You could argue that setting the proper Google Ads goals for B2B companies takes skill. It’s why some companies get 10x their investment in Google Ads and why others sink money into it with little to no results. Of course, like any skill, Google Ads can be learned, and you can easily become a master at it!
In this article, we’ll focus on the first one, setting up Google Ads goals. We’ll talk about:
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How do you define your goals in Google Ads?
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How do you set up Google Ads goals?
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How do you set up conversion goals?
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Allowing room for experimentation
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Using confirmation URLs
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Keeping your goals and campaigns separate in Google Ads
How do you define your goals in Google Ads?
You need to know what your main conversion goal is before setting anything up in Google Ads. Is it sales? Leads? Website traffic? You must have proper conversion tracking set up in Google Ads and on your website so you know exactly your return on ad spend.
Set a goal that reflects what you want your campaign to achieve for your business. Ask yourself, “Why am I running this campaign?” and use the answer as your goal.
There are two key considerations for setting helpful goals:
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Ensure the goal being measured is meaningful and valuable for the business.
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Ensure the goal is being measured properly.
It’s important to set appropriate metrics; otherwise, it may be impossible to see how Google Ads is helping you achieve your larger company goals. By aligning your campaign goals with high-level business objectives, you put your company in a better position to succeed.
Make your goals extremely simple. Your conversion process should also be simple and easy to track. Whether your goal is increasing downloads of a file like a whitepaper, increasing sign-ups for a newsletter, or product purchases, your ad should direct users to the page with the fewest steps to convert.
How do you set up Google Ads campaign goals?
Google Analytics and Google Ads work hand in hand here. The very first step is setting up your goals in Google Analytics. Once you’ve done that, import them into your Google Ads account.
Tip: If you want to set up cross-tracking between your website and a mobile app, select Google Analytics App + Web.
Be careful when importing; take time to make sure all conversions are functioning properly in Google Ads. Also, only import actual conversion actions, not generic events like video views or clicks. Many companies mistakenly track non-conversions as goals, which isn’t the best way to measure success.
How do you set up conversion goals?
When setting Google Ads goals, always start by identifying your target conversion actions.
What do you want people to do: submit a form, call your business, use a chatbot? Once these goals are defined, you can make educated predictions around metrics like CPA (cost per acquisition), conversion rate, and cost per customer.
Factoring in these conversion elements will help ensure your campaign is optimized for better return on ad spend (ROAS).
Allowing room for experimentation
When launching your campaign, allow some extra budget for experimentation. An additional $100–$200 can often generate enough data to provide deeper insight into how you’re performing against your goals and how to optimize them.
For instance, this test budget might focus on website visits instead of conversions, allowing you to fine-tune your landing pages and funnel. This kind of learning can ultimately improve performance and reduce wasted ad spend over time.
Using confirmation URLs
Always use confirmation URLs—or thank-you pages for Google Ads conversion tracking.
For example, if someone submits your contact form, redirect them to a thank-you page.
Set up destination goals based on these URLs in Google Analytics and import them into Google Ads. This way, you can track conversions down to the keyword level and see what’s actually driving results.
You can also set up tracking for users who simply visit your contact page. While it won’t count as a conversion, it’s a strong intent signal worth monitoring.
Keeping your goals and campaigns separate in Google Ads
To create a successful Google Ads campaign, you need to set a specific goal for each campaign and keep your campaigns organized and focused.
If your campaigns start mixing goals, your ads become less relevant and harder for users to understand. That can lead to lower performance.
With clear, focused goals, you’ll reach the audiences most interested in exactly what you offer.
Contact our Google Ads specialists to learn more about how to run better B2B campaigns with Google Ads.
