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Google Ads glossary

142 terms · 14 topics

Google Ads vocabulary mixes acronyms, auction concepts and measurement jargon that can quickly overwhelm newcomers. This glossary covers the terms that matter in PPC, each with a clear, standalone definition, so you can make sense of it all without being an expert. Terms are grouped by topic, from account structure to ad formats, measurement, billing and the broader vocabulary of paid search, and listed alphabetically within each section.

Account structure

Ad extension

Extra information added to an ad (sitelinks, phone number, address, callouts, prices), now called “assets” in Google Ads. It makes the ad more informative, takes up more screen space and often improves click-through rate.

Ad group

The level below the campaign that groups a set of keywords and their ads around a single theme. Well-structured ad groups let you match your ads closely to the searches you target.

Asset

A piece of content that goes into an ad, such as a headline, a description, an image, a logo or a video. Google assembles these assets into ads, especially in Performance Max and responsive ads.

Automated rule

A scheduled instruction that triggers an action on the account (pausing an ad, changing a bid, adjusting a budget) when a condition you define is met, at a frequency you choose. It automates recurring tasks without anyone stepping in.

Average daily budget

The amount you’re willing to spend on a campaign each day, on average. Spend on any given day can vary around that figure, but over the month it won’t exceed your daily budget times the average number of days in a month (30.4).

Campaign

The level of the account where you set the daily budget, locations, bid strategy and networks. A campaign contains one or more ad groups.

Drafts and experiments

A feature that lets you prepare a modified version of a campaign (the draft), then test it on a share of the traffic (the experiment) to compare its results with the original before rolling the change out. It’s how you validate an optimization idea without putting the whole budget at risk.

Final URL

The address of the landing page a user is taken to after clicking the ad. It has to be relevant to the ad, because it shapes the landing page experience and therefore your Quality Score.

Keyword

A word or phrase you choose to trigger your ads on the Search Network, based on what people search for. How it behaves depends on the match type applied to it.

Label

A custom tag you apply to campaigns, ad groups, keywords or ads to organize and filter them (by client, season or priority). Labels make it easier to track and manage items across the account without changing its structure.

Manager account (MCC)

A parent account (Manager Account, formerly My Client Center) that lets you run several Google Ads accounts from a single interface, with centralized billing and access. It’s the standard tool for agencies and multi-account advertisers.

Optimization score

Google’s estimate, from 0 to 100%, of how well an account or campaign is set up to perform, along with a list of recommendations to apply or dismiss. A high score means Google considers the setup close to its potential, but it doesn’t guarantee better results.

Portfolio bid strategy

An automated bid strategy shared by multiple campaigns, ad groups or keywords that optimizes them together toward a common goal (target CPA, target ROAS). It pools conversion signals to manage a group of campaigns consistently.

Recommendations tab

The section of the account that lists the optimization suggestions Google makes (keywords, bids, budgets, assets) and that drives the optimization score. Each recommendation can be applied, scheduled or dismissed, and is worth a critical look before you act on it.

Responsive search ad (RSA)

A text ad format where you supply several headlines and descriptions, which Google combines and tests automatically to show the best-performing version for the query. It’s now the standard format for Search campaigns.

Shared budget

A single daily budget spread automatically by Google across several campaigns, instead of giving each one a fixed amount. It stops one campaign from capping out while another leaves budget unused.

Smart campaign

A simplified, heavily automated campaign type, built for small businesses that want to run ads with as little setup and monitoring as possible. Google handles most of the targeting and bidding from a few details about the business.

Campaign types

App campaign

A campaign type built to promote a mobile app and drive installs or in-app actions. Using your assets, Google automatically runs and optimizes ads across Search, YouTube, Google Play and the Display Network.

Demand Gen

A visual campaign type running on Google’s discovery surfaces (YouTube and YouTube Shorts, the Discover feed, Gmail) as well as the Display Network. Launched in late 2023 to replace Discovery campaigns, it aims to create demand among audiences not yet actively searching for your brand.

Display Network

The network that shows visual ads (images, banners) on millions of websites and apps and on Google properties such as Gmail and YouTube. It’s mainly used for awareness and remarketing rather than capturing immediate purchase intent.

