Step-by-Step Guide to Duplicating a Campaign in Google Ads

Step 1: Sign In to Your Google Ads Account

1. Open your web browser and navigate to the Google Ads homepage at https://ads.google.com/.
2. Click on the "Sign In" button in the top-right corner of the page.
3. Enter your Google Ads account email address and password, then click "Sign In" to access your account dashboard.

Step 2: Navigate to the Campaigns Tab

1. Once you're in your Google Ads account dashboard, locate the navigation menu on the left-hand side of the screen.
2. Click on the "Campaigns" tab to view a list of all your existing campaigns.

Step 3: Select the Campaign to Duplicate

1. In the campaigns list, find the campaign you want to duplicate.
2. Click on the checkbox next to the campaign name to select it.

Step 4: Duplicate the Selected Campaign

1. With the campaign selected, click on the "Edit" dropdown menu located above the campaigns list.
2. From the dropdown menu, choose the "Duplicate" option.
3. A new campaign will be created with the same settings as the original campaign, but with "(Copy)" appended to the end of the campaign name.

Step 5: Customize the Duplicated Campaign

1. Click on the duplicated campaign's name to open its settings.
2. Rename the campaign by removing "(Copy)" from the end of the name and adding a unique identifier, such as a geographic location or target audience.
3. Review and adjust other campaign settings as needed, including:
   • Budget: Set a new daily budget for the duplicated campaign. For example, if the original campaign had a $50 daily budget, you might allocate $75 for the new campaign targeting a different market.
   • Targeting: Modify the geographic targeting, demographics, or placements to suit the new campaign's goals. For instance, if expanding to a new city, update the location targeting accordingly.
   • Ad Extensions: Add or remove ad extensions like sitelinks, callouts, or structured snippets to optimize the new campaign's performance.

Step 6: Save and Activate the Duplicated Campaign

1. Once you've finished customizing the duplicated campaign, click the "Save" button to apply your changes.
2. If you want the duplicated campaign to start running immediately, click the "Enable" button next to the campaign name. Otherwise, you can leave it paused until you're ready to launch.

By following these steps, you can easily duplicate an existing campaign in Google Ads, saving time and effort when expanding your advertising efforts to new markets or testing variations of successful campaigns.

Using Google Ads Editor for Campaign Duplication

Step 1: Install and Set Up Google Ads Editor

1. Download the Google Ads Editor application from the official website: https://ads.google.com/home/tools/ads-editor/
2. Install the application on your computer following the provided instructions.
3. Open Google Ads Editor and sign in using your Google Ads account credentials.

Step 2: Navigate to the Desired Campaign

1. In the left-hand navigation panel, expand the "Campaigns" section.
2. Locate the campaign you want to duplicate and click on its name to select it.

Step 3: Copy the Selected Campaign

1. Right-click on the selected campaign.
2. From the context menu, choose "Copy" to copy the campaign and its associated ad groups and ads.

Step 4: Paste the Duplicated Campaign

1. Right-click on the "Campaigns" section in the left-hand navigation panel.
2. From the context menu, select "Paste" to create a new campaign with the same structure and settings as the copied campaign.

Step 5: Customize the Duplicated Campaign

1. In the main workspace area, click on the duplicated campaign to view its settings.
2. Rename the campaign by replacing the default "Copy of [Original Campaign Name]" with a unique and descriptive name.
3. Modify other campaign settings as needed, such as budget, targeting, and ad extensions, to differentiate the duplicated campaign from the original.

Step 6: Post Changes to Google Ads

1. Once you've finished customizing the duplicated campaign, click on the "Post" button in the top-right corner of the Google Ads Editor window.
2. Review the changes you've made and click "Post" again to confirm and upload the duplicated campaign to your Google Ads account.

Using Google Ads Editor to duplicate campaigns can be more efficient than the manual process, especially when working with multiple campaigns or making bulk changes.

Example Application - Expanding to a New Geographic Market

Let's say you have a successful Google Ads campaign promoting your e-commerce store to customers in New York City. The campaign has a daily budget of $100 and targets users within a 15-mile radius of the city center. You want to expand your reach by duplicating the campaign and targeting customers in Los Angeles.

