google-ads-expert

What this skill does

# Google Ads Expert - Master Paid Search with 80/20 Thinking

> Build profitable Google Ads campaigns by applying Perry Marshall's 80/20 principles to paid search optimization

## When to Use This Skill

- **Setting up a new Google Ads account** from scratch
- **Optimizing existing campaigns** that are underperforming
- **Structuring campaigns** for maximum quality score and ROI
- **Applying 80/20 thinking** to identify high-leverage optimizations
- **Scaling profitable campaigns** without wasting budget
- **Qualifying leads** before they click (saving money on bad clicks)
- **Prioritizing optimization efforts** for maximum impact

## Methodology Foundation

| Aspect | Details |
|--------|---------|
| **Source** | Ultimate Guide to Google Ads, 80/20 Sales and Marketing |
| **Expert** | Perry Marshall - Pioneer of Google Ads education, 80/20 marketing guru |
| **Core Principle** | "Most people think traffic is 80% of the battle, but it's really 20%. CONVERSION is 80% of the battle. Once conversion is solid, traffic mysteries solve themselves." |


## What Claude Does vs What You Decide

| Claude Does | You Decide |
|-------------|------------|
| Structures content frameworks | Final messaging |
| Suggests persuasion techniques | Brand voice |
| Creates draft variations | Version selection |
| Identifies optimization opportunities | Publication timing |
| Analyzes competitor approaches | Strategic direction |

## What This Skill Does

This skill combines Google Ads technical mastery with strategic 80/20 thinking to help you build campaigns that are profitable from the start.

You'll learn to:

1. **Apply 80/20 to campaigns** - Find the 20% of effort that drives 80% of results
2. **Structure for Quality Score** - Organize campaigns for maximum relevance
3. **Rack the shotgun** - Qualify visitors before they cost you money
4. **Optimize the right things** - Peel back the optimization onion correctly
5. **Scale profitably** - Know when and how to increase spend
6. **Think in conversions** - Put conversion ahead of traffic

The result: Campaigns that make money consistently, not just get clicks.

## How to Use

### Prompt Examples

```
Help me structure a Google Ads campaign for [business/product] using Perry Marshall's
match type segmentation approach. I want to maximize Quality Score and control.
```

```
Apply 80/20 analysis to my Google Ads account. Here are my top 20 keywords by spend:
[list]. Where should I focus my optimization efforts for maximum impact?
```

```
Create a lead qualification strategy for my Google Ads campaigns. I sell [product]
and waste money on [type of bad clicks]. How do I "rack the shotgun"?
```

```
My campaigns are profitable at $X/day but I want to scale. Use the 80/20 approach
to help me identify how to increase spend without killing ROI.
```

```
Prioritize my optimization checklist for [campaign type]. What's the 80/20 order
of operations I should follow before spending more money?
```

## Instructions

### The 80/20 Framework for Google Ads

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              80/20 IN GOOGLE ADS                             │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│                                                             │
│  80% of conversions come from 20% of keywords               │
│  80% of costs come from 20% of keywords                     │
│  80% of wasted spend comes from 20% of search terms         │
│                                                             │
│  BUT ALSO:                                                  │
│                                                             │
│  4% of keywords drive 64% of conversions (80/20 of 80/20)   │
│  1% of keywords drive ~50% of conversions                   │
│                                                             │
│  "Find the vital few, ignore the trivial many"              │
│                                                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```

**Strategic Implication**: Don't optimize everything equally. Find your top performers and make them even better. Find your worst performers and eliminate them.

---

### Step 1: The Conversion-First Mindset

Before worrying about traffic, get conversion right.

> "Most people think traffic is 80% of the battle, but it's really 20%. CONVERSION is 80% of the battle."

**The Order of Operations:**

| Priority | Focus | Why |
|----------|-------|-----|
| 1 | Landing page conversion | Without this, all traffic is wasted |
| 2 | Offer/value proposition | Must be compelling enough to convert |
| 3 | Ad relevance to landing page | Quality Score and conversion both improve |
| 4 | Keyword selection | Target the right searchers |
| 5 | Traffic scaling | Only AFTER 1-4 are solid |

**Conversion Benchmarks:**
- If conversion rate is <1%, fix the landing page first
- If conversion rate is 2-5%, you can optimize ads
- If conversion rate is >5%, you can start scaling traffic

---

### Step 2: Campaign Structure for Quality Score

**Match Type Segmentation:**

Separate your keywords by match type into different ad groups or campaigns:

```
Campaign: [Product Name]
├── Ad Group: Exact Match Keywords
│   └── [keyword] → dedicated ads
├── Ad Group: Phrase Match Keywords
│   └── "keyword" → dedicated ads
├── Ad Group: Modified Broad Match
│   └── +keyword → dedicated ads
└── Ad Group: Broad Match (for discovery)
    └── keyword → catch-all ads
```

**Why This Works:**
- Exact match keywords get highest relevance scores
- You can bid aggressively on exact (known performers)
- Broad match becomes a "fishing expedition" for new terms
- Each match type gets appropriate bid strategy

**The Peel and Stick Technique:**

1. **Run broad match** to discover what people actually search
2. **Check Search Terms Report** for high-performers
3. **"Peel"** those terms out of broad match
4. **"Stick"** them into their own exact match ad groups
5. **Create dedicated ads** for each peeled term
6. **Add negative** of exact match to broad campaign

**Result**: Continuous refinement, higher Quality Scores, lower costs.

---

### Step 3: Rack the Shotgun (Qualify Before the Click)

> "The art of sorting out your customers, weeding out the qualified from the non-qualified, is one of the most important skills you can develop."

**80/20 Reality**: 80% of people who click will never buy. You're paying for all of them.

**Pre-Qualification Tactics:**

| Tactic | How It Works | Example |
|--------|--------------|---------|
| **Price in ad** | Scares away non-buyers | "$499/month starting price" |
| **Specificity** | Attracts only right audience | "Enterprise-only" or "For teams of 50+" |
| **Qualification language** | Self-selection | "If you're serious about..." |
| **Negative keywords** | Block bad searchers | -free, -cheap, -DIY, -jobs |
| **Callout extensions** | Set expectations | "Minimum $10K project" |

**Five Power Disqualifiers:**

Before someone becomes a lead, they should pass:

1. **Money** - Do they have budget for your solution?
2. **Authority** - Can they make the purchase decision?
3. **Need** - Do they have the problem you solve?
4. **Timing** - Are they ready to act now?
5. **Fit** - Are they the right customer for you?

**Landing Page Qualification:**
- Add a short quiz: "Is [Product] right for you?"
- Include pricing or "starting at" to filter budget
- Use specific case studies that speak to ideal customers
- Make non-buyers self-select out

---

### Step 4: The Optimization Onion

Peel back optimization layers in the right order:

```
                OPTIMIZATION PRIORITY
    ┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
    │                                     │
    │  OUTER LAYER (Do First)             │
    │  ├── Match type segmentation        │
    │  ├── Ad extensions (all of them)    │
    │  └── Negative keywords              │
    │                                     │
    │  MIDDLE LAY