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Google Ads Syllabus
Roadmap to Learn Google Ads. The full Google Ads syllabus: 8 chapters, 26 topics and 84 sub-topics, with 51 flashcards written against it.
Google Ads syllabus — full chapter and topic list
Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Google Ads, not a summary of it.
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Introduction to Google Ads
2 topics- What is Google Ads?
- Overview of Google Ads
- History and Evolution
- Benefits of Using Google Ads
- Account Setup
- Creating a Google Ads Account
- Navigating the Google Ads Interface
- Account Structure: Campaigns, Ad Groups, and Ads
- What is Google Ads?
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Campaign Types
5 topics- Search Campaigns
- Keyword Research
- Ad Copywriting
- Ad Extensions
- Bidding Strategies for Search Campaigns
- Display Campaigns
- Creating Display Ads
- Targeting Options
- Bidding Strategies for Display Campaigns
- Video Campaigns
- Creating Video Ads
- YouTube Advertising
- Bidding Strategies for Video Campaigns
- Shopping Campaigns
- Setting Up a Merchant Center Account
- Creating Shopping Ads
- Bidding Strategies for Shopping Campaigns
- App Campaigns
- Creating App Ads
- Targeting Options for App Campaigns
- Bidding Strategies for App Campaigns
- Search Campaigns
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Targeting Options
4 topics- Audience Targeting
- Custom Audiences
- Affinity Audiences
- In-Market Audiences
- Remarketing
- Demographic Targeting
- Age
- Gender
- Household Income
- Geographic Targeting
- Location Targeting
- Radius Targeting
- Device Targeting
- Desktop vs. Mobile
- Adjusting Bids by Device
- Audience Targeting
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Ad Creation
3 topics- Ad Formats
- Text Ads
- Responsive Search Ads
- Image Ads
- Video Ads
- Shopping Ads
- Ad Copywriting
- Writing Effective Headlines
- Crafting Compelling Descriptions
- Using Call-to-Actions
- Ad Extensions
- Sitelink Extensions
- Callout Extensions
- Structured Snippet Extensions
- Call Extensions
- Location Extensions
- Ad Formats
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Bidding Strategies
2 topics- Manual Bidding
- Setting Manual CPC Bids
- Adjusting Bids by Performance
- Automated Bidding
- Target CPA
- Target ROAS
- Maximize Conversions
- Enhanced CPC
- Manual Bidding
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Performance Tracking and Optimization
4 topics- Key Metrics
- Click-Through Rate (CTR)
- Conversion Rate
- Cost Per Click (CPC)
- Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)
- Using Google Analytics
- Linking Google Ads to Google Analytics
- Tracking Conversions
- Analyzing User Behavior
- A/B Testing
- Setting Up A/B Tests
- Analyzing Test Results
- Implementing Changes Based on Results
- Ongoing Optimization
- Keyword Optimization
- Ad Copy Optimization
- Bid Adjustments
- Quality Score Improvement
- Key Metrics
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Advanced Strategies
4 topics- Remarketing
- Setting Up Remarketing Lists
- Creating Remarketing Ads
- Targeting Remarketing Audiences
- Dynamic Search Ads
- How Dynamic Search Ads Work
- Setting Up Dynamic Search Ads
- Optimizing Dynamic Search Ads
- Local Campaigns
- Setting Up Local Campaigns
- Optimizing for Local Search
- Tracking Local Campaign Performance
- Smart Campaigns
- Overview of Smart Campaigns
- Setting Up Smart Campaigns
- Optimizing Smart Campaigns
- Remarketing
-
Compliance and Best Practices
2 topics- Google Ads Policies
- Ad Content Policies
- Landing Page Policies
- Prohibited Practices
- Best Practices
- Ad Relevance
- Landing Page Experience
- Account Structure and Organization
- Google Ads Policies
Google Ads flashcards
The complete Google Ads deck: 51 questions with worked answers.
What is Google Ads?
Google's online advertising platform (formerly Google AdWords) where advertisers bid to display ads, product listings, and video content across Google Search, the Display Network, YouTube, and partner sites, typically paying on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis.
Which auction and pricing model does Google Ads primarily use for Search ads?
A pay-per-click (PPC) auction. Ads compete in a real-time auction and advertisers generally pay only when a user clicks (CPC), with actual cost determined by the auction rather than the max bid.
What three main factors determine Ad Rank in the Google Ads auction?
Your bid amount, your Quality Score (ad and landing page quality), and the expected impact of ad extensions/assets and other ad formats. (Also context and Ad Rank thresholds.)
What is Quality Score and what three components make it up?
A 1-10 diagnostic estimate of ad quality. Its three components are: expected click-through rate (CTR), ad relevance, and landing page experience.
What is the hierarchical structure of a Google Ads account?
Account → Campaign(s) → Ad Group(s) → Ads and Keywords. Budgets and campaign type/settings are set at the campaign level; keywords, ads, and bids live within ad groups.
What information is required to complete Google Ads account setup?
