TypePlatform

How ad platforms are structured

Campaigns, ad sets, ad groups and ads: how every ad platform is organised, and what each one calls things.

Every ad platform organises advertising in layers. The names differ, but the idea is the same everywhere.

The three layers

  1. Campaign: the goal. Sales, leads, traffic or awareness. Often where the overall budget sits.
  2. Ad set or ad group: who sees your ads, where and when. Audience, locations, schedule and sometimes budget.
  3. Ad: what people actually see. Your images, video and copy.

What each platform calls them

  • Google Ads: Campaign, Ad group, Ad (plus keywords for Search). Performance Max uses asset groups instead.
  • Meta: Campaign, Ad set, Ad
  • TikTok: Campaign, Ad group, Ad
  • Microsoft Advertising: Campaign, Ad group, Ad (plus keywords)
  • LinkedIn: Campaign group, Campaign, Ad

Platform deep dives

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