Chicago Google Ads — Operations Manual

What to Change. Where to Find It. How to Do It.

This is not a strategy document. This is a list of specific changes to make inside the Google Ads account, with the exact campaign names, ad group names, and search terms you need to act on.

$3,909

You can cut today

174 safe terms

$68,338

Structural waste

Needs campaign restructure

94.6%

Of waste is on closet terms

Can't negate without risk

5.4%

Of waste is truly irrelevant

Kitchen, carpentry, wine, etc.

What's protected — what we are NOT touching:

• Every term with "closet" in any form

• Every "Closet Factory" brand term

• Closets by Design, California Closets, Chicago Closets

• Custom Closets, Container Store, all competitors

• Garage, library, home office, laundry terms

• Cabinets, shelving, built-ins, bookshelves

• Murphy beds, wall beds, entertainment centers

• Pantry, mudroom, wardrobe, storage, organization

• All reviews and ratings

• Custom units, cubbies, wall units

The Hard Truth About This Account

Of the $72,247 wasted on zero-conversion terms over 14 months, $68,338 (94.6%) is on terms that are relevant to Closet Factory's business — "closet organizer," "custom closets near me," "closet design chicago," "pantry design." We cannot add these as negative keywords without blocking real potential customers.

The remaining $3,909 (5.4%) is on terms that are clearly irrelevant — kitchen remodeling, interior designers, carpenters, wine racks, custom desks. These are the only terms we can safely negate.

Why is 94.6% of the waste on relevant terms? Because both campaigns use AI Max with Broad Match and zero negative keywords. Google is matching "closet organizer" to your ads even though that searcher wants a $30 plastic bin from Target, not a $5,000 custom installation. The only way to fix this is to restructure the campaigns with Phrase/Exact match, proper ad groups, and tighter targeting. That's a corporate/agency decision — not something you can fix with negatives.

The Account — What You're Working With

There are 2 campaigns. Both are AI Max Search. Every ad group uses Broad Match. There are zero negative keywords.

Campaign 1

S - AI Max Chicago Closet Campaign 09-03-25

Spend: $154,734 | Conversions: 731.5 | CPL: $212 | Waste: $69,517

Ad GroupSpendConvCPLWaste# Zero-Conv Terms
Competitors$35,112163.2$215$12,2044,797
Closet Cabinetry$12,52242.1$297$10,3348,615
Closet Designers$17,65379.4$222$10,0823,256
Closet Types$20,84393.9$222$9,6327,409
Closet Design$16,23965.2$249$8,4514,712
Closet Companies$6,37829.1$219$5,3783,648
Pantry Systems$4,32111.7$370$4,0574,128
Closet Builders$6,11932.6$187$3,5302,265
Closets$4,38317.3$254$2,9163,317
Brand$30,127194.8$155$1,966105
Linen Closets$8462$423$77547
Luxury Closets$1920—$19221

Campaign 2

S - AI Max Whole House Chicago 01-09-26

Spend: $7,275 | Conversions: 71.1 | CPL: $102 | Waste: $5,275

Ad GroupSpendConvCPLWaste# Zero-Conv Terms
Wall Beds$4,19531.5$133$2,7011,668
Wall Units$1,34826.5$51$9951,319
Entertainment Centers$5452.2$248$51062
Garage Storage$4714.5$105$36742
Mudrooms$3172.2$141$31039
Home Offices$3403.6$95$30337
1

Add Negative Keywords — Start With List A

50 terms that are clearly not closet-related. Kitchen, carpentry, interior design, wine, furniture.

HOW TO ADD NEGATIVE KEYWORDS

1
Log into Google Ads at ads.google.com
2
In the left sidebar, click Campaigns
3
Click on S - AI Max Chicago Closet Campaign 09-03-25
4
In the left sidebar under the campaign, click Search keywords, then click the Negative search keywords tab
5
Click the blue + button, then Add negative keywords
6
Select Add to campaign (not ad group — you want these blocked across the entire campaign)
7
Paste the terms from List A below (one per line). All 50 fit in one batch.
8
Click Save
9
Repeat for S - AI Max Whole House Chicago 01-09-26

DO NOT add any term containing "Closet Factory" as a negative.

"closet factory chicago" shows 17 conversions in the Brand ad group but 0 in Wall Beds — same search, different ad group, different tracking result. Zero tracked conversions does not mean zero value.

DO NOT negate competitor names either.

Closets by Design (73 conversions), California Closets (31.4 conv), Container Store (26.2 conv), Chicago Closets, Custom Closets near me — these are people searching for competitors and clicking on your ad instead. That's working. Leave them alone.

