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How Google campaigns work

The exact objectives, learning-phase thresholds, budget floors, creative specs and policy rules the agent works from — rendered from the same versioned knowledge module, nothing added.

Google best practice · knowledge v2026-07-13.1, verified 2026-07-13

Integration status

Not connected yet — no Google OAuth in the product today. This module powers knowledge, tips and generation only; publishing states 'not connected / coming'.

Objectives

Every campaign starts from a goal. Each goal maps to one Google objective with its own optimization events, required setup and learning phase.

AwarenessVideo (YouTube) / Display
Optimizes for
impressions (CPM), views (CPV)
Bidding
target CPM; CPV
Required before launch
video asset (YouTube) or display creatives

Awareness maps to Video reach or Display campaigns, not Search.

TrafficSearch
Optimizes for
clicks
Bidding
maximize clicks; manual CPC
Required before launch
RSA (15 headlines / 4 descriptions); keywords; final_url
EngagementDemand Gen· check docs
Optimizes for
clicks, conversions
Bidding
maximize clicks; maximize conversions
Required before launch
image + video assets; final_url

Demand Gen is the closest native equivalent to a social engagement objective — re-verify surface availability.

LeadsSearch / Performance Max
Optimizes for
conversions (lead event)
Bidding
maximize conversions; target CPA after signal
Required before launch
conversion action (lead); RSA or PMax asset group
Learning phase
~30 events / 30 days per campaign· check docs
SalesPerformance Max / Search / Shopping
Optimizes for
conversions, conversion value
Bidding
maximize conversion value; target ROAS after signal
Required before launch
conversion action (purchase) with values; asset group or product feed
Learning phase
~30 events / 30 days per campaign· check docs
AppApp campaigns· check docs
Optimizes for
installs, in-app actions
Bidding
target CPI; target CPA (in-app)
Required before launch
app store listing link; text + image/video assets

Text limits

FieldHard maxRecommended
Headline30 chars
Description90 chars
Path15 chars
Long headline· check docs90 chars

Headline: RSA: up to 15 headlines. Same constant validateRsa() enforces.

Description: RSA: up to 4 descriptions. Same constant validateRsa() enforces.

Path: Two optional display-URL path segments.

Long headline: PMax/Demand Gen long headline.

Creative specs

Ship the full ratio set per placement — serving one stretched asset everywhere is penalized by delivery ranking.

Display pmax
1.91:1 — min 1200×628px, jpg/png, ≤ 5 MB· check docs
1:1 — min 1200×1200px, jpg/png, ≤ 5 MB· check docs
Youtube
16:9 — min 1920×1080px, mp4 (via YouTube upload)· check docs

Policy rules

Blocks

Personalized-advertising policy prohibits targeting or copy implying personal hardship or identity (health conditions, financial status, etc.).

Blocks

Healthcare advertising is restricted by market; many treatments/claims require certification, and prescription terms are limited.

Warns

Editorial policy blocks gimmicky capitalization, repeated punctuation, and unverifiable superlatives ('best', '#1') without third-party proof on the landing page.

Common mistakes

Near-duplicate RSA headlines

Fifteen rephrasings of one message cap Ad Strength; cover distinct angles: benefit, proof, offer, brand, urgency, question. (validateRsa flags exact duplicates.)

Pinning everything

Pinning most assets defeats RSA combination learning; pin at most a compliance-required headline.

Target CPA before signal

Setting tCPA/tROAS before ~30 conversions/30 days starves delivery; start on maximize conversions.

Broad match without negatives

Broad match plus smart bidding works, but only with routine search-terms review and a negative-keyword habit.

Working guidance

Intent-matching and literal: mirror the search query's language, lead with the concrete benefit or proof point, sentence case, no ellipses or gimmick punctuation.

Hooks

Traffic: Search 'hooks' are query mirrors: put the searched noun in headline 1, the differentiator in headline 2, the offer or proof in headline 3.

Source: Google RSA best-practice docs.

Funnel

Sales: PMax works when conversion values flow and feeds are clean; brand traffic will be absorbed into its numbers, so judge it on incremental conversions, not blended ROAS.

Source: Google PMax guidance; independent PMax measurement literature.

Bidding

Ladder: maximize clicks (no signal) → maximize conversions (some signal) → tCPA/tROAS (stable signal). Skipping rungs is the most common self-inflicted delivery problem.

Source: Google bidding guidance.

Creative refresh

Search fatigue is slower than social; review RSA asset performance monthly and replace 'Low'-rated assets rather than rewriting whole ads.

Source: Google asset reporting docs.

Last verified against official Google documentation: 2026-07-13 (module v2026-07-13.1). Values marked “check docs” are guidance not yet confirmed against the platform's current published specs.

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