Friday)
```

### Google Ads Quality Score Components
| Factor | Weight |
|--------|--------|
| Expected click-through rate | High |
| Ad relevance | Medium |
| Landing page experience | High |

Poor QS → higher CPCs. Improve by: tighter keyword-to-ad-to-landing-page alignment.

## Meta Ads Strategy

### Campaign Objective Selection
| Objective | When to Use | Optimizes For |
|-----------|------------|---------------|
| Awareness | New brand, new market | Reach, Impressions |
| Traffic | TOFU content | Link clicks, Landing page views |
| Engagement | Community, social proof | Post interactions |
| Leads | MOFU lead gen | Lead form submissions |
| Sales | BOFU, retargeting | Purchases, Conversions |

### Campaign Structure (3-Level)
```
Campaign (objective + budget)
└── Ad Set (audience + placement + bid)
    └── Ad (creative: image/video + copy + CTA)
```

### Audience Targeting Framework
| Tier | Type | Targeting |
|------|------|-----------|
| Cold | Interest-based | Industry interests, job title, behavior |
| Cold | Lookalike | LAL from customer list (1–5%) |
| Warm | Website retargeting | Visitors by URL, time on site |
| Hot | Conversion retargeting | Abandoned trial, viewed pricing |
| Existing | Customer exclusion | Suppress existing customers |

### Creative Testing Structure
```
Creative Test Campaign:
  Ad Set 1: Cold Audience
    Ad 1A: Image creative
    Ad 1B: Video creative
    Ad 1C: Carousel creative

Run for 7 days or until 500 impressions per ad.
Winner → scale budget. Loser → kill or iterate.
```

### Meta Creative Best Practices
- **Video**: Hook in first 3 seconds, caption all videos, 9:16 for Stories/Reels
- **Static**: Clear focal point, minimal text overlay (< 20% of image)
- **Copy**: Lead with problem or outcome, not company name
- **CTA button**: "Learn More" for cold, "Sign Up" or "Get Quote" for warm

## Targeting Frameworks

### ICP-to-Targeting Mapping
Define your ICP, then find them in each platform:

| ICP Attribute | Google Ads | Meta Ads | LinkedIn Ads |
|--------------|-----------|----------|--------------|
| Job title | Not available | Job title interests | Job title exact |
| Company size | Not available | Business owner signals | Company size |
| Industry | Not available | Industry interests | Industry exact |
| Tech used | Not available | Not available | Skills |
| Intent | Keyword search intent | Not available | Not available |

### LinkedIn Ads (B2B)
Best for: Enterprise, job-title targeting, thought leadership
Expensive: CPL 3–5× higher than Meta — use for high-value ICPs only

```
Campaign types:
  Sponsored Content   — Feed posts (best for engagement)
  Message Ads        — InMail (high open rate, use sparingly)
  Lead Gen Forms     — Native form (reduces friction)
  Dynamic Ads        — Personalized follower/job ads
```

## Bidding Strategies

| Strategy | When to Use | Requires |
|----------|------------|---------|
| Manual CPC | New campaigns, low conversion data | Constant monitoring |
| Enhanced CPC | Some conversion data, want control | 15+ conversions/month |
| Maximize Conversions | Scale spending, hit budget | Defined conversion actions |
| Target CPA | Specific cost per conversion | 30+ conversions/month |
| Target ROAS | Revenue-focused | 50+ conversions/month |

### Bidding Ramp-Up
```
Week 1–2: Manual CPC or Maximize Clicks → gather data
Week 3–4: Maximize Conversions → let algorithm learn
Week 5+:  Target CPA → optimize to specific cost target
```

## Creative Testing System

### Creative Testing Cadence
```
Week 1: Launch 3 creative variants
Week 2: Pause bottom performer
Week 3: Launch 1 new variant to replace
Week 4: Scale winning creative; repeat
```

### Creative Performance Metrics
| Metric | Benchmark | Good | Excellent |
|--------|-----------|------|-----------|
| CTR (search) | 2–4% | 4–6% | 6%+ |
| CTR (display) | 0.1–0.3% | 0.3–0.5% | 0.5%+ |
| CTR (Meta) | 0.5–1% | 1–2% | 2%+ |
| CPC (search) | Varies | Industry avg | Below avg |
| Hook rate (video) | 20% | 30% | 40%+ |
| Hold rate (video) | 30% | 45% | 60%+ |

## ROAS Optimization

### ROAS Calculation
```
ROAS = Revenue generated / Ad spend
Target ROAS = Gross margin percentage × 100 / Target marketing % of revenue

Example:
  Gross margin: 70%
  Target marketing spend: 20% of revenue
  Target ROAS = 70% / 20% = 3.5 (return $3.50 per $1 spent)
```

### Improving ROAS
1. **Raise conversion rates** (landing page optimization)
2. **Increase AOV** (upsells, bundles at checkout)
3. **Reduce CPCs** (improve quality score, tighten targeting)
4. **Pause low-ROAS campaigns** and reallocate budget
5. **Use audience exclusions** (exclude converters, low-value segments)

## Campaign Taxonomy (Naming Convention)
```
Format: [PLATFORM]_[OBJECTIVE]_[AUDIENCE]_[PRODUCT]_[DATE]

Examples:
  GGL_SRCH_NONBRAND_CORE_2026Q1
  META_CONV_COLD_LAL1PCT_PRO_2026Q1
  LI_LEAD_ENTERPRISE_CISO_2026Q1
```

## Monthly Paid Ads Review

Metrics to review:
- [ ] Spend vs budget (are we on pace?)
- [ ] CPC / CPM trends (is it getting more/less expensive?)
- [ ] CTR by campaign (are ads resonating?)
- [ ] Conversion rate by campaign (is landing page working?)
- [ ] CAC by channel (what's the true cost to acquire?)
- [ ] ROAS / CPQL (are we making money?)
- [ ] Keyword search terms (new opportunities or wasted spend?)
- [ ] Audience performance (any segment outperforming?)