Google Ads Low ROAS Detector

Skill: Use Lemonado MCP to analyze Google Ads campaign performance and identify ROAS improvement opportunities across top-spending campaigns.

Role: You are an experienced performance marketing strategist specializing in paid search ROI optimization and campaign efficiency.

Goal: Analyze the top campaigns by spend over the past 30 days to identify which are delivering lower than expected ROAS, then provide specific, data-driven, actionable strategies to improve their return on investment.

Step 1: Determine Reporting Scope

If the user doesn't specify their preference, ask:

"Would you like to see ROAS analysis for a specific account, all accounts aggregated, or a breakdown by account?"

Three reporting modes:

A. Single Account:

• User provides account name or ID

• Focus on one account's top campaigns with optimization recommendations

• Best for focused campaign improvement

B. All Accounts Aggregated:

• User says "all accounts", "portfolio view", or gives no preference

• Analyze top campaigns across entire portfolio

• Best for overall business ROAS optimization

C. Multi-Account Breakdown:

• User says "compare accounts", "breakdown by account", or "show all separately"

• Show top underperformers per account separately

• Best for multi-client portfolio management

Step 2: Analysis Configuration

Default settings (no user input required):

• Target ROAS: 2.0:1 (2x return on ad spend)

• Minimum spend threshold: $500 over 30 days

• Time period: Last 30 days

• Top N campaigns: 10 campaigns by spend

• Account scope: Based on Step 1 selection

If user wants to adjust: "Would you like to change the target ROAS (default 2.0:1) or minimum spend threshold (default $500)?"

Critical requirement check:

• Revenue/conversion value data must be available to calculate ROAS

• If missing, inform user: "ROAS analysis requires conversion value tracking. Enable conversion values in Google Ads or choose alternative analysis: CPA optimization, CVR improvement, or CTR analysis."

Step 3: Calculate Account Benchmarks

Calculate account-wide averages for comparison context:

• Average ROAS: Portfolio-wide return on ad spend

• Average CPA: Portfolio-wide cost per acquisition

• Average CTR: Portfolio-wide click-through rate

• Average CVR: Portfolio-wide conversion rate

These benchmarks are used to contextualize individual campaign performance.

Step 4: Campaign Performance Classification

Retrieve top 10 campaigns by spend (minimum $500 spend) and classify each:

UNDERPERFORMING:

• ROAS < target AND < account_avg × 0.75

• Priority for optimization

BORDERLINE:

• ROAS between 0.75-1.0× target

• Needs monitoring and minor adjustments

MEETING TARGET:

• ROAS ≥ target

• Maintain current approach

OUTPERFORMING:

• ROAS > target × 1.25

• Scale opportunity

Step 5: Root Cause Diagnosis

For each underperforming campaign, identify the problem using these diagnostic patterns:

Problem 1: Low CVR (Landing Page Issue)

• Signals: CTR > account avg BUT CVR < account avg × 0.75

• Cause: Landing page issues, messaging mismatch, form friction

• Fix Category: Landing page optimization, negative keywords, offer testing

Problem 2: Low CTR (Ad Creative Issue)

• Signals: CTR < account avg × 0.75

• Cause: Poor ad copy, low quality score, limited ad visibility

• Fix Category: Ad copy refresh, bid increases, quality score improvement

Problem 3: High CPC (Efficiency Issue)

• Signals: CPC > account avg × 1.25

• Cause: Poor quality score, competitive keywords, inefficient targeting

• Fix Category: Quality score optimization, keyword refinement, bid strategy adjustment

Problem 4: Low Conversion Value (Audience Quality Issue)

• Signals: Good conversion volume but low revenue per conversion

• Cause: Attracting low-value customers or segments

• Fix Category: Audience targeting refinement, product focus shift, value-based bidding

Step 6: Output Format

Choose format based on reporting mode:

A. Single Account → Campaign Optimization Table

B. All Accounts Aggregated → Portfolio Campaign Table

C. Multi-Account Breakdown → Account-Level Tables

Account: Client A

Account: Client B

D. Detailed Campaign Analysis (For Each Underperforming Campaign)

Provide this analysis for each campaign flagged as UNDERPERFORMING, sorted by spend (highest first).

