The Google Ads Playbook
Automation is the platform. Feed it well.
§01 - What's inside this playbook
Google Ads became an automation platform you feed, not a dial you turn. This 2026 Edition playbook covers the campaign-model decision (Search, Performance Max, or a deliberate both), the conversion-signal foundation that makes Smart Bidding work at all, keyword and negative-list craft, PMax with the guardrails most accounts never install, and the measurement chapter that reframes reported ROAS through incrementality and margin. Includes a 90-day rollout and a 30-second account audit for lead-gen and ecommerce.
After reading, you will be able to
- ✓Decide whether Search, Performance Max or both suit your business
- ✓Build keyword lists, match types and a negative list that stop wasted spend
- ✓Run Performance Max and Smart Bidding without losing control of results
- ✓Follow a 90-day rollout plan and spot where platform ROAS misleads you
Look inside
§02 - Table of contents
- 01Pick Your Model: Search, Performance Max, or Both
- 02The Conversion-Signal Foundation
- 03Keywords, Match Types and the Negative List
- 04Performance Max Without Losing Control
- 05Smart Bidding: Handing the Bids to the Machine
- 06Stopping Wasted Spend
- 07Why Platform ROAS Lies
- 08The 90-Day Rollout Plan
- 09Common Mistakes & Quick Reference
§03 - Who this playbook is for
- ▲Startups scaling past first traction on Meta or Google
- ▲Sole business owners and entrepreneurs running their own ads
- ▲DTC and lead-gen teams tired of a ROAS that never reaches the bank
New to this? Start here
If you're just starting out and some of the terms are unfamiliar, begin with our free checklists. They explain each area step by step, so the playbook makes more sense when you read it.
§04 - Who wrote this guide
Hotseat is a strategy-led digital agency across Cape Town, London and Amsterdam. The team has run campaigns for Under Armour, ASICS, Knight Frank, Hey Dude and more - the guides package the systems they use every day.
§05 - Frequently asked questions
Who is The Google Ads Playbook for?
Startups scaling past first traction on Meta or Google. Sole business owners and entrepreneurs running their own ads. DTC and lead-gen teams tired of a ROAS that never reaches the bank.
What does the Google Ads playbook cover?
24 pages across 9 chapters: Pick Your Model: Search, Performance Max, or Both; The Conversion-Signal Foundation; Keywords, Match Types and the Negative List; Performance Max Without Losing Control; Smart Bidding: Handing the Bids to the Machine; Stopping Wasted Spend; Why Platform ROAS Lies; The 90-Day Rollout Plan; Common Mistakes & Quick Reference.
How do I receive the guide?
It's a PDF. A download link is emailed to you within about a minute of payment.
Can my team use it?
Yes. Every purchase includes a team licence for up to 10 people, plus lifetime access to updates.
What currency and tax will I pay?
Paddle, our Merchant of Record, shows the price in your local currency where available. In the UK and EU the price shown already includes VAT. Elsewhere, any sales tax that applies is shown next to the price and added at checkout.
