How to Get MORE Sales with Google Ads (eCom Tutorial 2026)
Feb 02, 2026If you’re an eCommerce brand looking to generate more sales in 2026, this is the Google Ads strategy you need to understand.
Because the way users interact with Google Search has fundamentally changed.
Between AI Overviews, AI Mode, and richer search results, buyers are researching differently, clicking differently, and converting differently.
Which means if you’re still running a 2023 Google Ads strategy in 2026, you’re already behind.
In this tutorial, I’m going to walk you through the exact Google Ads account and campaign structure we use to drive consistent, scalable eCommerce results — with real account examples throughout.
Why Google Ads Strategy Had to Change for eCommerce in 2026
Google Search is no longer just a list of blue links.
Users now:
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Get answers directly from AI Overviews
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Compare products earlier in the funnel
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Spend longer researching before clicking
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Expect stronger trust signals before buying
For eCommerce brands, this means:
You can’t rely on “just running Shopping ads” anymore.
Your account structure, campaign mix, and data foundations matter more than ever.
What This Tutorial Covers
In this video, I break down:
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The core Google Ads settings you must get right
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How to think about product titles and keyword structures in 2026
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Which campaign types and account structure to start with
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When (and why) to introduce Video and Demand Gen campaigns
All focused on helping you scale faster — without burning budget.
The Core Google Ads Settings You Need to Get Right
Before you worry about campaigns, creatives, or scaling, you need to fix your foundations.
These settings determine how quickly you can grow — and whether Google’s algorithm can actually help you.
1. Primary & Secondary Conversion Goals
Your conversion setup needs to be clean.
That means:
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One primary purchase conversion
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No double reporting of sales
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Supporting actions set as secondary goals
If your data is messy, everything else breaks.
2. Enhanced Conversions
Enhanced conversions are no longer optional.
They help Google:
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Attribute sales more accurately
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Fill in conversion gaps caused by privacy changes
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Improve bidding decisions faster
If this isn’t set up, you’re scaling with one hand tied behind your back.
3. Audience Data Connected
Your first-party data should be feeding Google Ads.
That includes:
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Customer lists
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Website audiences
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Engagement-based signals
Audience data doesn’t limit reach — it improves decision-making.
4. Brand & Negative Keyword Lists
Two things every eCommerce account should have:
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A clean brand keyword list
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Carefully built negative keyword lists
Not to restrict growth — but to create guardrails.
Product Titles & Keyword Structures in 2026
Product titles still matter.
But how you connect keywords, ad groups, and product intent matters more.
In this tutorial, I explain how we structure:
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A combination of Broad Match and Exact Match keywords
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Keyword themes based on intent, not just products
This is a nuanced topic — which is why a full deep-dive video is being released separately.
For now, the focus is on structure, not micro-optimisation.
πWhy Keyword Research Is Still Essential in 2026
How We Structure Campaigns & Ad Groups
Ad Group Structure (STAGs, Not SKAGs)
We don’t build single keyword ad groups anymore.
Instead:
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Ad groups are built around keyword themes (STAGs)
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Rarely more than 3–4 ad groups per campaign
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Each ad group includes:
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Broad match keywords
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Supporting exact match keywords
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Negatives are added carefully, acting as guardrails — not handcuffs.
Which Campaign Types to Start With
There is no one-size-fits-all setup.
The right structure depends on your product, price point, and data volume.
In this tutorial, I show real examples of:
Search Campaigns
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Traditional keyword-based search
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Often combined with Automated General Campaigns (AGCs)
Shopping & Performance Max
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PMAX combined with Shopping
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PMAX paired with Search
The decision always comes down to:
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Product type
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Buying cycle
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Performance signals
Not trends.
When to Introduce Video & Demand Gen
Video and Demand Gen aren’t “top-of-funnel fluff” anymore.
They become powerful once the foundations are right.
Here’s when we introduce them:
Scenario #1: Search & Shopping Are Maxed Out
If:
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Impression share is capped
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Marginal gains are shrinking
Video and Demand Gen help unlock incremental demand.
Scenario #2: Your Product Needs Education
Some products don’t convert on first click.
Video allows you to:
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Educate
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Build trust
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Pre-frame objections
Before the user ever searches again.
Scenario #3: Diminishing Returns on Meta
If Meta performance is flattening:
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Demand Gen often becomes the next scalable channel
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Especially when paired with strong creative
(Link provided in-video to the full “When to Use Demand Gen” breakdown.)
Final Thought: Structure Before Scale
If you want more eCommerce sales with Google Ads in 2026, the answer isn’t a hack.
It’s:
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Better foundations
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Smarter structure
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The right campaign mix
Scale comes after control.