The Ultimate Google Ads Targeting Checklist

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1	The Ultimate Google Ads Targeting Checklist
2	General Instructions - Record the date you begin working on the tasks within each section.This helps track when you initiated the process. - Monitor and Review Columns:Tick the relevant boxes (Week, Month, etc.) when tasks are reviewed or completed. - Add specific dates under each checkbox to document completion and ensure consistency. - Revisit the Timeline:Tasks are grouped into Weekly, Bi-Weekly, Monthly, or Quarterly for ease of tracking. Stick to these timelines to maintain campaign optimization. - Focus on Progress: Use the checklist as a progress tracker. Review consistently and prioritize sections requiring adjustments or improvements. - Add Notes: Add comments next to tasks (optional) if you notice significant trends, issues, or achievements.
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4	1. Define Your Target Audience (One-Time Task, Review Quarterly)	Start	Month 3		Month 6	Month 9	Month 12	Etc.	Notes
5	Task 1: List the key demographic traits (age, gender, income) of your ideal customer.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
6	Task 2: Use Google Analytics or customer surveys to identify common interests and online behaviors.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
7	Task 3: Create customer personas to better understand their needs and preferences.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
8	Review: Revisit personas and audience traits every 3 months to adjust for market trends.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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10	2. Implement Demographic Targeting (Setup Once, Monitor Weekly, Adjust Monthly)	Start	Week 1		Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Etc.	Notes
11	Task 1: Log in to Google Ads and navigate to the “Audiences” section in your campaign settings.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
12	Task 2: Select relevant demographic groups (e.g., age, gender, parental status) that match your audience.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
13	Task 3: Add exclusions for demographics that are not relevant to your product or service.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
14	Task 4: Monitor demographic performance metrics weekly in the audience report.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
15	Optimize: Adjust demographic settings monthly based on performance data.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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17	3. Utilize In-Market Audiences (Setup Once, Monitor Bi-Weekly)	Start	Week 2		Week 4	Week 6	Week 8	Etc.	Notes
18	Task 1: In your campaign settings, click on “Audiences” and select “In-Market Audiences.”	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
19	Task 2: Browse Google’s predefined categories and choose those that align with your product or service.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
20	Task 3: Adjust bids for in-market audiences to prioritize high-intent users.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
21	Task 4: Analyze conversion rates bi-weekly and optimize accordingly.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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23	4. Leverage Affinity Audiences (Setup Once, Review Monthly)	Start		Month 1	Month 2	Month 3	Month 4	Etc.	Notes
24	Task 1: Navigate to the “Audiences” tab and select “Affinity Audiences.”	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
25	Task 2: Choose broad categories like “Fitness Enthusiasts” or “Tech Lovers” based on your niche.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
26	Task 3: Create custom affinity audiences by defining specific interests, websites, or apps your audience engages with.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
27	Task 4: Track the performance of both predefined and custom affinity audiences monthly and refine.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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29	5. Apply Location Targeting (Setup Once, Review Weekly, Adjust Quarterly)	Start		Week 2	Week 4	Week 6	Week 8	Etc.	Notes
30	Task 1: Go to “Settings” in your campaign and select “Locations.”	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
31	Task 2: Enter specific geographic areas (countries, cities, or a custom radius) you want to target.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
32	Task 3: Use location exclusions to filter out areas that are irrelevant to your business.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
33	Task 4: Enable location-based bid adjustments for high-performing regions.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
34	Optimize: Adjust bids quarterly to align with performance trends.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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36	6. Implement Remarketing Strategies (Setup Once, Monitor Monthly)	Start		Month 1	Month 2	Month 3	Month 4	Etc.	Notes
37	Task 1: Set up a remarketing list in Google Ads by linking your account with Google Analytics (if not already done).	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
38	Task 2: Define criteria for your list (e.g., users who visited the cart page but didn’t check out).	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
39	Task 3: Create personalized remarketing ads with specific offers or reminders.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
40	Task 4: Monitor list performance monthly and adjust bids or messaging as needed.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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42	7. Optimize Ad Scheduling (Review Weekly, Adjust Monthly)	Start		Week 2	Week 4	Week 6	Week 8	Etc.	Notes
43	Task 1: Access the “Ad Schedule” tab in your campaign settings.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
44	Task 2: Review historical data to identify peak performance times for your ads.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
45	Task 3: Set up a custom schedule to display ads during high-performing hours or days.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
46	Task 4: Adjust bids monthly to prioritize ad delivery during optimal time frames.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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48	8. Utilize Device Targeting (Monitor Bi-Weekly, Adjust Monthly)	Start		Week 2	Week 4	Week 6	Week 8	Etc.	Notes
49	Task 1: In your campaign settings, go to the “Devices” tab.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
50	Task 2: Evaluate past performance by device (desktop, mobile, tablet) in the “Devices” report.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
51	Task 3: Increase or decrease bids for devices based on their performance.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
52	Task 4: Test mobile-specific ad formats monthly if mobile users show higher engagement.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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54	9. Employ Negative Keywords (Monitor Weekly, Adjust Monthly)	Start		Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Etc.	Notes
55	Task 1: Go to the “Keywords” section and review the “Search Terms” report for irrelevant queries.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
56	Task 2: Add these irrelevant terms to your negative keywords list.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
57	Task 3: Organize your negative keywords into groups (e.g., by campaign or ad group).	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
58	Task 4: Expand and refine your negative keywords list monthly based on search term reports.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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60	10. Monitor and Adjust Campaigns (Ongoing Weekly Review, Monthly Optimization)	Start		Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4	Etc.	Notes
61	Task 1: Review campaign performance weekly in Google Ads, focusing on impressions, clicks, and conversions.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
62	Task 2: Use A/B testing to experiment with different targeting settings or ad creatives.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
63	Task 3: Adjust bids and budgets based on underperforming or high-performing segments monthly.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
64	Task 4: Schedule quarterly deep-dive reviews to refine targeting strategies and long-term goals.	Date	Date		Date	Date	Date	Date
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