When running Google Ads, most advertisers understand the importance of structuring campaigns around products or services. But there’s a simple yet powerful strategy you may not be using: tiering your campaigns.
This approach can help you maximize ROI by prioritizing your best keywords while still leaving room to test broader, secondary ones. Let’s break it down.
What Is Campaign Tiering?
Campaign tiering is the practice of splitting your campaigns into different levels—usually Tier 1 and Tier 2—based on keyword quality and intent.
- Tier 1 (T1): Highly targeted, action-oriented keywords that align directly with what you offer. These are your best-performing keywords that are most likely to convert.
- Tier 2 (T2): Broader, more general keywords that might have higher search volume but lower conversion intent.
By separating these into different campaigns, you can control your budget more effectively—focusing first on Tier 1 keywords to maximize impression share before expanding into Tier 2.
If you mix both in one campaign, Tier 2 keywords could eat up your budget and push out Tier 1, lowering your overall results.
Example 1: Moving Services
Let’s look at a real-world example.
A moving company in New York City offers both vehicles and manpower. If you mix all keywords together, Google may spend heavily on generic searches like “van rental”—but that doesn’t necessarily bring in qualified leads who want a full moving service.
Here’s how we tiered it:
Tier 1 Keywords (Best Fit):
- “man with a van”
- “moving van service”
- “moving van driver near me”
- “two men and a van”
These searches suggest that people want not just a vehicle, but also moving help—exactly what this company offers.
Tier 2 Keywords (Broader):
- “van rental”
- “rent a van”
- “moving van rental”
These could attract people who only want to rent a vehicle, making them less valuable. The Tier 2 campaign may still be useful for expanding reach later, but the priority is maximizing Tier 1 first.
Example 2: Baby Proofing Services
Another client offers in-home baby proofing consultation and installation.
Here’s how their campaigns were structured:
Tier 1 Keywords (High Intent):
- “baby proofing consultant”
- “baby proofing service near me”
- “baby proofing installation company”
- “child proofing professional”
These searches clearly indicate the customer wants hands-on help—exactly what the business provides.
Tier 2 Keywords (General Interest):
- “baby proofing checklist”
- “baby proofing products”
- “baby proofing home”
These terms capture broader interest. Searchers may not even realize a consultant service exists. Running a Tier 2 campaign helps introduce them to that option, but only after Tier 1 is maximized.
Why This Strategy Works
✅ Budget Control – Prevents less-targeted keywords from stealing spend.
✅ Higher ROI – Prioritizes high-intent traffic that’s more likely to convert.
✅ Scalability – Allows you to expand into broader keywords once Tier 1 campaigns are maxed out.
✅ Clarity in Performance – Separating tiers makes it easy to see which campaigns are driving real results.
Final Thoughts
If you’re running campaigns with both high-intent and broad keywords lumped together, consider splitting them into Tier 1 and Tier 2. You may find that Tier 1 alone drives most of your results, while Tier 2 acts as a secondary layer for extra volume.
Start by maximizing Tier 1. Only then should you experiment with Tier 2. And don’t be surprised if you end up pausing Tier 2 entirely—it’s all about investing where you get the most return.