Performance Max

A fully automated campaign type that runs across all of Google’s inventory (Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, Maps) from a single set of assets and conversion goals. You supply the assets, the budget and, optionally, audience signals; the algorithm handles the rest.

Search Network

The network where text ads appear in Google search results in response to what people search for. It’s the original PPC format, known for capturing strong intent.

Shopping

A campaign type that shows product ads with an image, a price and the merchant’s name, powered by a product feed in Google Merchant Center. It’s a core format for e-commerce on searches with purchase intent.

Video / YouTube

A campaign type that runs video ads on YouTube and Google video partners, in various formats (before, during or after a video, skippable or not). Depending on the goal you choose, it can drive awareness, consideration or action.

Ad formats and assets

Asset group

A set of headlines, descriptions, images, logos and videos organized around one theme in a Performance Max campaign, from which Google assembles ads for each channel. It plays a role similar to an ad group, but it’s built around assets rather than keywords.

Call asset

An asset that adds a phone number to the ad, sometimes as a call button on mobile, so people can get in touch directly. It replaces the old call extension and can count calls as conversions.

Callout

A short line of text added under the ad to highlight a benefit of your offer (free shipping, 24/7 service, no-obligation quote), with no clickable link. Callouts add detail to the ad and reinforce your selling points.

Description

The body text of the ad, below the headlines, that sets out the offer and prompts action. A responsive search ad takes several descriptions, which Google combines and tests automatically.

Display path

Two optional fields added to the ad’s display URL, after the domain, to show people where the click leads (such as example.com/shoes/running). It’s purely descriptive and doesn’t have to match the page’s actual address.

Dynamic search ad (DSA)

A format that automatically generates the ad headline and landing page from your site’s content, instead of relying on keywords. It helps capture searches your keywords didn’t anticipate, as long as the site is well structured and negative keywords keep delivery in check.

Headline

The most visible text in the ad, shown first and clickable. A responsive search ad accepts up to 15 headlines, and Google typically shows up to three at a time, depending on the search.

Image asset

A visual asset that adds one or more images to a Search ad to make it more appealing. Images must meet specific format requirements and genuinely illustrate the offer.

Lead form asset

An asset that shows a form directly in the ad to collect a prospect’s details (name, email address, phone) without them leaving Google. It makes lead generation easier, particularly on mobile.

Location asset

An asset that shows your address, a map or the distance to your business, pulled from a linked listing (Google Business Profile). It drives store visits and replaces the old location extension.

Price asset

An asset that showcases a set of products or services with their prices, as clickable cards that each link to the matching page. It gives people a preview of your offer and your price range right in the ad.

Promotion asset

An asset that highlights a special offer (discount, promo code, seasonal sale) below the ad, with the dates it’s valid. It draws attention to limited-time promotions.

Structured snippet

An asset that lists, under a predefined header (Services, Brands, Destinations and so on), several values that show the range of your offer. It helps people understand your catalog before they even click.

Bidding and strategies

CPA (cost per acquisition)

The average cost of getting one conversion, calculated by dividing spend by the number of conversions. It’s a key profitability metric for lead generation or sales goals.

CPC (cost per click)

The amount paid each time someone clicks your ad. It’s the standard billing unit on the Search Network.

CPM (cost per thousand)

The amount paid per 1,000 impressions of the ad, regardless of the number of clicks. This model is mainly used for awareness goals on Display and video.

CPV (cost per view)

The amount paid each time someone watches your video ad or interacts with it. It’s the typical billing model for YouTube view campaigns.

eCPC (enhanced CPC)

A semi-automated strategy that starts with your manual bids and raises or lowers them based on the estimated likelihood of a conversion in each auction. It’s a bridge between manual bidding and Smart Bidding.

Manual bidding

The bidding method where you set the maximum CPC for each keyword or ad group yourself, with no bid automation from Google. It gives you complete control but needs regular attention.

Maximize clicks

An automated bid strategy that aims to get as many clicks as possible within your budget. It’s useful for driving traffic but doesn’t take conversions into account.