2

Ad Group Deep Dive — What You Can Cut vs. What's Structural

Each ad group's waste broken down into safe-to-negate terms and closet terms you can't touch.

HOW TO CHECK AN AD GROUP'S SEARCH TERMS

1
Click on the campaign name (e.g., S - AI Max Chicago Closet Campaign 09-03-25)
2
Click on the ad group name (e.g., Competitors)
3
In the left sidebar, click Insights and reports → Search terms
4
Sort by Cost (highest first). Look at the Conversions column. Anything with cost and zero conversions is waste.

Pause these ad groups entirely:

Go to the campaign → click the ad group name → click the green dot next to the name → select "Paused."

Luxury Closets: $192 spent, zero conversions, 21 junk terms. 100% waste.
Linen Closets: $846 spent, 2 conversions, $423/lead. 91% waste.
Pantry Systems: $4,321 spent, 11.7 conversions, $370/lead. The most expensive ad group. 94% waste. Consider pausing or heavy negatives.
3

Block These Retail Brand Names

These are DIY retail brands — not closet competitors. They triggered ads and never converted.

Brand to NegateSpendConvWhy
wayfair$1120Retail furniture store — not a closet competitor
easy closets / easyclosets$640DIY retail brand
closet maid / closetmaid$1770DIY retail brand
walmart$70Big box retail
rubbermaid$00DIY retail brand
ikea$00Big box retail

HOW TO ADD THESE AS NEGATIVES

1
Same process as Step 1. Go to the campaign → Negative search keywords → +
2
Add each brand name as a Phrase Match negative (put it in quotes):

"wayfair"

"easyclosets"

"easy closets"

"closetmaid"

"closet maid"

"walmart"

"rubbermaid"

"ikea"

Do this for both campaigns.

These competitors CONVERT — do NOT block them:

Closets by Design (73 conv), California Closets (31.4 conv), Container Store (26.2 conv), Chicago Closets, Custom Closets near me, Inspired Closets (4.3 conv), Home Depot (3 conv), Lowes (1 conv), Closet World (2 conv), Costco (2 conv). These are people searching for competitors and clicking on your ad instead. That's working. Leave them.

4

Request a Budget Shift

One campaign costs $212/lead. The other costs $102/lead. Move money to the cheaper one.

EXPENSIVE

AI Max Chicago Closet

$154,734 spent → $212/lead

$69,517 wasted (45%)

CHEAPER

AI Max Whole House Chicago

$7,275 spent → $102/lead

Wall Units ad group: $51/lead

HOW TO CHECK CAMPAIGN BUDGETS

1
Go to Campaigns in the left sidebar
2
Look at the Budget column for each campaign
3
Click the pencil icon next to the budget number to edit it
4
Reduce the Closet Campaign budget by 20%. Increase the Whole House budget by the same amount.

If you don't have permission to change budgets, send this data to whoever does. The Whole House campaign produces leads at half the cost.

5

Pull the Search Terms Report Every Week

New junk terms appear constantly. You need to check weekly.

HOW TO PULL THE SEARCH TERMS REPORT

1
Click on a campaign name
2
In the left sidebar, click Insights and reports → Search terms
3
Set the date range to Last 7 days
4
Sort by Cost (highest first)
5
Look at the Conversions column. Anything with spend and zero conversions that is clearly not about closets or CF services — add it as a negative keyword.
6
You can select multiple terms with the checkboxes, then click Add as negative keyword at the top.

Safe to negate — terms like these:

  • Kitchen terms: kitchen remodeling, kitchen cabinets, kitchen designers — CF doesn't do kitchens
  • Interior design: interior designers, interior decorator, room designers — different service
  • Carpentry: carpenters, woodworking, millwork — general trade, not closet-specific
  • Furniture/retail: wine racks, media walls, armoires, Pottery Barn, custom desks — not CF products
  • Completely irrelevant: custom vanity, custom sheds, wine cellars, declutter services

Do NOT negate — terms like these:

  • Anything with "closet" — even if zero conversions
  • Anything with "Closet Factory" — brand searches
  • Competitor names — Closets by Design, California Closets, Chicago Closets, Custom Closets
  • Garage, library, home office, laundry, cabinets, shelving, built-ins, bookshelves, pantry, mudroom, wardrobe, storage, organization, cubbies, wall units, entertainment centers, murphy/wall beds

Negative Keyword List A — 50 Pure Waste Terms

Every term here is clearly outside CF's business. $1,600 wasted total.

