Last quarter, we managed £127,000 in Google Ads spend for an e-commerce client and generated £864,000 in revenue—a 6.8x ROAS. This wasn't luck or a one-off spike. It's the result of a systematic, repeatable framework that we've used across 40+ campaigns. Here's the complete playbook, including our exact campaign structure, bidding strategies, and optimization tactics.
The Starting Point
When we took over this account, it was a mess:
- One campaign with 2,000+ keywords (no structure)
- Broad match everything (burning budget on irrelevant clicks)
- Generic ad copy (CTR: 1.8%)
- Sending all traffic to homepage (conversion rate: 0.9%)
- ROAS: 2.1x (barely profitable)
Six months later: 6.8x ROAS, 12.4% conversion rate, and consistent profitability. Here's how we transformed it.
Campaign Structure: The Foundation
Most accounts fail because of poor structure. You can't optimize what you can't measure, and you can't measure properly without granular campaigns.
Our Hierarchy
- Campaign Level: Product Category (Sofas, Beds, Dining)
- Ad Group Level: Specific Product Type (2-Seater Sofas, King Beds)
- Keyword Level: Match Type + Intent (Exact - Buy Now vs Phrase - Research)
Example Campaign Structure
📁 Campaign: Sofas - Exact Match (High Intent)
└─ Ad Group: 2-Seater Sofas
Keywords:
• [2 seater sofa] - £2.40 CPC
• [buy 2 seater sofa] - £3.10 CPC
• [2 seater sofa uk] - £2.20 CPC
└─ Ad Group: 3-Seater Sofas
Keywords:
• [3 seater sofa] - £2.30 CPC
• [large sofa 3 seats] - £1.90 CPC
📁 Campaign: Sofas - Phrase Match (Research)
└─ Ad Group: Leather Sofas
Keywords:
• "leather sofa" - £1.60 CPC
• "best leather sofa" - £1.40 CPC
Why This Works
- Precise Bid Control: High-intent exact match gets £3 CPC, research phrases get £1.50
- Relevant Ad Copy: Each ad group has tailored messaging
- Performance Tracking: Know exactly which products drive revenue
- Budget Allocation: Shift spend to top performers daily
Keyword Strategy: Intent Layering
Not all keywords are equal. We segment by commercial intent and adjust bids accordingly.
The Intent Pyramid
- Tier 1 - Transactional (80% of budget)
[buy leather sofa uk], [best price 3 seater sofa], [leather sofa online]
Avg CPC: £2.80 | Conv Rate: 14.2% | ROAS: 9.4x - Tier 2 - Commercial Investigation (15% of budget)
"leather sofa reviews", "best leather sofa uk", "sofa comparison"
Avg CPC: £1.40 | Conv Rate: 4.8% | ROAS: 4.2x - Tier 3 - Informational (5% of budget / Brand Building)
"how to clean leather sofa", "sofa dimensions guide"
Avg CPC: £0.60 | Conv Rate: 0.8% | ROAS: 1.2x
Negative Keyword Strategy
We saved £12,000/month by excluding:
- Free/Cheap/DIY: "free sofa", "cheap sofa under £100", "diy sofa"
- Jobs: "sofa sales jobs", "furniture delivery jobs"
- Repairs: "sofa repair near me", "reupholstering cost"
- Competitor Brands: [ikea], [wayfair], [made.com]
Ad Copy: The Conversion Engine
We tested 127 ad variations over 6 months. Here's what actually works.
Winning Ad Template
Headline 1: [Primary Keyword] | Free UK Delivery Headline 2: Save Up To 30% | Finance Available Headline 3: 4.9★ Rating | 10,000+ Happy Customers Description 1: Premium leather sofas handcrafted in the UK. 60-day returns. Interest-free finance. Order today for delivery within 5 days. Description 2: Browse 200+ styles. Expert support team available 7 days. Free fabric samples. Price match guarantee. Sitelinks: • View Collection → /leather-sofas • Finance Options → /finance • Customer Reviews → /reviews • Size Guide → /sofa-sizing-guide Callouts: • Free UK Delivery • 60 Day Returns • Finance Available • Price Match Promise
What Makes This Work
- Keyword in H1: Improves Quality Score, increases CTR by 32%
- Trust Signals: Star rating, customer count builds credibility
- Remove Friction: Free delivery, returns policy address objections
- Urgency/Scarcity: "Save 30%" creates FOMO without being spammy
- Comprehensive Sitelinks: Gives users options, increases CTR by 18%
A/B Test Results
- ✓ Including price in headline: -12% CTR (people filter before clicking)
- ✓ Using emojis: -8% CTR (looked unprofessional in furniture niche)
- ✓ "Free Shipping" vs "Free Delivery": +11% CTR (UK audience prefers "delivery")
- ✓ Star rating in headline: +23% CTR (massive trust boost)
- ✓ "Order Now" vs "Shop Now": +7% CTR ("order" implies decision made)
Landing Page Optimization
We increased conversion rate from 0.9% to 12.4% by fixing the landing page experience.