Maximize conversion value

A Smart Bidding strategy that tries to get the highest total conversion value possible within your budget. It suits accounts where conversions don’t all carry the same value (orders of different sizes, for instance).

Maximize conversions

A Smart Bidding strategy that tries to get as many conversions as possible while spending your whole budget. It doesn’t aim for a specific cost per acquisition unless you add a target CPA.

ROAS (return on ad spend)

The ratio of conversion value to ad spend, often expressed as a multiple or a percentage. A ROAS of 4 (or 400%) means $4 in conversion value for every $1 spent.

Smart Bidding

The family of automated bid strategies that use Google’s machine learning to optimize each bid at auction time, based on the context of the search. It includes Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize conversions and Maximize conversion value.

Target CPA (tCPA)

A Smart Bidding strategy that automatically adjusts bids to get as many conversions as possible at or around the cost per acquisition you set as your target. The actual cost varies above and below the target from one conversion to the next.

Target ROAS (tROAS)

A Smart Bidding strategy that adjusts bids to hit the return on ad spend you set as your target while maximizing conversion value. It requires reliable conversion value tracking.

Keyword match types

Broad match

The default and broadest match type, which runs the ad on searches related to the meaning of the keyword, including synonyms and related topics. The keyword is entered without any special symbols and works best alongside negative keywords.

Close variants

Searches Google treats as equivalent to your keyword and runs your ad on, even when the wording differs (misspellings, singular or plural forms, implied words, paraphrases). They apply to every match type and can’t be turned off, which is why negative keywords matter for keeping them in check.

Exact match

The most restrictive match type, which runs the ad on queries that share the same meaning or intent as the keyword, close variants included. The keyword is entered in square brackets, for example [running shoes].

Negative keywords

Terms you add to keep your ads from showing on irrelevant searches. They prevent wasted clicks and tighten your targeting without changing your positive keywords.

Phrase match

A match type that runs the ad when the meaning of the query matches that of the keyword, with less room for variation than broad match. The keyword is entered in quotation marks, for example "running shoes".

Search term

The actual query someone typed that triggered your ad, as opposed to the keyword you defined. The search terms report is what you use to spot new keywords to add or to exclude.

Delivery and networks

Ad placement

The position where your ad appears on the results page, such as at the top above the organic results, in the first ad position, or at the bottom. A more visible placement tends to produce a higher click-through rate.

Auction

The split-second process triggered by every eligible search, in which Google compares the competing advertisers and uses Ad Rank to determine which ads show, in what order and at what price. Every ad impression is the result of its own auction.

Frequency capping

A limit you set on how many times the same person can see your ads over a given period. It prevents ad fatigue and wasted budget in Display and video campaigns.

Query (search query)

The words someone actually types into the search engine, which may or may not trigger an ad depending on your keywords and their match types. It’s distinct from the keyword, which the advertiser chooses to capture those queries, and it’s what shows up as the search term in reports.

Reach

The number of unique people exposed to your ads over a given period, as opposed to impressions, which count every time an ad is shown. It’s a key metric for awareness goals.

Search partners

Third-party sites and services, other than Google, that show Search Network ads (partner search engines, directories, content sites). Running ads on them is optional, and their results are reported separately from Google’s.

Measurement and performance

Ad Rank

A value calculated at every auction that determines whether your ad shows and in what position. It depends on your bid, the quality of the ad and landing page, the Ad Rank thresholds, the context of the search and the expected impact of your assets.

Ad relevance

A component of Quality Score that measures how closely your ad text matches the intent of the search and the targeted keyword. A close match in meaning strengthens this component.

Attribution model

The rule that determines how credit for a conversion is split among the clicks and interactions along the customer journey. The data-driven model assigns that credit based on each touchpoint’s actual contribution.

Click

The interaction where someone selects your ad, usually to be taken to your site. It’s the unit billed under CPC and the numerator of the click-through rate.

Conversion

An action you consider valuable that someone takes after interacting with your ad (purchase, form submission, call, sign-up). It’s the result used to measure and optimize campaigns.

Conversion rate

The percentage of clicks (or interactions) that lead to a conversion, calculated by dividing conversions by clicks. It measures how well the ad and landing page together turn traffic into results.