Kitchen: 4Interior Design: 8Carpentry: 9Furniture: 9Office Furniture: 2Retail Store: 1Other Business: 3Irrelevant: 14
#Search TermCategoryWastedClicksAd Group(s)
1custom office deskOffice Furniture$1227Closet Types, Home Offices
2clozetivityOther Business$733Closet Builders, Closet Cabinetry
3carpenters in chicagoCarpentry$683Brand, Closet Companies
4carpenters chicagoCarpentry$683Closet Companies, Competitors
5utility room makeoverIrrelevant$621Closet Cabinetry, Closet Companies
6kitchen remodeling near meKitchen$591Closet Cabinetry, Closet Companies
7carpenter chicagoCarpentry$592Closet Companies, Closet Design
8custom wine rackingFurniture$471Pantry Systems
9interior designers chicagoInterior Design$456Closet Builders, Closet Cabinetry
10custom media centerFurniture$443Closet Cabinetry, Entertainment Centers
11carpenter near meCarpentry$416Closet Builders, Closet Cabinetry
12room designersInterior Design$411Closet Designers
13interior decorator near meInterior Design$394Closet Builders, Closet Design
14custom vanity chicagoIrrelevant$383Closet Companies, Competitors
15pottery barn design consultationRetail Store$351Closet Design, Closet Designers
16easytrackOther Business$332Closet Companies, Closet Design
17wine rack mountFurniture$321Pantry Systems
18chicago carpentersCarpentry$311Closet Companies, Competitors
19closer systemIrrelevant$271Closet Cabinetry, Closet Design
20interior designInterior Design$264Closet Builders, Closet Companies
21kitchen remodel near meKitchen$252Closet Companies, Competitors
22custom shoe rackIrrelevant$242Closet Builders, Closet Cabinetry
23bespoke designIrrelevant$231Closet Designers, Closet Types
24interior designers near meInterior Design$232Closet Builders, Closet Cabinetry
25wine rackFurniture$233Pantry Systems
26home design stores near meIrrelevant$221Competitors
27custom bathroom vanityIrrelevant$222Closet Cabinetry, Closet Companies
28chicago wine cellarIrrelevant$221Pantry Systems
29wine cellarIrrelevant$212Pantry Systems
30custom islandKitchen$211Closet Cabinetry
31naperville interior designerInterior Design$211Closet Builders, Closet Designers
32custom office designsOffice Furniture$211Home Offices
33yelp carpenterCarpentry$211Competitors
34carpenter in chicagoCarpentry$202Closet Companies, Competitors
35wood workers near meCarpentry$201Closet Cabinetry, Closet Companies
36custom bars for homeFurniture$201Pantry Systems
37home designer near meInterior Design$201Closet Cabinetry, Closet Companies
38buy media wallFurniture$201Closet Cabinetry
39custom kitchen design onlineKitchen$191Pantry Systems
40hide a bed in wallIrrelevant$191Wall Beds
41under stairs wine cellarIrrelevant$191Pantry Systems
42local custom woodworkingCarpentry$191Wall Units
43custom entryway benchFurniture$191Mudrooms
44chicago home productsIrrelevant$191Closet Builders, Closet Cabinetry
45the neat method chicagoOther Business$181Closet Companies, Closet Types
46custom sheds chicagoIrrelevant$181Garage Storage
47custom built media wallFurniture$181Closet Cabinetry
48declutter near meIrrelevant$181Closet Builders
49home interior designer near meInterior Design$181Closet Design
50armoireFurniture$173Closet Builders, Closet Cabinetry

Negative Keyword List B — 124 More Terms ($1,235)

Same categories as List A — kitchen, interior design, carpentry, furniture, retail. Each one wasted between $5 and $17. Add these after List A is done.

#Search TermCategoryWasted
51custom hall treesFurniture$17
52best kitchen designers near meKitchen$17
53kitchen remodeling chicagoKitchen$17
54affordable interior designer near meInterior Design$17
55kitchen remodelKitchen$16
56interior french doors chicagoIrrelevant$16
57kitchen designers near meKitchen$16
58wine rack for basementFurniture$16
59interior designers napervilleInterior Design$16
60custom built shoe rackIrrelevant$15
61woodworkers near meCarpentry$15
62custom hall treeFurniture$15
63custom office desksOffice Furniture$15
64interior decorator chicagoInterior Design$15
65finish carpenter chicagoCarpentry$15
66custom media consoleFurniture$14
67chicago carpentryCarpentry$14
68custom desks near meOffice Furniture$14
69custom drawersIrrelevant$14
70wine room builders near meIrrelevant$14
+ 104 more terms following the same pattern. Pull the full search terms report (Step 5) to get them all.