Google Ads Glossary
Google Ads Terms and Their Meanings
Here, we explain everything from the most basic Google Ads terms—such as clicks, impressions, and keywords—to more advanced concepts like quality scores, bidding strategies, and remarketing. The goal is to provide a clear overview of both the terms that often come up when you start working with Google Ads and the terms used more frequently by experienced campaign managers.
Click
When someone clicks on your ad. You often pay per click if you use the CPC model.
Impression
When your ad appears on a page, regardless of whether anyone clicks on it or not.
CTR (Click-Through Rate)
The percentage of impressions that result in clicks. Example: If 100 people see the ad and 5 click on it, the CTR is 5%.
CPC (Cost Per Click)
The cost you pay each time someone clicks on your ad.
Ad Rank
Google determines your ad's position based on your bid and quality score.
Quality Score
A score (1–10) assigned by Google based on the ad's relevance, CTR, and the quality of the landing page. A higher score can reduce the cost per click.
Keywords
The words or phrases you want your ad to appear for when someone searches on Google.
Broad match
Results for similar and related searches
Phrase match
Display when the search contains the entire phrase
Exact match
Display results only from exact searches
Negative keywords
Words you want to exclude
Landing Page
The page the user is taken to after clicking on the ad.
Conversion
When a user completes a desired action, such as a purchase, a form submission, or a registration.
Conversion Rate
The percentage of clicks that lead to a conversion.
Conversion Tracking
A feature that lets you track which clicks lead to conversions.
Ad Extensions
Additional information that can be added to the ad, such as phone numbers, sitelinks, and reviews.
Display Network
Google's network of websites where you can display banner and image ads.
Search Network
Google search results and partner sites where text ads can appear in response to searches.
Remarketing / Retargeting
To show ads to people who have already visited your website, to remind them and increase the chances of conversion.
Smart Bidding
Automated bidding strategies that use machine learning to optimize conversions or value.
ROAS
Measures how much revenue you get back for every krona you spend on advertising.
Viewing Share
The ratio of the number of times your ad is displayed to how often it could have been displayed.
Auction Insights
A report showing how your ads are performing compared to competitors in the same auction.
A/B Testing
A test in which you compare two versions of an ad or landing page to see which one performs best.
Dynamic Search Ads
An ad format that automatically generates ads based on the content of your website.
Responsive Search Ads
An ad format where you provide multiple headlines and descriptions, and Google tests different combinations to achieve the best results.
Negative Keywords
Keywords you add to prevent ads from appearing on irrelevant searches.
Geo-targeting
Control over where ads are displayed geographically, such as by city, region, or country.
Device Targeting
Targeting ads to different devices: mobile, computer, or tablet.
Frequency Capping
Limits the number of times a user sees the same ad during a specific period.
Audience Targeting
Targets ads to specific groups based on interests, behavior, or previous visits to the website.
Ad Schedule
Times of day or days of the week when ads should be displayed.