Solved: Best Google Ads Campaign for Specific App Download?

Hi there,

Thanks for getting in touch. Happy to give you some of my initial thoughts and guidance based on what you've described. It can be a bit of a maze when you're just starting out with paid ads, especially for an app, so hopefully this helps clear things up a bit.

You've got a new app, only for Android users in the UK, and you're looking to test the waters with a small budget. Your goal to target very specific keywords is exactly the right way to think about it. Let's break down how to get this done properly.

We'll need to look at Search vs. App Campaigns...

First off, your main confusion seems to be between a Search campaign and an App campaign. This is a really common sticking point, but for what you want to achieve, the choice is pretty clear.

You're absolutely right in your assessment. A standard App Campaign is designed for broad reach. It takes your app and promotes it across Google's entire network – that means Google Search, the Google Play Store, YouTube, Google Discover, and their massive network of partner websites and apps. It's built for scale and uses machine learning to find users wherever it thinks they might be. For a big company with a huge budget, this can work wonders. For someone like you, with a limited test budget and a very specific targeting goal, it's like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. You'll burn through your money very quickly showing your ad to people who aren't actively looking for what you offer, which isn't what you want.

A Google Search Campaign is definitely the way to go for you. It gives you the precise control you're after. You get to choose your exact keywords, so your ad only shows up when someone types in a specific search query. You control the ad copy, the targeting, and where you send the traffic. It's perfect for your situation because you only want to capture people at the exact moment they are looking for a solution like yours. Don't worry about it not being able to link to an app – you can absolutely do that. When you set up your ad, you simply use the URL of your app's page on the Google Play Store as the 'Final URL'. That's the standard way to do it, so when someone clicks your ad, they're taken straight to the download page. Simple as that.

I'd say you need to set up your Search campaign properly...

It sounds like you got into a bit of a muddle with the campaign setup, which is easily done. Google's interface can sometimes save settings from one campaign type when you switch to another, creating a "funny state" just like you described. My advice would be to scrap whatever you've started and create a brand new Search campaign from scratch. It's the cleanest way to make sure there are no weird, lingering settings messing things up.

When you build your new campaign, here's what to focus on:

-> Targeting: You mentioned having trouble with location and OS. This should be straightforward in a Search campaign. Under the campaign settings, you'll have clear options for 'Locations'. You can target the 'United Kingdom' and even get more granular later if you wanted, like specific cities. Then, under 'Devices', you can specify that you only want to show ads on 'Mobile phones' and then refine the operating system to 'Android'. This is a basic function and it's crucial you get it right, otherwise you're just wasting money showing ads to iPhone users or people outside the UK.

-> Keywords and Match Types: This is the heart of your campaign. Since your budget is low, you need to be ruthless. Don't target broad keywords. You want to find the exact phrases people would search for when they need your app. Think about the problem your app solves. For example, if your app helps people find local charity runs, you'd want to avoid a broad keyword like "running app". It's too generic. You'd get clicks from people looking for Couch to 5K, marathon training plans, etc. Instead, you'd target very specific, long-tail keywords like:

• "charity runs near me"
• "local 5k charity events uk"
• "find fun runs for charity"
• "android app for charity races"

You'll also need to understand keyword match types. Google offers a few, but for a tight budget, you should start with Phrase Match (e.g., "charity run app") and Exact Match (e.g., [charity run app]). Avoid Broad Match like the plague at this stage. It will match your ad to all sorts of irrelevant searches and drain your budget in hours. Sticking to Phrase and Exact Match ensures you only show up for searches that are highly relevant to what you offer.

You probably should manage your expectations on costs...

Now, let's talk money. You mentioned wanting to pay per impression (CPM). While that's possible on some campaign types like Display, Search campaigns are built around paying per click (CPC). And honestly, for you, that's a much better model. With CPC, you only pay when someone is interested enough in your ad to actually click on it. With CPM, you'd be paying just for your ad to be seen, even if nobody interacts with it. For testing the market and getting actual downloads, CPC is far more efficient.

So, what should you expect to pay? The cost per click in the UK can vary wildly depending on how competitive your keywords are, but a rough ballpark is often between £0.50 and £1.50 for many niches. I've seen it higher and lower, but that's a reasonable starting range for your thinking.

But the CPC is only half the story. The next step is your conversion rate – what percentage of people who click the ad actually install the app? This is determined by your Google Play Store page. Your icon, screenshots, video, reviews, and description all act as your landing page. A good, trustworthy-looking page might convert 30% of visitors. A poor one might only convert 10% or less. Let's do the maths:

• Good Scenario: £0.50 CPC / 30% conversion rate = £1.67 Cost Per Install (CPI)
• Bad Scenario: £1.50 CPC / 10% conversion rate = £15.00 Cost Per Install (CPI)

Your actual results will likely fall somewhere in between. I remember one software client where we managed their Google Ads and got their cost per user down to £0.96, but that was after a lot of optimisation. I also recall another app growth project where we achieved over 45,000 signups at under £2 each across Meta, TikTok, Apple and Google Ads. This is what's possible, but you shouldn't expect those numbers from day one. Start with a small daily budget (£10-£20) and see what the initial data tells you.

You'll need ad copy that gets clicks...

Your ad itself is your one shot to convince someone to click. It needs to be compelling and directly relevant to the keyword they just searched for. Here are a few quick tips:

• Match the Search: Your headline should reflect the user's search term as closely as possible. If they searched "best budget planner app uk", your headline should include those words.
• Focus on the Benefit: Don't just list features. Explain what problem your app solves. Instead of "Includes spending categories", try "Finally Track Your Spending Easily".
• Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA): Tell the user exactly what to do. "Download for Free on Android", "Install Now & Start Saving", "Get Your Free Trial Today".
• Be Honest: Don't promise things the app can't deliver. Build trust from the very first interaction.

Here’s a quick example of how small changes can make a big difference:

See the difference? The second one is specific, benefit-driven, and tells the user exactly what they're getting.

This is a lot to take in, I know. It shows that even a 'simple' test campaign has a lot of moving parts that need to be set up correctly to give you a fair chance of success. I've detailed my main recommendations for you below to make it a bit clearer:

Getting this initial structure right is the first major hurdle. The next, and arguably more difficult part, is analysing the data and making smart optimisations to improve performance and lower your costs. This is where experience really comes into play, as it helps you spot opportunities and avoid common pitfalls that can be very costly, especially when your budget is limited.

If you get this test running and want a professional eye to review the results or discuss how to scale things up effectively, we offer a free initial consultation to do just that. Sometimes a quick chat can save a lot of time and wasted ad spend.

Hope this helps clear things up and gets you on the right track.

Regards,
Team @ Lukas Holschuh