What does a Google Ads roadmap look like?

I came up with a Google Ads roadmap. It’s not a product roadmap with dates and sprints and scopes and epics and story points. It’s not a flashy or visually appealing roadmap. It’s a simple plan that answers these prompts:

My goal is X.

Here’s how things are now.

This is why this is bad.

Here’s the new thing we’ve realized.

Here’s why that matters.

Here’s what it means we should do.

I’m going to do X because I want to figure out Y.

Once I understand Y then I’m going to test Z.

Here’s how I’m going to track performance against the plan.

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Here is one of my current Google Ads plans for a B2C company I work with:

Here's how things are now:

• low ROAS

• high spend

• unpredictable

This sucks because Google Shopping contribution margin is negative for the year and we do not know if the revenue is incremental.

Here's the new thing we've realized: I've operated as if this company is exactly like this other company.

Here's why that matters: This company isn't that other company. I don't have any clue if my prior assumptions are valid.

Here's what it means we should do:

• start small and simple: no advanced PPC tactics until I establish a baseline

• get the conversion tracking data right: garbage in = garbage out

• figure out what campaign types capture existing bottom of the funnel search demand

• figure out bidding types: max conversions, max value, with or without targets, mCPC

• start with one product group

• start with the best performing SKUs using first party data

Once we figure out these basics, then we move to:

• testing hybrid pMax + standard shopping for that one product group

• test performance bucketing in pMax vs. standard shopping

• add another product group campaign into the mix and repeat the steps we took with the first product group

Track performance against the plan via a Google doc and include

• current performance (most important KPIs, no fluff)

• what went well

• areas to improve

• list of quick wins to be implemented within the week

• list of A/B testing ideas to be implemented within the quarter

That’s it. That’s the roadmap.