Critical Elements
- Headline Match: If ad says "2 Seater Leather Sofas", page H1 must match exactly
- Above Fold CTA: "Add to Basket" visible without scrolling
- Trust Badges: Reviews, delivery promise, returns policy in hero section
- Fast Load Time: <1.5s (every 100ms costs 1% conversion)
- Mobile Optimized: 72% of our traffic is mobile
- Live Chat: Increased conversion by 18% (answers objections instantly)
Bidding Strategy: Maximize Profit
We use Target ROAS bidding with manual adjustments based on performance data.
Our Bidding Rules
- High Performers (ROAS >8x): Increase bids by 20%, max impression share
- Profitable (ROAS 4-8x): Maintain bids, monitor daily
- Breakeven (ROAS 2-4x): Reduce bids by 15%, test ad copy
- Loss-Making (ROAS <2x): Pause immediately, analyze search terms
Bid Adjustments
- Mobile: -20% (lower conversion rate, but builds awareness)
- Desktop: Baseline
- Tablet: +10% (highest conversion rate: 15.2%)
- Location: +30% for high-income postcodes (higher AOV)
- Time of Day: +40% for 7-10pm (peak buying time)
- Day of Week: +25% Thursday-Sunday (weekend shoppers convert better)
Daily Optimization Checklist
Successful PPC isn't set-and-forget. We check these metrics every single day:
- ✓ Search Terms Report: Add negative keywords (10-15 daily)
- ✓ Budget Pacing: Are top campaigns hitting daily limits? (If yes, increase)
- ✓ Quality Score: Identify keywords <7, improve ad relevance
- ✓ Conversion Lag: Account for 3-7 day lag in e-commerce
- ✓ Competitor Activity: Monitor impression share loss to competitors
- ✓ Landing Page Speed: Flag pages >2s load time
Advanced Tactics That Moved the Needle
1. RLSA (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads)
Bid +200% on search terms for users who previously visited but didn't convert. These users have 11x higher conversion rate.
2. Audience Layering
Added "In-Market for Home Furnishings" audience as observation. Discovered this audience has 2.3x higher ROAS. Increased bids +60% for this segment.
3. Competitor Conquest
Bid on competitor brand terms with ads highlighting our advantages: "Looking for [Competitor]? Compare prices. We offer free delivery + 60-day returns."
The Results: 6 Month Transformation
BEFORE
- ROAS: 2.1x
- CTR: 1.8%
- Conv Rate: 0.9%
- CPA: £82
- Quality Score: 4.2
- Wasted Spend: ~42%
AFTER
- ROAS: 6.8x ✓
- CTR: 8.4% ✓
- Conv Rate: 12.4% ✓
- CPA: £24 ✓
- Quality Score: 8.7 ✓
- Wasted Spend: ~8% ✓
Financial Impact
- Monthly Ad Spend: £42,000
- Monthly Revenue: £288,000
- Monthly Profit (30% margin): £86,400
- Cost of Ads as % of Revenue: 14.6%
- Annual Impact: +£1.9M in additional revenue
Key Takeaways
- Structure First: Granular campaigns enable granular optimization
- Intent Matters: Segment keywords by commercial intent, bid accordingly
- Test Everything: Ad copy, landing pages, bidding strategies
- Negative Keywords: Often more valuable than positive keywords
- Daily Optimization: 10 minutes daily beats 2 hours weekly
- Landing Page = 50% of Success: Perfect ads with bad landing pages fail
6.8x ROAS isn't magic—it's methodical optimization, rigorous testing, and daily attention to detail. The framework is repeatable. The results are predictable. The profit is undeniable.