PPC in India is not the same game as PPC in the US or Europe. Lower CPCs, longer sales cycles, more language fragmentation, faster mobile-first behaviour. This article gives you the strategic framework I use across every account I take on.
The PPC Strategy Pyramid (5 layers)
- Foundation: Tracking, conversion goals, ICP definition.
- Architecture: Campaign + ad group structure.
- Channel mix: Search, Shopping, PMax, Display, YouTube.
- Optimisation: Bidding, audiences, creative, landing pages.
- Scaling: Budget, geo expansion, new product lines.
Skip the foundation and every layer above wobbles. Most accounts I audit start at layer 3 - wondering why "Performance Max isn't working" while running on broken conversion tracking.
The 60/30/10 budget allocation rule
For most Indian SMBs in steady state, this allocation works:
- 60% Search - branded + high-intent non-branded keywords.
- 30% PMax / Shopping - scale layer once Search is saturated.
- 10% Display / YouTube remarketing - re-engage existing intent.
Adjust by vertical
- B2B SaaS / Services: 80% Search, 15% LinkedIn (after ₹2L+), 5% YouTube.
- Ecommerce: 30% Search, 55% PMax/Shopping, 15% Display/YouTube remarketing.
- Local services: 75% Search + LSA, 15% PMax, 10% YouTube.
- Real Estate: 65% Search, 20% PMax, 15% Display/YouTube remarketing for nurture.
Campaign architecture - the SKAG-vs-STAG debate, settled
Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs) are dead. Single Theme Ad Groups (STAGs) are the modern best practice - they balance Smart Bidding's data needs with relevance. Rule:
One ad group = one tightly-themed cluster of 5-15 keywords + 3 ads + 1 landing page.
Example for a "AC repair Mumbai" service business:
- Ad Group 1: Window AC repair (8 keywords)
- Ad Group 2: Split AC repair (10 keywords)
- Ad Group 3: AC servicing AMC (12 keywords)
- Ad Group 4: Brand-specific (LG, Daikin, etc.) (15 keywords)
The 90-day roadmap
Days 1-14: Foundation
- Conversion tracking audit + GA4 + offline conversion API setup.
- Branded campaign launch (Manual CPC, exact match).
- Top-3 non-branded ad groups launched (Manual CPC).
- 1 dedicated landing page per ad group.
Days 15-30: Expansion
- Add 5-10 more non-branded ad groups based on Search query data.
- Build negative keyword lists from week-1 search terms.
- Launch remarketing audiences (90-day all visitors, 30-day cart abandoners, etc.).
- Set up A/B test framework for landing pages.
Days 31-60: Smart Bidding migration
- Switch high-volume ad groups to tCPA at 110-120% of current CPA.
- Launch Performance Max with 1-2 asset groups (if 30+ conversions/month).
- Apply brand exclusions on PMax.
- Begin landing page CRO testing.
Days 61-90: Scale
- Increase budget 15-20% on winning campaigns weekly.
- Expand to adjacent geos / cities with separate campaigns.
- Add YouTube remarketing layer.
- Build monthly reporting dashboards (Looker Studio).
Channel-by-channel: when to add what
Search (always day 1)
The bedrock of every PPC strategy. Highest intent, easiest to measure, most controllable. Always launch with branded + 3-5 non-branded ad groups.
Performance Max (day 30+, conditional)
Add only after Search is delivering 30+ conversions/month. PMax with thin data is a money pit. See PMax strategy guide.
Shopping (ecommerce only, day 1)
Pure Shopping is being absorbed into PMax, but standalone Shopping still works for niche SKU control. Set up Merchant Center on day 1 if ecommerce.
YouTube (day 60+)
Remarketing-first. Cold YouTube prospecting needs ₹1L+/month and strong creative. Start with 15-second remarketing bumpers to past site visitors.
Display (cautious - remarketing only)
Cold Display in 2026 is a near-guaranteed waste. Use Display strictly for remarketing to past converters and cart abandoners.
Discovery / Demand Gen (test, do not commit)
Useful for top-of-funnel lead gen with strong creative. Allocate <10% of budget initially.
The 5 KPIs that actually matter
- CPA (Cost Per Acquisition): The only metric that ties to profit.
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): The metric for ecommerce profitability.
- Conversion Rate: Diagnostic for landing page and message-match quality.
- Search Lost IS (Budget): Tells you if you should scale spend.
- Search Lost IS (Rank): Tells you if you should improve ad rank.
Click-through rate, impressions, and average position are diagnostics - never optimisation targets.
Common strategic mistakes
- Launching PMax before having Search conversion data.
- Splitting budget across too many channels too early.
- Optimising for clicks/impressions instead of conversions.
- Running ads to homepage instead of dedicated landing pages.
- No branded campaign (competitors steal your brand traffic for ₹3 a click).
The bottom line
The best PPC strategy is not the most sophisticated one - it is the one that respects your data volume, your sales cycle, and your operational capacity. Build the foundation, then layer channels in sequence.
Want a PPC strategy custom-built for your account? Book a free 30-minute audit and walk away with a 90-day roadmap.