Google Ads was designed to help businesses achieve online success. To accomplish this, Google Ads was built on three core principles. What are these principles?

|

Lata Bala

Digital infographic titled “The 3 Core Principles of Google Ads,” showcasing key concepts of relevance (user intent), control (budget and targeting), and results (conversions and performance metrics), with a clean design using Google’s color palette.

Recently, I took the Google Ads Search Certification exam and passed with a score of over 95%. It’s a good result, and I’m very glad to have passed. Now, I will explain one Google Ads Search question, detailing why the correct answer is right and why the others are wrong. Let’s begin.

Question:

Google Ads was designed to help businesses achieve online success. To accomplish this, Google Ads was built on three core principles.

What are these principles?

  • Sales, consideration, and integrity
  • Relevance, control, and results
  • Influence, awareness, and promotion
  • Growth, reach, and traffic

What Are the Three Core Principles of Google Ads?

Here is the correct answer:
✅ Relevance, control, and results

If you are interested, you can take the exam on Google Ads Search Certification.

Let’s break down why this is correct — and why the others are not:

✅ 1. Relevance

Google Ads ensures that:

  • Users see ads that matter to them
  • Ads are contextually aligned with a user’s intent, location, device, and interests
  • Advertisers target the right audience, increasing the chance of engagement and conversion

Example: If someone searches for “running shoes,” they’re shown ads for relevant products, not unrelated content.

✅ 2. Control

Advertisers using Google Ads have:

  • Full control over budget, bidding, audience targeting, and ad content
  • The ability to pause, adjust, or optimize campaigns anytime
  • Tools to test and refine performance through detailed metrics and A/B testing

This principle empowers businesses of all sizes to scale on their terms.

✅ 3. Results

Google Ads was built to:

It’s not just about impressions or awareness — it’s about delivering results that matter to your business.

❌ Why the Other Options Are Incorrect:

OptionWhy It’s Wrong
Sales, consideration, and integrity❌ These are marketing funnel stages or abstract values, not foundational platform principles
Influence, awareness, and promotion❌ These relate more to brand marketing, not the Google Ads core foundation
Growth, reach, and traffic❌ These are outcomes you can achieve, but they’re not the guiding principles behind the platform’s design

Real-Life Example:

Story:
Imagine a small eco-friendly clothing brand called GreenThread Co.

  • They use Google Ads to target keywords like “organic cotton t-shirts”
  • With relevance, their ads only appear to people searching for eco-conscious fashion
  • Through control, they schedule ads only on weekends when sales peak, and set a $20/day cap
  • For results, they track conversions and notice that 80% of sales come from mobile — so they increase mobile bids

➡ Within 3 months, GreenThread Co. sees a 45% increase in sales — all thanks to using Google Ads’ core principles effectively.

Additional Resources:

  1. Google Ads Help – How Google Ads Works
  2. Google Delivering Relevance at Scale
  3. Google Ads Certification – Skillshop
  4. WordStream – Google Ads for Beginners Guide

Conclusion:

Google Ads was built on these three core principles to help businesses succeed online:

  • Relevance: Show the right ad to the right person
  • Control: Let advertisers manage campaigns their way
  • Results: Deliver tangible, measurable business outcomes

These principles remain the foundation of every Google Ads campaign strategy.

FAQs

Q1: Why are “Relevance, Control, and Results” considered the core principles?

Because they directly impact how Google Ads delivers value — to both advertisers and users. They ensure efficient ad spend, meaningful engagement, and business growth.

Q2: Are these principles still valid in 2025 with AI updates?

Yes. Even as automation grows, the foundation remains: ads must be relevant, advertisers must retain control, and the system must deliver measurable business results.

Q3: How can I improve relevance in my ads?

Use responsive search ads, tightly grouped keywords, and relevant landing pages. Also, add ad extensions that match user intent.

Now, if you are ready, you can take the Google Skillshop test for the Google Ads Search Exam. If you want more questions about the Google Ads Search Certification Exam, keep following.