The 10 Most Common Google Ads Questions—Answered Simply for eCommerce Founders

1. Where do Google Ads actually show up?

Let’s clear this up first. Your Google Ads can appear in about a billion places (okay, not quite, but it feels like it). If you’ve run a search on Google and seen the word ‘Sponsored’ next to that first result: that’s a Search ad. Product images at the top, complete with price and shop name? Welcome to Shopping ads—your new best friend as an ambitious eCom store.

But wait, there’s more. Google Display ads are lurking on news sites, blogs and even in your Gmail promotions tab. And let’s not forget YouTube. So, yes, your ad could technically appear while someone’s watching skateboarding cats, provided the targeting’s right.

2. Is Google Ads just ‘Pay Per Click’ (PPC)?

You bet. Google Ads is the original PPC gangster. You set a budget, enter some keywords and only pay if someone clicks you. No click: no charge. However, the amount you pay per click (your CPC) is determined by a virtual bun fight (read: auction) with all your competitors. It’s slightly less dramatic but much more expensive.

For Shopping Ads, you’ll upload your product feed using Google Merchant Center. Google does the heavy lifting, showing your products in search results when shoppers are looking to buy. Simple in theory, but with enough quirks to keep even the keenest founder on their toes.

3. How do I set up Google Ads for my eCommerce store?

First: breathe. Then, follow the steps.

• Set up a proper landing page (your homepage is not a landing page).

• Link Google Analytics and Google Ads. Trust us, you’ll thank us later.

• If you sell physical products, sync up the Google Merchant Center with your store (Shopify, WooCommerce, whatever).

• Conduct some quick and dirty keyword research. Start with branded and product terms.

• Decide on daily budget and targeting.

• Hit ‘Go’.

• Wait for the existential dread to subside.

Afterwards, monitor religiously. Check the Insights tab for budget black holes and be ready to tweak when Google inevitably spends your monthly cap in three days.

4. What goal should my Google Ads campaign have?

Here’s where too many eCom brands lose the plot. If your target is “spend some money and see what happens,” congratulations on donating to Google. Set a bloody objective. Here are some that won’t make your accountant weep:

• Boost sales of a specific product line

• Hit a certain Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) by month end

• Grow mailing list sign-ups from paid traffic

• Promote a seasonal sale or launch

The golden rule: If you can’t measure it, don’t run ads for it. Google is not mind reading for marketers (yet).

5. How do I find my target audience on Google Ads?

Think past ‘women aged 25-45 who like shoes’. Build lists of search terms your customers use at every buying stage—from “best running trainers for flat feet” (research) to “Nike Air Max UK size 8 buy online” (ready to spend). Drill down by location too. Selling nationally in the UK? Start there. Want to stalk Londoners with new running gear? Adjust your settings.

Trickier still: watch the search terms report. Google, bless its soul, will sometimes show you for “Nike trainers for dogs”. Exclude, exclude, exclude.

6. How much should I actually budget?

Ah, the eternal question. There’s no universal answer, just cold, hard maths. Your daily budget depends on your target cost per acquisition (CPA), your industry’s average click cost, and how brave you’re feeling. Try not to take Google’s “recommended” budgets as gospel—they’re often designed to test how tight your seatbelt is.

Start small, measure results and scale up from there. Your competitors set the market rate, not Google. If you want to geek out with the real numbers, tools like SEMrush and Ahrefs show market averages. Or just ask us, honestly.

7. How am I actually charged?

Google waits until your spend racks up to a threshold (could be £50, could be £200, depending on your account age/spend history). Hit that, or the end of the month—whichever comes first—and Google takes a payment. It’s all automatic so don’t wait for an invoice in the post. Heads up: more than one payment a month is normal. No need to panic.

8. Can I really control my daily spend in Google Ads?

Mostly, yes (with the odd caveat). You set a daily budget per campaign. But Google, being Google, might spend double on a “busy” day then under-spend on a “quiet” one—so aim for an average over the month. If your campaign burns through your budget in hours, reassess your bids or targeting. You can always pause campaigns instantly, tinkering addicts beware.

If you want a real laugh, check your “Overdelivery” tab. That’s Google for “we spent a bit more this time, but we might spend less tomorrow.” Shop wisely.

9. What extra tools do I need beyond Google Ads?

Google Ads is decent but, let’s not sugar coat it, pretty basic for deep optimisation. Power eCom brands run:

• Google Analytics (for the truth about what paid traffic actually does)

• Landing page tools (Unbounce, Shogun, your CMS’ built-in stuff)

• Product feed optimisers

• Automated bidding or PPC management tools (e.g. Optmyzr, Adalysis)

• Heatmaps & session recorders (for creepy but effective conversion rescue)

If your PPC agency tells you Google Ads alone is enough, ask them how they find keywords without a paid tool. Cue awkward silence.

10. Google Ads vs. Facebook Ads for eCommerce—what’s better?

Trick question. They’re totally different. Google Ads captures people actively searching for what you sell—think “I want this right now.” Facebook Ads? Great for interruption and brand-building, not always direct sales. In classic eCom, the answer is annoyingly both: use Facebook for awareness and retargeting, Google for intent and conversions.

Pro tip: Your best ROAS often comes from running collaborative campaigns and ensuring your Facebook retargeting fires on post-Google visitors.

Bonus: Shopping Campaigns vs. Performance Max—what’s the difference?

Glad you asked (and yes, this deserved its own answer). Standard Shopping is manual. You control bids and targeting. Performance Max is Google’s “put your feet up and trust the AI” approach—it runs your ads in Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube and even Gmail, all from one campaign.

Performance Max sounds dreamy, but if you want granular reporting, proper exclusions and more than a vague sense of what’s happening, stick with Shopping while you learn the ropes. Move to Performance Max when you’re ready for less involvement and more wild swings in results.

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Looking to get your eCommerce PPC running like a well-oiled (profitable) machine? Read more practical insights and sharp-witted explanations over at our blog or find out why most agencies aren’t nearly strategic enough for your ambitions by checking us out.