Google Search Ads are a staple in any performance driven marketing strategy. Remarketing ads in particular are known for their effectiveness recapturing users who previously engaged with your website but didn’t convert. In fact, data shows that users are up to 70% more likely to make a purchase when remarketing is used. But poorly optimized campaigns can drain your ad budget fast. Let’s explore five advanced ways to make your Google Search Ads work smarter not harder.

1. Build a High Intent RLSA Audience

Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSAs) allow you to reach users who have already visited your website, with added intent-based targeting to refine your audience further. The strength of an RLSA campaign lies in its audience segmentation.

You can define audiences in two ways:

  • Narrow: Target only users who visited a specific product or pricing page.
  • Broad: Include anyone who visited your site.

The key is finding the balance between high intent and audience volume. Google requires at least 1,000 users in your audience to run a search ad campaign, so ensure your segments have enough scale to perform efficiently.

2. Set Up Dynamic Ad Bidding Based on Intent

With your audiences in place, dynamic bidding lets you maximize performance. Google Ads allows for custom bid adjustments based on audience signals and keyword intent. Here’s how to use this strategically:

  • Increase bids for high value users – These are users who visited multiple key pages, downloaded content, or interacted deeply with your site. They’re more likely to convert, so it’s worth bidding higher.
  • Lower bids for low intent visitors – Maybe they bounced quickly or visited just one general page. You can still target them, but reduce the spend per click.

While Google automates the bidding, you control your max CPC, ensuring the campaign stays within your budget limits.

3. Exclude Internal and Out of Market IP Addresses

To prevent wasteful spend, exclude IPs that belong to your own company, competitors, or even existing customers. These users may show strong engagement but are not likely to result in new revenue. If left unchecked, they can distort campaign data and drain budget.

Create a custom IP exclusion list based on your analytics and internal network info. With the right IP filtering system, you can keep your ad targeting focused on actual prospects not the wrong audiences.

4. Bid on Generic Keywords, But Only for Returning Visitors

Generic keywords like “sales software” can be expensive and highly competitive. On a cold audience, these clicks often don’t yield ROI. However, they can perform well when matched with warm leads.

Example: If a visitor read your case studies, browsed pricing, and downloaded a product guide, that behavior signals readiness. When they search for a broad term later, your ad will feel timely and relevant and your bid will be well spent.

5. Target Competitor Keyword Searches Strategically

Bidding on competitor keywords is a classic paid search tactic, but it needs refinement. Don’t show ads to cold users searching for a competitor you’ll pay a premium and get low conversion rates. Instead, only show these ads to users who previously visited your site.

That user has explored your offering and is now comparing vendors. If your ad appears next to a competitor’s, it reminds them of your solution and potentially wins them back.

Advanced advertisers even customize their copy to directly counter competitor positioning, turning a potentially lost lead into a win.

Final Thoughts

Improving your Google Search Ads doesn’t require a complete overhaul just smarter strategies. Start by segmenting high intent audiences, bidding dynamically based on behavior, excluding unqualified traffic, and customizing your keyword approach for returning visitors.

These five techniques ensure your remarketing efforts are more efficient, targeted, and conversion focused making the most of every advertising dollar.