Conversion tracking

The setup that records valuable actions people take after clicking your ad, using a tag or a data import. Without it, Smart Bidding strategies don’t get the signals they need to optimize.

Conversion value

The amount assigned to a conversion, often the revenue it generates, so you can think in terms of value rather than raw volume. It’s essential for Target ROAS and Maximize conversion value strategies.

Conversion window

The period after an interaction (click or view) during which a conversion can still be credited to it. You set its length, which affects how many conversions are counted and therefore how bidding optimizes.

Cost (spend)

The total amount spent on a campaign, ad group or keyword over a given period, meaning the sum of all billed clicks or impressions. Divided by conversions, it gives you cost per acquisition.

CTR (click-through rate)

The percentage of impressions that lead to a click, calculated by dividing clicks by impressions. A high CTR generally signals an ad that’s relevant to the search.

Enhanced conversions

A feature that supplements conversion tracking by sending Google one-way hashed first-party customer data (email address, phone number) to match conversions to clicks more reliably when cookies aren’t available. It improves measurement accuracy while protecting privacy.

Expected CTR

A component of Quality Score that estimates how likely someone is to click your ad when it shows, based on past performance. It reflects the ad’s expected appeal, regardless of its position.

Google Signals

A feature that enables cross-device measurement using data from people who are signed in to their Google accounts and have turned on ad personalization. It improves audiences and conversion tracking, subject to applicable privacy rules.

Impression

A single showing of your ad to someone, counted whether or not they click. It’s the denominator of metrics like CTR and impression share.

Impression share (IS)

The percentage of impressions you received out of the total you were eligible to receive, based on your targeting. An impression share of 60% means you missed 40% of the chances to show your ad.

Landing page experience

A component of Quality Score that assesses how useful and relevant the landing page is for people who click, including its clarity, its speed and how well it works on mobile. A page that matches the ad improves this component.

Lost impression share (budget)

The percentage of impressions you missed because your budget was too low. A high figure means raising the budget could unlock extra impressions and conversions.

Lost impression share (rank)

The percentage of impressions you missed because your Ad Rank was too low (low bid or low quality). It points you toward bids, relevance or landing page experience rather than budget.

Modeled conversions

A statistical estimate of conversions that can’t be observed directly (declined consent, missing cookies, cross-device journeys), used to fill gaps in measurement. Google adds them to your conversion totals based on aggregated, anonymized trends.

Offline conversion import

A method for bringing conversions that happen offline (a closed sale, a qualified call, a signed contract) back into Google Ads, matching them to the original click through an identifier captured at click time. It lets you optimize for real business value rather than just form submissions.

Primary and secondary conversion actions

How a conversion action is classified based on its role in optimization. A primary action is counted in the “Conversions” column and is used by Smart Bidding, while a secondary action is tracked for observation only and doesn’t influence bidding.

Quality Score

A rating from 1 to 10 given to each keyword that estimates the quality of your ads and landing pages compared with those of your competitors. It’s made up of three components: expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience.

ROI (return on investment)

The ratio of net profit to cost, which measures the true profitability of ad spend once margins are factored in. Unlike ROAS, which compares conversion value to spend, ROI accounts for the cost of the goods or services sold.

Top and absolute top impression rate

Two metrics that measure the percentage of your impressions shown above the organic results (top) and in the very first ad position (absolute top). They show how visible your ads are, since higher placements generally perform better.

View-through conversions

Conversions credited to people who saw an image or video ad without clicking it, then converted later without interacting with another ad. They measure the indirect effect of Display and video campaigns and are counted separately from click-based conversions.

Audiences and targeting

Ad rotation

The setting that determines how the ads in an ad group rotate, either favoring the best performers or serving them more evenly. The optimized setting is the recommended default.

Ad scheduling

The setting that defines the days and hours when your ads can run, with the option to adjust bids by time slot. It focuses your budget on the times when your audience is most receptive.

Affinity audiences

Segments that group people by their interests and long-term habits (sports fans, travelers and so on). They’re mainly used for awareness, reaching a broad but qualified audience.

