Rebuilding Google Ads to cut acquisition cost by 80%

I took over an account that spent steadily and converted badly. Rebuilding it around Performance Max and tightly themed Search cut cost per acquisition by 80% while conversion volume grew nine-fold, and reach grew alongside the efficiency rather than being sacrificed for it.

Google Ads
Paid media

Problem

The account had been built up over years by different hands. Overlapping keywords competed against each other, broad match ran without negatives, and conversion tracking counted form views rather than form submissions, so every optimisation decision was being made on numbers that were quietly wrong.

Approach

Fixed measurement first: rebuilt conversion tracking in GA4 and Tag Manager so a conversion meant a real enquiry. Then collapsed the keyword sprawl into tightly themed ad groups, moved prospecting budget into Performance Max with proper audience signals and asset groups, and put a negative keyword routine on a weekly cadence. Search kept the high-intent terms; Performance Max was given room to find everything else.

The account is now legible: anyone can open it and see which campaign type is doing what, which matters more than the peak number because it survives me.

Outcome

Cost per acquisition fell 80% and conversion volume grew nine-fold. The account is now legible: anyone can open it and see which campaign type is doing what, which matters more than the peak number because it survives me.

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