How much should I budget for Google Ads?

Start at $30-$50/day ($900-$1,500/month). This gives enough data for Google's algorithms to optimize within 30 days. Scale up once you're seeing profitable ROAS. Most eCommerce brands spending $3K-$10K/month on Google Ads see the best balance of volume and efficiency.

Google Ads or Facebook Ads — which should I start with?

If your product has existing search demand (people are googling it), start with Google. If your product is novel and needs discovery, start with Facebook/Instagram. Most brands eventually run both — Google captures intent, social creates demand.

What ROAS should I target?

Depends on your margins. If gross margin is 70%, a 3x ROAS (spend $1, get $3 back) means you're profitable after COGS. Target 4-8x ROAS for Shopping campaigns. Branded search should be 10x+. If you're below 3x after 60 days, your product feed, pricing, or landing pages need work.

Should I use Performance Max?

Not until you have 30+ conversions in your account. Performance Max needs conversion data to optimize effectively. Start with Standard Shopping to generate that data, then test Performance Max as a separate campaign. Let the data tell you which performs better.

How long until I see results?

Initial data and sales: within the first week if you have decent products and a converting store. Consistent ROAS: 30-60 days as the algorithm learns. Fully optimized campaigns: 90+ days with ongoing optimization.

Google Ads Guide

Google Shopping ads have a 1.91% average conversion rate — higher than any social platform. Here's how to launch them right.

Facebook and Instagram get all the attention, but Google captures people who are actively searching for what you sell. Someone typing "buy organic cotton baby blanket" into Google is infinitely more ready to buy than someone scrolling Instagram who happens to see your ad.

Google Ads for eCommerce comes down to two campaign types: Google Shopping (your products showing up with images and prices in search results) and Search Ads (text ads for branded and high-intent keywords). Get these right and you've got a consistent, scalable source of high-intent traffic.

But most store owners either waste their first $5,000 on poorly structured campaigns, or they never start because the platform feels intimidating. This guide walks you through the exact setup we use for every eCommerce client — from account creation to your first profitable campaign.

1.91%

Avg. Google Shopping CVR

$2M+

Ad Spend Managed

150+

Clients Served

4-8x

Target ROAS

How to fix this — step by step

Set up Google Merchant Center and submit your product feed

Before you run ads, Google needs your product data. Set up a Google Merchant Center account, connect it to your Shopify store (Shopify has a native integration that syncs your product catalog automatically), and verify your website. Ensure your product titles, descriptions, images, prices, and availability are accurate — Google uses this data to decide when and where to show your products.

Install conversion tracking properly

This is where 90% of beginners mess up. Install the Google Ads conversion tag and the Google Analytics 4 purchase event on your thank-you page. Use Google Tag Manager for clean implementation. Verify conversions are tracking by making a test purchase. Without accurate conversion tracking, Google's algorithms can't optimize your campaigns and you can't measure ROAS. Do not skip this step.

Start with a Standard Shopping campaign, not Performance Max

Performance Max is Google's automated campaign type and it works — once you have conversion data. For your first 30-60 days, run a Standard Shopping campaign. It gives you more control over bids, products, and search terms. Set a daily budget of $30-$50. Target your entire product catalog initially. After 30+ conversions, you'll have enough data to test Performance Max.

Optimize your product titles for search intent

Google matches your product titles to search queries. A title like "Cotton Blanket" won't show up for "organic cotton baby blanket soft gender neutral." Front-load your titles with the most important keywords: brand + product type + key attributes + size/color. Example: "Organic Cotton Baby Blanket — Ultra Soft, Gender Neutral, 47x47 inches." Better titles = more relevant impressions = higher click-through rates.

Launch a branded search campaign

Create a separate Search campaign targeting your brand name and variations. This captures people who've heard about you from social, word-of-mouth, or other channels and are searching your brand name to find your store. Branded campaigns convert at 5-10x the rate of non-branded and cost pennies per click. If you don't run branded search, your competitors will bid on your brand name and steal your traffic.

Review search terms weekly and add negatives

Go to your Shopping campaign's Search Terms report weekly. You'll see exactly what queries triggered your ads. Add irrelevant queries as negative keywords: "free," "DIY," "wholesale," "cheap," competitor brand names, and any term that isn't a buying signal. This prevents wasted spend and improves your campaign's efficiency over time. Expect to add 20-30 negatives in the first month alone.

Want us to handle this?

These six steps will get you a properly structured Google Ads account generating profitable traffic within 30 days. The Standard Shopping + Branded Search combination is the foundation every eCommerce Google Ads strategy is built on.

But scaling Google Ads profitably — adding Performance Max, non-branded search, remarketing, and YouTube — requires ongoing optimization, bid management, and feed optimization that compounds over time. We manage $2M+ in annual ad spend for eCommerce clients. If you want us to audit your Google Ads setup or build it from scratch, that first conversation is free.

Get a Free Ads AuditWe'll walk through your setup live.

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