How To Layer Audiences on Top Of Your Keywords In Google Ads

In this episode of Clicks & Clarity with Claire, we're breaking down one of the most powerful tactics in modern Google Ads strategy: layering audiences and keywords. Claire walks you through how to combine user intent with audience targeting to attract higher-quality leads, lower your cost per conversion, and run smarter, more efficient campaigns. Whether you're advertising skincare or financial services, you'll learn how to structure your ad groups, choose the right keyword match types, set up audience segments, and craft ad copy that truly connects. Plus, Claire shares budgeting tips, bidding strategies, and optimisation techniques to help you get the most out of every dollar you spend. If you're ready to stop wasting clicks and start generating real results, this episode is for you.

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Transcript

Welcome to Clicks & Clarity with Claire, where we turn Google Ads confusion into conversion. Today, we're diving into a strategy that's going to save you money, attract better leads, and make your campaigns smarter. I'm talking about layering audiences and keywords in Google Ads. Google Ads is changing fast, but smart targeting isn't going anywhere. In fact, it's more important than ever. By the end of this episode, you'll know exactly how to pair user intent with audience targeting to get highly qualified leads at lower costs. Let's start with why layering audiences and keywords works so well. Keywords alone can cast a wide net. For example, if you're targeting "financial planning," you might attract everyone from students researching a project to retirees looking for advice. But when you layer in audiences, you're adding an extra filter. Now, you're targeting people searching for "financial planning" who are also actively researching retirement or who fit a certain income bracket. This means cheaper clicks, more qualified leads, and smarter bidding. In short, you're spending less money per conversion, which is exactly what we want. So, how do you start layering audiences and keywords? First, make sure your campaigns and ad groups are structured properly. Think of your campaign as the umbrella, and your ad groups as the spokes supporting specific themes. For example, if you're selling organic skincare, one ad group might target "organic face moisturiser for dry skin," while another targets "natural anti-ageing serum." Tightly focused ad groups mean more relevant ads, better placements, and lower costs per click. Next, let's talk keywords. Intent is everything here. For audience layering, you'll want to favour Broad Match and Phrase Match keywords. These give you room to capture the right people while still excluding those who aren't your ideal leads. And speaking of exclusions, don't skip negative keywords. They're essential for filtering out irrelevant clicks that waste your budget. Now, let's talk audiences. Keywords tell you what people are searching for, but audiences tell you who they are. Google offers several audience types, including Affinity Segments, Custom Segments, Detailed Demographics, Life Events, In-Market Audiences, Your Data Segments, Customer Match, and Lookalike Segments. Each adds a unique layer to your targeting strategy. Here's how you set it up practically: In your Google Ads dashboard, create a new campaign. Set your keywords, like "best organic skincare" or "eco-friendly face cream." Then, add your audience layers. For example, select audiences in-market for beauty products or affinity segments for wellness enthusiasts. This combination ensures you're reaching users who aren't just searching but are deeply interested in your products. Now, let's talk costs. If you're new to audience layering, you might see higher initial costs as Google learns what works. Start with a manageable daily budget—around twenty to fifty dollars per day. That's roughly six hundred to fifteen hundred dollars per month. This initial period allows Google's algorithm to gather data and optimise your campaigns. When managed well, even a modest budget can deliver excellent ROI. Choosing the right bidding strategy is crucial. For audience layering, I recommend Target CPA if you know the value of a lead and want predictable costs. If you're newer, start with Maximise Clicks or Maximise Conversions to gather data first. Now, let's craft ad copy that resonates. Great Google Ads copy reflects the searcher's intent and makes them feel understood. For our organic skincare example, your headline might say: "Glow Naturally | Organic Skincare Backed by Science." If you're targeting an eco-conscious audience, personalise it further: "Care for your skin and the planet. Try our organic skincare line—gentle, sustainable, effective." Simple, specific, and shows you understand their motivation. Finally, track and optimise your results. Monitor conversions closely, watch your audience insights, and regularly audit your keywords. Pause low performers and double down on what's working. Remember, the goal of layering audiences and keywords is precision. That's all for today's episode of Clicks & Clarity with Claire. You can head to clairejarrett.com to schedule a call with me and talk about having us manage your Google ads accounts. We can help set up and manage your ad groups so that they include the tactics for layering discussed in this podcast. Until next time, this is Claire Jarrett reminding you: layer audiences over your keywords for greater advertising profits. Goodbye for now.