06 09Plan the test before the spend.

SEA & Google Ads.

Plan a search campaign, explore the economics and learn how to read results before taking action.

Beginner6 guided lessons1 final project

Start the first lessonFree to explore. No sign-up needed.

See what you’ll learn

A focused message. An explicit assumption.

A clear learning sequenceThree phases. Two lessons each.

About 133 minutes31 min reading · ~102 min practice

Make something usefulFinish with your own reviewable project.

A skill you can put to work

Create a complete hypothetical paid-search test plan.

A campaign outline

A goal, clear themes and relevant example queries.

A budget scenario

Show your assumptions and the arithmetic.

A next-test rule

Decide what evidence would change your plan.

**Connect the campaign before you test it.**A planning model that joins goal, query, message, landing page and measurement. It does not represent a live campaign.

The curriculum

Your next six
useful steps.

Follow the sequence or return to a lesson whenever you need it. Read, try the task and check your reasoning.

Phase 1 · Lessons 1–2

Plan a focused campaign

Define a goal, group themes and understand search terms.

LESSON 015 min read

Paid Search Goals and Campaign Structure

Define the goal before the structure

~12 min practiceOpen lesson

LESSON 025 min read

Keywords, Match Types and Search Terms

Distinguish the terms

~14 min practiceOpen lesson

Phase 2 · Lessons 3–4

Match message and economics

Write relevant ads and explore budget assumptions.

LESSON 035 min read

Write Ads and Match the Landing Page

Write assets that make sense together

~16 min practiceOpen lesson

LESSON 045 min read

Budget, Bids and Unit Economics

Make the arithmetic visible

~18 min practiceOpen lesson

Phase 3 · Lessons 5–6

Measure and decide

Define the conversion, read the limits and choose the next test.

LESSON 056 min read

Conversion Tracking and Measurement Limits

Define the action before tracking it

~20 min practiceOpen lesson

LESSON 065 min read

Read Results and Design the Next Test

Compare like with like

~22 min practiceOpen lesson

Your final project · The campaign planning desk

A search campaign on paper

A fictional service offers scheduled repair appointments. Prepare a campaign plan without creating an account or spending money.

A silver campaign-planning slider with finite violet glass tokens, ivory message tiles and an ice-blue receiving tray. — A fictional brief.
**A real chance to practice.**

Goal, campaign theme, ad groups and sample keywords.
Two example ad messages matched to a landing page.
Budget scenarios, conversion definition and a next-test rule.

Your project is yours to keep. Use the example to review your choices, then make it your own.

Find a project worksheet