Everything you need to know about Google Ads Smart Campaigns

Google Ads Smart campaigns are (semi) automated campaigns that allow you to save your time and efforts while working on many optimizations or campaign creations within your Google Ads account. Automation enables you to select your business goal, set the budget, and start reaching your customers online. Regarding the users’ signals and your web analytics data, your Google Ads Smart campaigns could be profitable and sustainable for a long time.  

If you’re a business owner seeking a quick solution, Smart campaigns could be the best fit for you! You can quickly set up the account and push the ads while focusing on your business. 

Google Ads Smart campaigns bring you results based on your campaign goals, such as customer calls, visits to your location, or actions on your website.  

When should you use the Smart Campaigns? 

If you don’t have an ample budget amount that you can use for campaigns and agency services, Google Ads Smart campaigns could help launch your business online with little effort.

If you are a PPC specialist, use this campaign type in your research. Sometimes, if the product is so specific and there isn’t a clear demand for it, Smart campaigns can be a good research solution. You will drive traffic to your website and analyze the traffic later within your Analytics account. It will help you sample the data and create a strategy based on data learning. 

You can use Smart campaigns to advertise your website on Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Partners websites. You can write your ad, and when someone searches for phrases related to your business, your ad can show above or below the search results.  

Benefits of Google Ads Smart campaigns

• Pay only when someone clicks your ad 
• Minimal ongoing management is necessary 
• Advertise on Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, YouTube, and Google Partners websites
• Reach customers in any geographic location that you choose 

What are the specifics of Smart Campaigns?  

Bidding - Manages bids for you to drive the most value (clicks, calls, etc.) within your campaign budget. 

Extensions - Automates creation of ad extensions (site links, call-outs, location, call). No opt-in is required. 

Keyword creation - Generates keywords automatically based on your keyword themes. 

Keyword editing - Allows keyword themes, which are used to match ads with searches on Google. 

Reporting - Uses a simplified, easy-to-use dashboard designed to highlight the most important stats in the campaign. 

Where ads show - Shows your ads automatically across Google Search, Google Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and Google Partners websites. 

Landing pages - Supports max one landing page per campaign. 

Smart Campaigns creation  

Depending on which type of account you are opening, there are two different interfaces that you can use: simple (ads express) or expert. 

A simple interface will guide you through steps if you open your Google Ads account and the very first campaign you will get will be the Smart Search & Display.  

Follow these steps:

• Add your business name                                                          

• Add your domain or URL 

• Write the headline and descriptions along with a phone number

• No need to add many keywords. Just add themes and be specific

• Select the location where you want to push the ads

• Set a daily budget and add the payment method. 

 

In your expert mode, you can select the Smart campaign creation within the New Campaign creation section. You can also select the campaign objective. Select Display campaign type and continue with the Smart Display campaign creation process. 

Till the end of the campaign creation process, you will be able to create ad assets and choose the bidding option along with campaign location, targeting, and language. 

After finishing everything, your Smart Display will push the ads regarding the users’ signals related to their behavior and affinity, always matching the campaign result to the final goal.  

Smart Shopping campaigns  

Along with Smart Display, you will find the possibility to create Smart Shopping campaigns. 

It means that you will use different ad formats within various networks pushed by the same system and logic to maximize the final campaign results by reaching new customers across the networks based on their behavior and intent stage. A Smart Shopping campaign will surely give you positive results, but don’t expect many options for optimization. You will set the initial part and only track the results. 

Conclusion  

If you consider using Google Ads Smart campaigns and have the means to run regular ads campaigns within your company by your team or with an agency, keep the following in mind. 

It is always better to have complete control of your account and manage the campaigns by strategy and planning.  

Google Ads Smart campaigns are only for when you are alone in your business or with limited resources. Also, use them when you simply must push the online performance to bring traffic to your site. In all other cases, manually created and optimized campaigns always get the best long-term results. One thing is for sure–Smart campaigns will save your time and money and bring new customers online, giving you secure entrance to online markets. 

About the author 

Stevan Bjedov is the Senior DSP Specialist at Sellers Alley. He has over four years of digital marketing experience, covering PPC, in-depth analysis and implementation, and SEO. He has worked with many clients, from small businesses to global brands, which led him to an ascending career path as an Amazon and Google Digital Advertising Specialist.