Whether you’re launching your first campaign or optimizing an existing one, there’s a trio of often-overlooked settings that can make a huge difference in performance: Ad Rotation, Ad Scheduling, and Brand Strategies.
- Ad Rotation – Let Google pick the winning ad for you
- Ad Schedule – Show ads only when your users are most active
- Brand Strategies (Inclusions/Exclusions) – Get smart about competitor targeting
Let’s walk through how to set these up using a real-world SaaS example to help you boost clicks, cut waste, and drive qualified traffic.
Ad Rotation: Let Google Pick the Winning Ad (With Strategy)
When you upload multiple ads into an ad group, you need to tell Google how to rotate and prioritize them.
Here are the two main options:
- Optimize: Prefer best performing ads
- Do not optimize: Rotate ads indefinitely
Example: TaskFlow (Project Management SaaS)
Imagine you’re running ads for TaskFlow, your project management tool. You’ve written two ads:
- Ad 1: “TaskFlow – Plan Projects Faster with AI Assist”
- Ad 2: “Smarter Task Management for Startups – Try TaskFlow Free”
If you choose “Optimize”, Google will test both, measure performance (click-through rate, conversions, etc.), and eventually show the better ad more often.
📈 Over time, if Ad 1 performs better, Google will prioritise it.
If you choose “Do not optimize”, Google will rotate both ads equally, which is great for A/B testing without bias.
Pro Tip:
Use “Do not optimise” when testing copy variations, then switch to “Optimise” once you’ve identified a clear winner.
Ad Scheduling: Ads That Show Up When Your Users Do
Ad scheduling, also called dayparting, lets you control when your ads appear during the day or week.
This is especially useful if:
- Your team is only available during office hours
- You want to avoid wasting budget overnight
- You serve time-sensitive needs (like support, demos, or onboarding)
Example: TaskFlow Support Hours
Say TaskFlow offers live chat support from 9 AM to 6 PM, Monday to Friday. If someone clicks your ad at midnight and expects live help, they’ll bounce.
Set your ad schedule to show ads only during your operating hours. That way:
- You align ads with customer support
- You reduce unqualified leads
- You save budget for high-converting hours
And remember, ad schedule works based on the time zone you selected during account setup. So double-check if you’re targeting multiple regions!
Brand Inclusions & Exclusions: Compete Smarter, Not Harder
This is where things get really strategic.
Brand settings allow you to include or exclude specific brand-related search terms without having to list every variation.
Example: TaskFlow vs. Competitors
You’re positioning TaskFlow as a better alternative to tools like Asana, ClickUp, and Trello.
✅ Brand Inclusions
Add competitors like “Asana,” “ClickUp,” and “Trello” to your brand list.
Now, even with generic keywords like:
- “Project management app”
- “Task management tool”
Your ads will show up when users search things like:
- “ClickUp alternatives”
- “Trello vs TaskFlow”
- “Asana free trial”
No need to manually create 50 different keyword combinations. Google handles the matching for you.
❌ Brand Exclusions
Now let’s say you’re focused on small to mid-sized businesses, not massive enterprise clients using Smartsheet or Monday.com Enterprise.
You can exclude those brands to avoid showing your ads for irrelevant searches like:
- “Smartsheet enterprise pricing”
- “Monday.com corporate dashboard”
That way, you focus on leads that are a good fit and avoid paying for clicks from users you’re not trying to attract.
Bonus Settings: Start/End Dates & URL Tracking
- Start/End Dates: Useful for scheduled campaigns (e.g., product launches, seasonal offers). Set a start date in the future or an auto-expiry for short-term campaigns.
- Campaign URL Options (Tracking Templates): Advanced setting for passing data into Google Analytics, like device type, keyword, or ad ID. We’ll cover this in detail in the analytics section.
Summary: Tiny Settings, Big Results
These “behind-the-scenes” settings can completely change the outcome of your campaign. Here’s a recap:
| Setting | What It Does | Why It Matters |
| Ad Rotation | Chooses the best-performing ad | Get more clicks and conversions without manual work |
| Ad Schedule | Controls when ads show | Align ads with availability and buyer intent |
| Brand Settings | Includes/excludes search terms with brand names | Target (or avoid) competitor audiences smartly |
Before You Go: A Thought for SaaS Marketers
In SaaS, your audience is smart and picky. They’re comparing tools, reading reviews, and scanning for alternatives.
Get in front of them with the right message, at the right time, against the right competition.
Use these Google Ads settings (Ad Rotation, Ad Scheduling, and Brand Strategies) wisely, and you’ll:
- Drive better quality leads
- Improve ad relevance
- Stretch your budget further
Have questions about setting this up in your account?
Got questions or ideas? Drop them in the comments or reach out to us. We’re here to help SaaS founders, marketers, and growth teams run smarter, high-performing campaigns!