1. Follow the steps outlined in Part 1 or Part 2 to duplicate your successful New York City campaign.
2. Rename the duplicated campaign to reflect the new target location, e.g., "E-commerce Store - Los Angeles."
3. Update the geographic targeting:
   1. In the campaign settings, navigate to the "Locations" section.
   2. Remove the existing New York City targeting.
   3. Add Los Angeles as the new target location, using a similar 15-mile radius around the city center.
4. Adjust the daily budget:
   1. Determine the appropriate daily budget for the Los Angeles market based on factors like population size, competition, and your advertising goals.
   2. For example, if Los Angeles has a population twice that of New York City, you might set the daily budget to $200 to maintain a similar level of ad exposure.
5. Customize ad extensions:
   1. Review your ad extensions to ensure they are relevant to the Los Angeles market.
   2. Update any location-specific extensions, such as location targeting or call extensions, to reflect the new target area.
6. Save and enable the duplicated campaign to start running ads in the Los Angeles market.

Strategic Optimization and Benefits of Campaign Duplication

Benefits of Campaign Duplication

1. Efficiency and Time Savings

Duplicating existing campaigns allows for quick setup of new campaigns, saving valuable time and effort. Instead of building from scratch, advertisers can use a proven campaign structure as a foundation, making only necessary adjustments to align with new objectives.

For example, if an advertiser has a successful campaign promoting a specific product, they can duplicate the campaign to advertise a similar product, making minor changes to ad copy, keywords, and targeting.

2. Consistency Across Campaigns

By duplicating campaigns, advertisers can maintain a consistent structure and settings across their Google Ads account. This consistency simplifies management and analysis, as key elements like ad groups, keywords, and extensions remain organized and aligned.

Consistent campaign structure also allows for easier comparison of performance metrics, as data from similar campaigns can be directly compared without accounting for structural differences.

3. Testing and Experimentation

Duplicated campaigns provide opportunities for A/B testing and strategy adjustments. Advertisers can create variations of a successful campaign, testing different elements like ad copy, landing pages, or bidding strategies to identify top-performing combinations.

For instance, an advertiser could duplicate a campaign and change the ad copy in one version to test its impact on click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate. By comparing results, they can determine which version resonates best with their target audience.

4. Adaptability for Seasonal/Event-Based Campaigns

Campaign duplication is particularly useful for seasonal or event-based advertising. Advertisers can reuse successful campaign frameworks from previous years or events, making necessary updates to dates, promotions, and creative assets.

This approach saves time in campaign planning and ensures that proven strategies are leveraged for maximum impact during critical periods.

Ensuring Effective Duplication

While duplicating campaigns offers numerous benefits, it's crucial to make key adjustments to align the new campaign with specific goals. Essential elements to review and modify include:

• Campaign name
• Budget
• Geographic targeting
• Ad groups
• Ad copy
• Extensions
• Bidding strategies

Careful attention to these components ensures that duplicated campaigns are properly customized to meet new objectives and target the intended audience.

Leveraging Duplicated Campaigns for Strategic Optimization

1. A/B Testing Variations

Duplicated campaigns allow advertisers to test variations of campaign elements to identify top performers. By comparing metrics like CTR, cost per acquisition (CPA), and conversion rate, advertisers can determine which variations drive the best results.

For example, an advertiser could duplicate a campaign and test two different landing pages - one with a video and one without. By measuring engagement and conversion metrics, they can assess the impact of video content on user behavior and optimize accordingly.

2. Keyword and Geographic Expansion

Duplicating successful campaigns provides a foundation for keyword and geographic expansion. Advertisers can create new campaigns targeting additional keywords or locations, leveraging insights from existing campaigns to inform strategy.

For instance, if a campaign targeting "running shoes" performs well in a specific region, the advertiser could duplicate the campaign and adjust the geographic targeting to test performance in nearby areas. They could also expand the keyword list to include related terms like "trail running shoes" or "minimalist running shoes."

3. Audience Segmentation

Campaign duplication enables advertisers to create targeted campaigns for specific audience segments. By tailoring ad copy, landing pages, and bidding strategies to different demographic or interest groups, advertisers can deliver more relevant and engaging experiences.

For example, an advertiser selling outdoor gear could duplicate a campaign and adjust the targeting and creative to appeal specifically to hikers aged 18-34. This segmentation allows for more precise messaging and optimization based on the unique characteristics and preferences of each audience.

Monitoring and Refinement

After launching duplicated campaigns, it's essential to monitor performance closely and make data-driven optimizations. Key metrics to track include:

• Click-through rate (CTR)
• Cost per acquisition (CPA)
• Conversion rate
• Return on ad spend (ROAS)