SKAGs in Google Ads: Are They Still Relevant?

By: Jyll Saskin Gales, Google Ads Coach

You might have heard of the SKAG strategy in Google Ads—Single Keyword Ad Groups—and wondered if it's still a viable approach. The truth is, it's a bit of a mixed bag. While SKAGs can still work, the trade-offs in using this outdated strategy may not be worth it for your time & budget.

The Rise and Fall of SKAGs in Google Ads

SKAGs were once a popular strategy, especially before the advent of advanced features like expanded match types, Smart Bidding, and data-driven attribution. By having one keyword per ad group, you could create highly tailored ads and landing pages for each search query.

However, with Google's increasing reliance on machine learning and automation, SKAGs are becoming less relevant. Even with exact match keywords, achieving perfect keyword-ad alignment is challenging. Managing countless ad groups and negative keywords becomes a time-consuming and often frustrating endeavour.

Embracing Automation: The Way Forward

Instead of fighting against automation in PPC, it's wiser to embrace it. By consolidating your ad groups and leveraging Responsive Search Ads, you give Google's algorithms more data to work with, allowing them to optimize your ads and deliver better results over time.

While SKAGs might provide short-term gains, a more streamlined approach focused on machine learning and automation will set your campaigns, and your business, up for long-term success.

What should you do instead of SKAGs?

Rather than spending countless hours micromanaging SKAGs, focus your energy on testing new ad formats, audiences, and creative strategies. By working with automation, you can stay ahead of the curve and ensure your Google Ads campaigns remain effective now and into the future.