Audience expansion

A feature that automatically extends a campaign’s reach to people similar to your original audience, to gain volume. A slider lets you control how far it expands.

Audience signals

Pointers you give Performance Max (customer lists, in-market audiences, site data) to steer the algorithm’s learning. They aren’t strict targeting but starting points Google is free to go beyond.

Bid adjustment

A percentage increase or decrease applied to your bids based on a factor (device, location, time, audience) to show your ads more or less often in that context. It loses much of its impact under Smart Bidding, which already handles those variations.

Customer Match

A feature that uses your own customer data (email addresses, phone numbers), uploaded and hashed, to target or exclude those people, and similar profiles, across Google’s properties. It’s used for remarketing, retention and excluding existing customers.

Demographics

Targeting criteria based on characteristics such as age, gender, parental status or household income. They help refine your audience and let you adjust bids by segment.

Devices (device targeting)

The ability to vary delivery and bids by device type (computer, mobile, tablet, connected TV). It helps favor the devices that convert best for your business.

Exclusions

Criteria you add to block delivery on specific items (placements, audiences, locations, devices, topics). They tighten your targeting by cutting out what wastes budget.

In-market audiences

Segments of people actively researching or comparing products or services in a given category. They target intent that’s closer to purchase than affinity audiences.

Location targeting

The setting that defines the areas (countries, regions, cities, a radius around a point) where your ads can run. It lets you match delivery to your service area and adjust bids by location.

Optimized targeting

An option that lets Google expand delivery beyond the audiences you selected to reach people it thinks are likely to convert, based on the campaign’s signals. It puts performance ahead of strict targeting.

Placements

The specific sites, apps, channels or YouTube videos where your Display or video ads can run. You can pick them to target particular contexts, or exclude them to avoid the ones that don’t fit.

Remarketing

The technique of showing ads again to people who already interacted with your site, your app or your videos. It aims to bring back visitors who know the brand but haven’t converted yet.

Similar audiences

Segments of people who behave like those on your existing lists (customers, visitors), used to extend reach to comparable profiles. Google has gradually replaced this tool with audience expansion and optimized targeting.

Shopping and e-commerce

Custom label

A free-form field in the product feed (you can use up to five) that lets you group items by any criterion you choose (margin, season, best sellers, promotion) to manage them in Shopping campaigns. These values don’t affect delivery but make it easier to segment bids and reporting.

Free listings

Unpaid product listings shown on certain Google surfaces (the Shopping tab, Search, Images) from your Merchant Center feed, with no ad spend. They add visibility alongside your paid campaigns.

Google product category

A classification from Google’s official taxonomy (Google Product Taxonomy) that you assign to each item in the feed to describe what it is. It helps Google understand the product and can affect eligibility for certain formats or trigger specific requirements.

MPN (manufacturer part number)

The reference number a manufacturer assigns to a product, used in the feed when the product has no GTIN barcode. It helps identify the item precisely, often alongside the brand.

Product disapproval

A status Merchant Center applies to an item that violates its policies or has incorrect data, which keeps it from showing until the problem is fixed. Monitoring disapprovals is essential to avoid losing product visibility.

Product type

A free-form field in the feed, set by the merchant, that describes an item’s internal category based on your own category tree (for example, Shoes > Running > Men). Unlike the Google product category, it reflects your in-house classification and is used to organize campaigns.

Shopping campaign priority

A setting (low, medium, high) that determines which of several Shopping campaigns advertising the same product gets priority in the auction. It’s a classic way to structure budget by query type.

Billing and budget

Automatic monthly billing

With automatic payments, a charge made on a set date each month if you haven’t reached your payment threshold in the meantime. In other words, Google charges you at whichever comes first: reaching the threshold or the monthly billing date.

Overdelivery

The mechanism that lets Google spend up to twice your daily budget on a given day to make up for slower days. Over the month, spend is still capped at your daily budget times 30.4.

Payment method

The method you have on file to pay for your ad spend (card, direct debit, bank transfer), which varies by country and payment setting. It determines how billing works, from prepaying to paying after your ads run.

Payment threshold

The amount of spend that, once reached, triggers a charge under automatic payments. It often rises in steps as the account’s payment history builds up.

