Google Ads
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SKAGs vs Modern Google Ads Structure: What Works Now

Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs) were a popular structuring approach where each ad group contained only one keyword. This gave maximum control over ad relevance but is no longer recommended. Google's smart bidding algorithms work better with more data per ad group. Modern best practice is themed ad

Search Campaignsskags vs modern google ads structure

Quick Summary

Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs) were a popular structuring approach where each ad group contained only one keyword. This gave maximum control over ad relevance but is no longer recommended. Google's smart bidding algorithms work better with more data per ad group. Modern best practice is themed ad groups with 5-20 closely related keywords, combined with smart bidding. The shift happened because Google's machine learning needs volume to optimise, and close variant matching has made SKAGs less effective at isolating intent.

Process Flow

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Step-by-Step Guide

Follow these 5 steps to complete this guide

1

What Were SKAGs?

SKAGs placed a single keyword in each ad group, often in all three match types (exact, phrase, broad). The benefit was perfect ad-to-keyword alignment — you could write ads that exactly matched the search term, improving Quality Score and CTR.
2

Why SKAGs No Longer Work

Close variants expansion. Google now matches exact match keywords to close variants, synonyms, and implied meaning. A SKAG for [running shoes] can still show for "jogging shoes" or "shoes for running," undermining the isolation benefit.

Smart bidding needs data. Target CPA and Maximise Conversions algorithms learn faster with more conversion data per ad group. SKAGs fragment data across hundreds of ad groups, starving each one of the signal the algorithm needs.

Responsive Search Ads. RSAs already test multiple headline and description combinations. The fine-grained ad control that SKAGs enabled is now built into the ad format itself.

Management overhead. Accounts with hundreds of SKAGs are time-consuming to manage, report on, and optimise. The ROI on that management time has declined as automation has improved.

3

Modern Account Structure

Group 5-20 closely related keywords per ad group. Use phrase and exact match primarily. Write RSAs with diverse headlines that cover multiple angles. Let smart bidding handle individual auction-level bidding. Focus your time on strategy, creative testing, and negative keywords rather than micro-managing ad groups.
4

When Granular Structure Still Helps

High-value single keywords that justify dedicated landing pages and ad copy can still warrant their own ad groups. Brand campaigns where your brand name ad group needs different messaging than competitor brand names. Very different intents that cannot share the same ad — split these into separate ad groups regardless of structure philosophy.
5

Migrating from SKAGs

Consolidate SKAGs that share the same intent into themed ad groups. Pause duplicate keywords across the consolidated groups, keeping the one with the most data. Switch to smart bidding if you have not already. Monitor performance for 2-4 weeks after consolidation before making further changes.

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