What is the account structure? (Google Ads) – template and common mistakes
The account structure is a way to organise your Google Ads account into campaigns and ad groups so that targeting, budget, and measurement are kept under control. Implement the template: Brand / Generic / Remarketing / PMax (eCom) + tight groups.
What is account structure?
Account structure is a way to organize a Google Ads account into campaigns and ad groups so that targeting, budget, and measurement remain clear. A good structure makes optimization quick: you can see what works and where to invest.
In short: divide the account by intent (Brand / Generic / Remarketing / PMax), keep groups tight, and give each a clear goal.
Basic Model (works in B2B and eCommerce)
Brand – searches related only to your company's name.
Generic – service/problem searches (e.g., “video production Tampere”).
Remarketing – site visitors/lists, low-friction conversion.
PMax / Shopping (eCommerce) – product feed, tROAS/POAS, feed in order.
Ad Groups
1 theme per group (e.g., corporate video, advertisement video, short video production).
5–20 keywords / group, exact + phrase + broad (to find).
In titles theme keyword, same message on the landing page.
Synonyms & searches
account structure, campaign structure, Google Ads account structure, ad group, campaign division.
7 Steps to a Good Account Structure
Define intents as campaigns. Brand separately, generic separately, remarketing separately.
Goal and measurement. One main goal/campaign, GA4/GTM conversions and values in order.
Tight ad groups. Same topic in the same group; keywords and benefit first in the headlines.
Match strategy. Start with exact + broad; transfer findings to exact, add unnecessary ones to negative.
Budgeting. Keep brand small but visible, generic largest, sufficient coverage for remarketing.
Bidding. Start with Maximize Conversions; when signal >30/30 days → tCPA/tROAS.
Weekly routine. Search terms report, 5–10 new exacts, 10–20 new negatives, raise winners by +10–20%.
Example Template (service)
Campaign: Generic – Video Production
Group: Corporate Video →
[corporate_video],"corporate_video",corporate_videoGroup: Commercial Video →
[commercial_video],"commercial_video",commercial_videoNegatives (campaign): free, job, training, wiki, guide
Conversion: generate_lead (value €120)
Most Common Mistakes
Brand and generic in the same. Data becomes prettier, but you don’t see the truth.
Too broad groups. Relevance and quality scores suffer → CPC goes up.
No negatives. Budget burns on the wrong intent.
PMax without control. Feed and goals open, brand gets mixed up.
Measurement broken. Duplicates, wrong currency/value, missing
value.
FAQs
How many campaigns should there be?
Start with three: Brand, Generic, Remarketing. In eCom also PMax/Shopping.
Can I combine small themes into the same group?
Yes, but keep the message consistent and expand based on the data.
How does PMax fit into the structure?
Well, when the feed is in order and the brand is kept separate. Add account-level negative lists when availability allows.
How often should the structure be changed?
Weekly small changes (search terms, negatives). Monthly larger review (groups, budget).
