If you’ve inherited a sprawling Google Ads account—thousands of keywords, dozens per ad group, mixed goals—you don’t need a miracle. You need a phased, low-risk cleanup that turns noise into signal and signal into profit. Below is the exact framework we use when brands hire us to fix “legacy chaos.”
1) Diagnose (Day 0–3)
- Conversion audit: correct tags, no duplicates, primary vs. secondary actions, attribution window, enhanced conversions, value rules.
- Baselines: last 30–90 days for spend, conversions, CPA/ROAS, IS, top search terms, geo/hour.
- Freeze: pause experiments; document all changes.
2) Prune (Day 3–7)
- Sort keywords by conversions/conv. value and cost/conv.
- Pause non-performers (no conversions, thin impressions, very low QS).
- Add negatives from the search terms report; group by themes (irrelevant intents, competitor pitfalls, research-only modifiers).
3) Restructure with STAG
- Why STAG: gives Smart Bidding clearer signals and improves RSA relevance.
- How: 1–5 closely related keywords per ad group; keep Broad + Exact when volume allows.
- Naming:
CAMP_Objective_Network_Geo | AG_Theme | KW_Broad/Exact. - Landing alignment: each ad group maps to one specific landing page section/offer.
4) Bidding that Fits Your Signal
- Start with Max Conversions if you have ≥ 15–30 recent conversions per campaign.
- Graduate to tCPA (or tROAS for e-comm) once stable.
- Portfolio strategies: use only when campaigns share the same goal and economics; otherwise keep bidding at campaign level.
5) Creative & Asset Stack
- RSA build:
- 12–15 headlines mixing exact theme, value props, benefits, and objections.
- 3–4 descriptions with proof, guarantees, and CTAs.
- Pin a control headline if necessary for brand/legal.
- Assets: sitelinks (category/store/FAQ), callouts (USPs), structured snippets (types/brands), image assets (lifestyle + product), promo assets (if applicable).
6) Geo, Schedule, Budget
- Split high-value regions/cities into their own campaigns.
- Use ad schedules to prioritize profitable hours/days; bid-adjust cautiously.
- Concentrate budgets on proven campaigns; cap exploration.
7) Negatives & Query Hygiene
- Three layers: account negatives (global irrelevance), campaign negatives (goal-specific), ad group negatives (theme protection).
- Review search terms weekly at first; promote good queries to Exact to lock efficiency.
8) Landing Pages & Offer-Message Fit
- Match headline → keyword theme.
- Show the primary benefit above the fold, with social proof and risk reversal (returns, guarantees).
- Cut friction: page speed, simplified forms, trust badges.
9) 30/60/90-Day Plan
- 30 Days: fix tracking, prune, STAG rebuild in top campaigns, Max Conversions, asset refresh, geo/time focus.
- 60 Days: move winners to tCPA/tROAS, expand Broad, add audience signals, launch controlled tests (offers, creatives, LP variants).
- 90 Days: scale budgets, consider portfolio bidding for homogeneous sets, add new themes, roll learnings into PMax or Shopping where relevant.
10) FAQs
Q: Keep the portfolio bid strategy?
A: Only if campaigns share goals, AOV/LTV, and have enough collective conversions. Otherwise keep bidding local.
Q: How many keywords per ad group?
A: 1–5 tightly related (STAG). Promote strong queries to Exact and let Broad discover.
Q: Broad + Exact + Smart still valid in 2026?
A: Yes—when conversion data is clean and themes are tight. It fails when structure is chaotic.
Copy-Paste Checklists
Rescue Checklist
- Verify conversion actions & values
- Export baselines (30–90d)
- Pause 60–80% non-performers
- Build STAGs (1–5 kws)
- RSAs + full asset stack
- Max Conversions → tCPA/tROAS
- Negatives (acct/camp/ad group)
- Geo/time focus
- Landing page match & speed
- Weekly search term review
STAG Naming TemplateCAMP_{Goal}_{Network}_{Geo} | AG_{Theme} | KW_{MatchType}
Final CTA
If you want this executed end-to-end, my team can clean up and scale your account with a proven 30/60/90-day plan. Contact us to get a tailored rescue roadmap for your brand.