Glossary

Google Ads Glossary

All important Google Ads terms explained simply and clearly — with practical tips straight from the expert.

Metrics & KPIs

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Click-Through Rate (CTR) indicates how often users click your ad after seeing it. It is calculated as: Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100.

Metrics & KPIs

Cost per Click (CPC)

Cost per Click (CPC) is the amount you pay for each click on your Google Ads ad. The actual CPC is often below your maximum bid.

Metrics & KPIs

Conversion Rate

Conversion Rate indicates what percentage of visitors complete a desired action — e.g. submitting an inquiry, making a call, or completing a purchase.

Metrics & KPIs

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

ROAS shows how much revenue you generate per euro invested in Google Ads. A ROAS of 500% means: for every euro invested, you receive €5 in revenue back.

Metrics & KPIs

Impressions

Impressions count how often your ad is displayed on a screen. Each appearance in search results or on a website counts as one impression.

Metrics & KPIs

Cost per Acquisition (CPA)

CPA (Cost per Acquisition) indicates how much you pay on average to achieve one conversion — a purchase, inquiry, or signup.

Metrics & KPIs

Campaign Structure

Keyword Match Types

Keyword Match Types determine which search queries trigger your ad. Google offers three types: Broad Match, Phrase Match, and Exact Match.

Campaign Structure

Negative Keywords

Negative Keywords are search terms for which your ad should NOT appear. They prevent irrelevant clicks and save budget.

Campaign Structure

Ad Groups

Ad Groups are the organizational level within a campaign that bundles keywords, ads, and bids by theme.

Campaign Structure

Campaign Types

Google Ads offers different campaign types (Search, Display, Shopping, Video, Performance Max) that use different ad networks and formats.

Campaign Structure

Display Network

The Google Display Network (GDN) spans over 2 million websites, apps, and videos where you can show image and text ads.

Campaign Structure

Shopping Campaigns

Shopping Campaigns display product ads with image, price, shop name, and ratings directly in Google search results.

Campaign Structure

Brand Campaign

A brand campaign is a search campaign that bids exclusively on your own brand name. It secures the top position for brand searches — at very low click prices and with high conversion rates.

Campaign Structure

Campaign Optimization

Quality Score

Quality Score is a rating from 1-10 that Google assigns to each keyword. It measures the relevance of your ads, keywords, and landing pages, directly affecting your cost per click and ad position.

Campaign Optimization

Ad Rank

Ad Rank determines where your ad appears in Google search results. It's calculated from your bid, Quality Score, and expected impact of extensions.

Campaign Optimization

Landing Page Experience

Landing Page Experience evaluates how relevant and useful your destination page is for users who click your ad. It's a component of Quality Score.

Campaign Optimization

Search Terms Report

The Search Terms Report shows the actual search queries that triggered your ads — as opposed to the keywords you're bidding on.

Campaign Optimization

A/B Testing

A/B Testing compares two variants (e.g., ad copy, landing pages) against each other to determine the better version based on data.

Campaign Optimization

Audience Signals

Audience signals are hints you provide to Performance Max campaigns to give the algorithm a head start. They are not strict targeting — Google uses them as a starting point and expands the audience on its own.

Campaign Optimization

Ad Formats

Ad Extensions (Assets)

Ad Extensions (now called "Assets") are additional information that expand your ad: sitelinks, phone numbers, location, ratings, and more.

Ad Formats

Responsive Search Ads

Responsive Search Ads (RSA) are Google's standard ad format where you enter up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions — Google automatically tests the best combinations.

Ad Formats

Demand Gen Campaigns

Demand Gen campaigns are a visual Google Ads campaign format that serves ads on YouTube, Discover, and Gmail. They are designed to create demand before users actively search for your offer.

Ad Formats

Strategies & Tools

Performance Max

Performance Max is Google's AI-powered campaign type that automatically runs ads across all Google channels: Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover.

Strategies & Tools

Remarketing / Retargeting

Remarketing shows ads specifically to people who have already visited your website. This keeps you top of mind and brings potential customers back.

Strategies & Tools

Bidding Strategies

Bidding Strategies determine how Google sets your bids in the ad auction. Options range from manual control to fully automated AI management.

Strategies & Tools

Smart Bidding

Smart Bidding is Google's AI-powered bidding strategy that uses machine learning to optimize bids in real-time for every single auction.

Strategies & Tools

Daily Budget

The daily budget is the average amount you want to spend per day on a Google Ads campaign — Google may spend up to double on individual days.

Strategies & Tools

Google Merchant Center

Google Merchant Center is the platform through which you submit your product data to Google. It is the foundation for Shopping ads, free product listings, and Performance Max with a product feed.

Strategies & Tools

Keyword Planner

Keyword Planner is Google's free keyword research tool built into Google Ads. It provides search volume, competition data, and bid estimates for keywords and helps you discover new keyword ideas.

Strategies & Tools

Google Business Profile

Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is your free business listing in Google Search and Google Maps. Linked with Google Ads, it enables local ad formats and location assets.

Strategies & Tools

Search Intent

Search intent describes the goal behind a search query: does the user want to learn, buy, compare, or find a specific website? It determines which keywords are worth advertising on.

Strategies & Tools

Tracking & Analytics

Conversion Tracking

Conversion Tracking measures which clicks on your ads lead to valuable actions — purchases, inquiries, calls, or newsletter signups.

Tracking & Analytics

Enhanced Conversions

Enhanced Conversions supplement your conversion tracking with hashed first-party data such as email addresses. This allows Google to attribute conversions even when cookies are missing or users switch devices.

Tracking & Analytics

Consent Mode v2

Consent Mode v2 is Google's interface between your cookie banner and Google tags. It controls which data is collected depending on user consent and is mandatory for advertisers in the EEA.

Tracking & Analytics

Server-Side Tagging

With server-side tagging, your tracking tags run on your own server container instead of in the user's browser. This makes data collection more stable and faster, and gives you full control over the data sent.

Tracking & Analytics

Auction Insights

The Auction Insights report in Google Ads shows you which competitors bid in the same auctions as you — and how you compare. It is the most important tool for competitive analysis directly within Google Ads.

Tracking & Analytics

Attribution Model

An attribution model determines which ad interaction gets credit for a conversion when a user interacts with your ads multiple times before purchasing. In Google Ads, data-driven attribution is the standard today.

Tracking & Analytics

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Google Ads Glossary

Metrics & KPIs

Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Cost per Click (CPC)

Conversion Rate

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

Impressions

Cost per Acquisition (CPA)

Campaign Structure

Keyword Match Types

Negative Keywords

Ad Groups

Campaign Types

Display Network

Shopping Campaigns

Brand Campaign

Campaign Optimization

Quality Score

Ad Rank

Landing Page Experience

Search Terms Report

A/B Testing

Audience Signals

Ad Formats

Ad Extensions (Assets)

Responsive Search Ads

Demand Gen Campaigns

Strategies & Tools

Performance Max

Remarketing / Retargeting

Bidding Strategies

Smart Bidding

Daily Budget

Google Merchant Center

Keyword Planner

Google Business Profile

Search Intent

Tracking & Analytics

Conversion Tracking

Enhanced Conversions

Consent Mode v2

Server-Side Tagging

Auction Insights

Attribution Model

Ready for real results?Let's be direct.

Ready for real results?
Let's be direct.