A Google account (email), business information/website, billing details (payment method and billing country/currency), and time zone. The currency and time zone are fixed once set.
What is a Search campaign?
A campaign that shows text ads on the Google Search results page (and search partners) when users' queries match your keywords, capturing high-intent demand at the moment of search.
What is a Display campaign?
A campaign that shows image, responsive, and banner ads across the Google Display Network (millions of websites, apps, and Gmail), used mainly for awareness, reach, and remarketing rather than direct search intent.
What is a Video campaign and where do its ads run?
A campaign that runs video ads on YouTube and Google video partners. Formats include skippable/non-skippable in-stream, in-feed, bumper, and Shorts ads.
What is a Shopping campaign?
A campaign that shows Product Listing Ads (PLAs) with product image, title, price, and store name. It requires a Google Merchant Center product feed rather than keywords.
What is required to run a Shopping campaign?
A Google Merchant Center account with an approved product feed, linked to Google Ads. Shopping ads are driven by product data (feed attributes), not keywords.
What is an App campaign?
An automated campaign type that promotes mobile app installs and in-app actions across Search, Play, YouTube, Display, and Discover. Google auto-generates ad combinations from provided assets; targeting and bidding are largely automated.
What is audience targeting in Google Ads?
Reaching users based on who they are, their interests, habits, or past interactions—e.g., affinity audiences, in-market audiences, custom audiences, and remarketing lists—rather than only by keyword.
Compare affinity audiences vs. in-market audiences.
Affinity audiences target users by long-term interests and lifestyle (broad, top-of-funnel). In-market audiences target users actively researching or intending to buy a product/service now (lower-funnel, higher intent).
What is remarketing (retargeting) in Google Ads?
Showing ads to users who previously interacted with your website, app, or videos, using tracked audience lists to re-engage prior visitors and encourage conversion.
What demographic dimensions can you target in Google Ads?
Age, gender, parental status, and household income (income availability varies by country). You can bid-adjust, include, or exclude these segments.
What is geographic (location) targeting?
Restricting or adjusting where ads appear—by country, region, city, postal code, or a radius around a point—so ads reach users in (or interested in) chosen locations.
What is the difference between the 'Presence' and 'Presence or interest' location options?
'Presence' targets people physically in (or regularly in) the targeted location. 'Presence or interest' also includes people who search for or show interest in the location even if located elsewhere.
What device types can you target and adjust bids for in Google Ads?
Computers/desktop, mobile phones, tablets, and TV screens. You can apply bid adjustments (including -100% to exclude) per device type.
What is a bid adjustment and how is a +20% mobile adjustment applied to a $2.00 bid?
A percentage modifier that raises or lowers bids for a condition (device, location, audience, schedule). A +20% mobile adjustment gives $$2.00 \times (1 + 0.20) = \$2.40.$$
Show the other 31 Google Ads flashcards
What is a Responsive Search Ad (RSA)?
The standard Search ad format where you provide up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions; Google automatically tests and assembles combinations (up to 3 headlines and 2 descriptions shown) to optimize performance.
What is a Responsive Display Ad?
A Display ad where you supply assets (images, logos, headlines, descriptions) and Google automatically adjusts size, appearance, and format to fit available ad spaces across the Display Network.
List the main YouTube video ad formats.
Skippable in-stream, non-skippable in-stream, bumper ads (≤6 seconds), in-feed video ads, and outstream/Shorts ads. Masthead is a reservation format on the YouTube home feed.
What are the key elements a search ad headline and description must respect (character limits)?
Each headline is up to 30 characters, and each description is up to 90 characters. Effective copy includes keywords, benefits, and a clear call to action.
Name key best practices for effective ad copywriting.
Include the target keyword, highlight a unique benefit/value proposition, add a strong call to action, use numbers/offers, match the landing page, and address user intent.
What are ad extensions (assets) and why use them?
Additional pieces of information attached to ads (sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call, location, price, promotion). They increase ad size, visibility, and CTR—and improve Ad Rank—usually at no extra cost.
Give three common types of ad extensions (assets) and what each does.
Sitelink assets: extra links to specific pages. Callout assets: short non-clickable highlights (e.g., 'Free Shipping'). Call assets: add a phone number to enable calls. (Also structured snippets, location, price, promotion.)
What is manual bidding (Manual CPC)?
A strategy where the advertiser sets the maximum cost-per-click for keywords/ad groups themselves, giving full control over individual bids without relying on Google's automation.
What is automated bidding?
Smart bidding strategies where Google's machine learning sets bids in real time to meet a goal—maximizing clicks, conversions, or hitting a target CPA/ROAS—using auction-time signals.
Name the major automated (Smart) bidding strategies and their goals.
Maximize Clicks (traffic), Maximize Conversions, Maximize Conversion Value, Target CPA (cost per acquisition), Target ROAS (return on ad spend), and Target Impression Share (visibility).
What does Target CPA bidding optimize for?
Setting bids to get as many conversions as possible at (or below) a specified average cost-per-acquisition (target CPA).