Policies and delivery

Advertiser verification

A program in which Google asks an advertiser to prove its identity and, where relevant, its industry to keep running ads. Once verified, some of that information can appear in Google’s ad transparency disclosures.

Disapproved ad

The status of an ad that violates Google Ads policies and can’t run until it’s fixed or the disapproval is successfully appealed. Google gives the reason so you can bring the ad into compliance.

Limited ad

The status of an ad that’s allowed to run, but only under certain restrictions (locations, devices, audiences) because of an applicable policy. The ad still runs, but its reach is limited for as long as the restriction applies.

Trademark

A legally protected mark, such as a brand name or logo, whose use in ads is governed by Google’s policies: the owner can ask Google to restrict it, which limits how third parties can use it in ad text. Resellers and informational sites can qualify for exceptions.

PPC concepts and vocabulary

Auction insights

A report that compares your impression share with that of other advertisers competing in the same auctions, each identified by their display URL domain. It shows how your presence and competitive pressure stack up against your direct competitors.

Conversion funnel

A model of a prospect’s journey from discovering the brand to making a purchase, in successive stages where the number of people shrinks at each step. It helps you choose the right campaign types and messaging for each stage.

Long tail

The body of infrequent but highly specific queries which, added together, make up a large share of traffic and often show sharper intent at a lower cost. Going after them captures qualified demand that generic keywords miss.

Objectives (awareness, consideration, action)

A campaign’s broad goals, based on the stage of the customer journey it targets: making the brand known (awareness), building interest and encouraging comparison (consideration), or driving a measurable action such as a purchase or an inquiry (action). The objective you pick shapes the campaign type, the formats and the bidding.

PPC (pay-per-click)

The advertising model where the advertiser pays only when someone clicks the ad. It’s the core billing model of the Google Ads Search Network.

SEA (search engine advertising)

Buying ads that appear in search engine results, also called paid search, as opposed to organic search (SEO). Google Ads is the leading platform for it.

Search intent

The underlying need or goal a query expresses, whether informational, navigational or transactional. Aligning your keyword, ad and landing page with it is critical to PPC performance.

SEM (search engine marketing)

An umbrella term covering every way to gain visibility on search engines: paid search (SEA) and, depending on the definition, organic search (SEO). It refers to the overall strategy for acquiring customers through search.

Reporting

Dashboard

A summary screen that brings key performance indicators (spend, conversions, ROAS, CTR) together in one view so you can track activity at a glance. It saves you from jumping between screens to check on an account.

Looker Studio

A free Google tool (formerly Data Studio) for building visual dashboards connected to Google Ads, GA4 and other sources. It’s used to create custom, shareable reports.

White label

Presenting a report or tool with the agency’s colors and logo rather than the vendor’s, with no mention of the third-party brand. It lets agencies deliver client reports under their own brand.

Technical and tracking

GA4 (Google Analytics 4)

The current version of Google Analytics, built on an event-based model, which measures how people behave on a website or app. When linked to Google Ads, it shares audiences and conversions.

Google tag (gtag)

A snippet of code (gtag.js) placed on the site that sends measurement data to Google Ads and GA4, especially for conversion tracking and remarketing. It’s the technical foundation of on-site measurement.

Google Tag Manager (GTM)

A tag manager that lets you deploy and update tracking tags (Google Ads, GA4, third parties) without touching the site’s code each time. It centralizes tracking setup in a dedicated interface.

GTIN

The Global Trade Item Number, a unique product identifier that, in practice, is the number on the product’s barcode. It’s often required in the Merchant Center feed to match a product to the right entry in Google’s catalog.

Merchant Center

The Google platform where you host and manage the product feed that powers Shopping ads and free listings. It checks product data for compliance before products can show.

Micros

The unit the Google Ads API uses for monetary amounts, where one million micros equals one unit of currency. A $1 budget is therefore expressed as 1,000,000 micros, which avoids rounding errors.

Product feed

A structured file describing your catalog (title, price, image, availability, identifiers) that powers Shopping and Performance Max ads through Merchant Center. Its quality directly determines how your product ads serve and perform.