Z-Consult Knowledge
PPC Dictionary
Google Ads, paid media and measurement terminology explained clearly.
Measurement and metrics
Ad group →
An ad group is a level within applicable Google Ads campaigns connecting ads with related settings or keywords.
Advertising and audiences
Ad Rank →
Ad Rank is a value Google Ads uses to determine ad eligibility and placement relative to other ads.
Measurement and metrics
Asset group →
An asset group bundles advertising assets and related settings in Performance Max.
Measurement and metrics
Attribution →
Attribution is a rule or model assigning recorded value to interactions on a conversion path.
Measurement and metrics
Audience signals →
Audience signals are audience inputs guiding automation in applicable campaigns.
Measurement and metrics
Average daily budget →
An average daily budget is a Google Ads spending setting; actual daily spend can vary under applicable rules.
Measurement and metrics
Average order value →
AOV is average order value for a selected set: revenue from those orders divided by their count.
Measurement and metrics
Bid strategy →
A bid strategy determines how an advertising system selects bids for configured goals and constraints.
Measurement and metrics
Break-even ROAS →
Break-even ROAS is the advertising return threshold where the selected economic model breaks even.
Advertising and audiences
Broad match →
Broad match is a keyword match type that can allow queries related to the meaning of a keyword.
Measurement and metrics
Campaign →
A campaign is a Google Ads organisational level grouping settings and advertising structures for a task.
Measurement and metrics
Consent Mode →
Consent Mode adjusts supported Google tag behaviour according to supplied consent signals.
Advertising and audiences
Conversion →
A conversion is an action an advertiser defines as valuable and tracks, such as a purchase or enquiry.
Advertising and audiences
Conversion rate →
Conversion rate compares recorded conversions with the relevant interactions in the selected report.
Advertising and audiences
Conversion tracking →
Conversion tracking records selected valuable actions following advertising interactions.
Advertising and audiences
Conversion value →
Conversion value is a numeric value assigned or supplied for a tracked action.
Measurement and metrics
Conversion window →
A conversion window is the period after an eligible interaction during which an action can be recorded under the relevant rules.
Advertising and audiences
CPA →
CPA is cost per recorded action or acquisition; its meaning depends on the defined conversion.
Advertising and audiences
CPC →
CPC is cost per click; average CPC equals advertising spend divided by recorded clicks.
Measurement and metrics
CPM →
CPM is cost per thousand impressions: spend divided by impressions, multiplied by 1,000.
Measurement and metrics
CTR →
CTR (Click-Through Rate) is the number of clicks divided by the number of impressions. It is usually expressed as a percentage.
Measurement and metrics
Customer lifetime value →
CLV or LTV estimates customer relationship value over a defined period under a selected model.
Advertising and audiences
Customer Match →
Customer Match uses eligible first-party customer data for audience matching in Google Ads.
Measurement and metrics
Display ads →
Display ads use visual and other supported formats in eligible advertising environments.
Advertising and audiences
Enhanced conversions →
Enhanced conversions supplements measurement using eligible user-provided data, hashed and sent under Google's rules.
Advertising and audiences
Exact match →
Exact match allows queries with the same meaning or intent as the keyword, including supported close variants.
Advertising and audiences
Google Ads →
Google Ads is Google's advertising platform for campaigns in Search and other supported advertising environments.
Measurement and metrics
Google Analytics 4 →
GA4 is Google's analytics system using events to measure website and app interactions.
Advertising and audiences
Google Merchant Center →
Google Merchant Center manages product data for supported Google product appearances.
Measurement and metrics
Google Tag Manager →
GTM manages tags, triggers and variables for measurement and other permitted integrations.
Advertising and audiences
Impression share →
Impression share is received impressions divided by estimated impressions for which the ad was eligible.
Measurement and metrics
Incrementality →
Incrementality is additional outcome caused by an action compared with what would have happened without it.
Measurement and metrics
Landing page →
A landing page is where a visitor arrives after following a link or ad.
Measurement and metrics
Maximize conversion value →
Maximize conversion value optimises recorded conversion value under the configured budget and settings.
Measurement and metrics
Maximize conversions →
Maximize conversions is an automated strategy seeking more conversions within the configured budget and settings.
Advertising and audiences
Negative keyword →
A negative keyword restricts delivery for queries matching its rules.
Measurement and metrics
Paid media →
Paid media distributes advertising messages through paid channels and formats.
Measurement and metrics
Performance Max →
Performance Max is a Google Ads campaign type using automation and access to several Google channels in one campaign. It works toward the goals and inputs supplied.
Advertising and audiences
Phrase match →
Phrase match allows queries containing the keyword's meaning, with narrower reach than broad match.
Advertising and audiences
PPC →
PPC means Pay Per Click, a model charging advertisers for clicks; it also commonly refers to paid search management.
Advertising and audiences
Product feed →
A product feed is a structured set of product attributes such as ID, title, price and availability.
Measurement and metrics
Quality Score →
Quality Score is a keyword-level diagnostic rating from 1 to 10 in Search campaigns. It compares advertising quality with that of other advertisers.
Advertising and audiences
Remarketing →
Remarketing targets audiences that previously interacted with a business, subject to platform rules and capabilities.
Advertising and audiences
Responsive search ad →
A responsive search ad supplies headlines and descriptions Google can combine for different impressions.
Measurement and metrics
ROAS →
ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) compares value attributed to advertising with advertising spend. It is expressed as a ratio or a percentage.
Measurement and metrics
Search partners →
Search partners are partner environments that can extend Search ad delivery under applicable settings.
Advertising and audiences
Search term →
A search term is the actual query a user entered that is associated with ad delivery or an interaction in reporting.
Advertising and audiences
Shopping ads →
Shopping ads use product data and may display an image, price and merchant.
Advertising and audiences
Smart Bidding →
Smart Bidding is a family of Google Ads strategies using auction-time automation to optimise for conversions or conversion value.
Advertising and audiences
Target CPA →
Target CPA is a target average conversion cost used with an applicable automated bidding strategy.
Advertising and audiences
Target ROAS →
Target ROAS is a target ratio of conversion value to advertising spend used in automated bidding.
Measurement and metrics
Video ads →
Video ads use video assets in supported formats and environments, including YouTube.
How we select terms
Selection combines industry usage, reader questions and official documentation. Every published term covers a distinct concept with a useful explanation and primary sources.
Search Intelligence →