What does Target ROAS bidding optimize for, and what is the formula for ROAS?
It sets bids to maximize conversion value at a target return on ad spend. $$\text{ROAS} = \frac{\text{Revenue from Ads}}{\text{Cost of Ads}}$$ often expressed as a percentage.
Define CTR (click-through rate) and give its formula.
The percentage of impressions that result in clicks, measuring ad relevance/appeal. $$\text{CTR} = \frac{\text{Clicks}}{\text{Impressions}} \times 100\%$$
Define CPC (cost-per-click) and its formula.
The average amount paid per click. $$\text{CPC} = \frac{\text{Total Cost}}{\text{Total Clicks}}$$
Define CPM and its formula.
Cost per thousand (mille) impressions, common in Display/Video awareness campaigns. $$\text{CPM} = \frac{\text{Total Cost}}{\text{Impressions}} \times 1000$$
Define conversion rate and its formula.
The share of clicks (or interactions) that result in a conversion. $$\text{Conv. Rate} = \frac{\text{Conversions}}{\text{Clicks}} \times 100\%$$
Define CPA (cost per acquisition/conversion) and its formula.
The average cost to obtain one conversion. $$\text{CPA} = \frac{\text{Total Cost}}{\text{Conversions}}$$
What is impression share and its formula?
The percentage of impressions your ads received out of the total impressions they were eligible for. $$\text{IS} = \frac{\text{Impressions Received}}{\text{Total Eligible Impressions}} \times 100\%$$
What is ROI in advertising and how is it calculated?
Return on investment, the profitability of ad spend. $$\text{ROI} = \frac{\text{Revenue} - \text{Cost}}{\text{Cost}} \times 100\%$$
What are the four keyword match types in Google Ads?
Broad match (widest, related queries), phrase match (meaning/order preserved), and exact match (query matches the keyword's meaning). The legacy 'broad match modifier' has been folded into phrase match.
What are negative keywords?
Keywords you exclude so your ads do NOT show for those terms, preventing wasted spend on irrelevant queries and improving targeting precision.
What is Google Analytics and how does it relate to Google Ads?
A web analytics platform (now GA4) that tracks website/app user behavior. Linking it to Google Ads imports conversions, audiences, and engagement metrics (like bounce and session data) to measure and optimize campaign performance.
What is conversion tracking and why is it essential?
A tool (via a Google Ads tag or GA import) that records valuable actions—purchases, sign-ups, calls—after an ad interaction, enabling measurement of ROI and powering Smart Bidding (Target CPA/ROAS).
In GA4, what is an 'event' and how does it relate to a conversion?
GA4 tracks all interactions as events (page_view, click, purchase, etc.). A conversion (key event) is an event you mark as important to your business goals for reporting and optimization.
What is the difference between a Search campaign and a Display campaign in intent?
Search targets active demand—users who type queries (pull, high intent). Display pushes ads to users browsing content based on audience/context (interruptive, awareness/lower intent).
What is a daily budget in Google Ads and how does it relate to monthly spend?
The average amount you're willing to spend per day on a campaign. Google may spend up to 2x on a given day but limits monthly spend to roughly $$\text{Daily Budget} \times 30.4.$$
What is Target Impression Share bidding used for?
An automated strategy that sets bids to show your ad at a chosen position (absolute top, top of page, or anywhere) for a target percentage of eligible impressions—used to maximize visibility/brand presence.
What is the difference between reach and impressions?
Impressions count total times ads are shown (including repeats to the same person). Reach counts the number of unique users who saw the ad.
What is a custom audience (custom segment) in Google Ads?
An audience you define using keywords, URLs, or apps that reflect users' interests or purchase intent, letting you reach people beyond predefined affinity/in-market segments.
How is total advertising cost calculated from clicks and average CPC?
$$\text{Total Cost} = \text{Clicks} \times \text{Average CPC}.$$ For example, 500 clicks at an average CPC of $1.20 costs $$500 \times \$1.20 = \$600.$$
What is an ad schedule (dayparting) and how does it interact with bidding?
Setting specific days/hours for ads to run, optionally with bid adjustments, so budget is concentrated during the most valuable times and reduced or paused during low-performing periods.
Google Ads syllabus FAQ
What is in the Google Ads syllabus?
The Google Ads syllabus is split into 8 chapters: Introduction to Google Ads, Campaign Types, Targeting Options, Ad Creation, Bidding Strategies, Performance Tracking and Optimization, Advanced Strategies and Compliance and Best Practices. Together they contain 26 topics and 84 sub-topics.
How many chapters and topics are in the Google Ads syllabus?
8 chapters and 26 topics, broken down further into 84 sub-topics. The largest chapter is Campaign Types, with 5 topics.
Are there Google Ads flashcards?
Yes — 51 question-and-answer flashcards, printed in full on this page and available in the Examius app with spaced repetition. The free plan covers one exam of your choice, including its flashcards; Examius Pro, a one-time purchase, unlocks every other exam and deck.
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