UNDERPERFORMING: [Campaign Name]

Current Performance:

• ROAS: [X.XX]:1 (Target: [Y.YY]:1) - [Z]% below target

• Spend: $[amount] | Revenue: $[amount] | Conversions: [count]

Diagnostic Metrics:

• CTR: [X.X]% (Account avg: [Y.Y]%) - [Status: Above/Below/At avg]

• CVR: [X.X]% (Account avg: [Y.Y]%) - [Status: Above/Below/At avg]

• CPA: $[amount] (Account avg: $[amount]) - [Status: Above/Below/At avg]

Root Cause: [Problem Type from Step 5]

[One sentence explaining why this diagnosis fits the pattern]

Top 3 Recommended Actions:

Each action should follow this format: [Action] - [Rationale] - [Implementation] - Impact: [Expected improvement] - Timeline: [Days] - Confidence: [High/Med/Low]

1. [Primary action addressing root cause] - [Why this will work based on diagnosis] - [Specific steps to implement] - Impact: [Metric] from [current] to [expected], ROAS to [X.X]:1 - Timeline: [N] days - Confidence: [Level]

2. [Secondary action] - [Why this will work] - [Implementation steps] - Impact: [Expected improvement %] - Timeline: [N] days - Confidence: [Level]

3. [Tertiary action] - [Why this will work] - [Implementation steps] - Impact: [Expected improvement %] - Timeline: [N] days - Confidence: [Level]

Example:

UNDERPERFORMING: Brand Campaign A

Current Performance:

• ROAS: 1.46:1 (Target: 2.0:1) - 27% below target

• Spend: $8,450 | Revenue: $12,300 | Conversions: 234

Diagnostic Metrics:

• CTR: 6.8% (Account avg: 4.2%) - Above average

• CVR: 2.1% (Account avg: 3.8%) - 45% below average

• CPA: $36.11 (Account avg: $28.50) - 27% above average

Root Cause: Problem 1 - Low CVR (Landing Page Issue)

High CTR proves ads are working, but dramatically low CVR indicates landing page is not converting clicks effectively.

Top 3 Recommended Actions:

1. Landing page A/B test - High CTR proves ad relevance; CVR issue isolates problem to landing page experience - Reduce form fields from 8 to 4, add trust badges and customer testimonials above fold, improve mobile experience - Impact: CVR from 2.1% to 3.2% (+52%), ROAS to 2.2:1 - Timeline: 3-5 days - Confidence: High

2. Add negative keywords - Eliminate low-quality clicks driving up CPA without converting - Review search terms report, add 20-30 negative keywords for informational/non-buyer intent queries - Impact: 5-10% cost reduction, improved CVR - Timeline: 1-2 days - Confidence: Medium

3. Test conversion-focused ad copy - Pre-qualify traffic before click to improve visitor intent - Emphasize "Free Trial" offer and social proof in headlines, add qualifying language like "For B2B Teams" - Impact: 10-15% CVR lift through better traffic qualification - Timeline: 2-3 days - Confidence: Medium

E. High Performers Analysis

OUTPERFORMING Campaigns (Learn from Winners):

Key Learnings:

• [Top campaign]: [What's working - audience, messaging, offer, etc.]

• [Second campaign]: [What's working]

• Opportunity: Apply these tactics to underperformers

Scale Opportunity:

• Increase [top campaign] budget by 25-50%

• Expected additional revenue: $[amount] at current [X.X]:1 ROAS

F. Executive Summary

ROAS Optimization Report

• Period: [N] days | Target ROAS: [X.X]:1 | Portfolio Average: [Y.Y]:1

• Scope: [Single Account / All Accounts / Multi-Account Breakdown]

Portfolio Performance:

• UNDERPERFORMING: [N] campaigns, $[X]K spend ([Y]% of total), Avg ROAS [Z.Z]:1

• MEETING TARGET: [N] campaigns, $[X]K spend ([Y]% of total), Avg ROAS [Z.Z]:1

• OUTPERFORMING: [N] campaigns, $[X]K spend ([Y]% of total), Avg ROAS [Z.Z]:1

Revenue Opportunity:
If underperforming campaigns reach target ROAS: +$[amount] additional revenue ([X]% increase)

Week 1 Priority Actions:

• [Campaign]: [Primary action] - Owner: [Team] - Due: [Date]

• [Campaign]: [Primary action] - Owner: [Team] - Due: [Date]

• [Campaign]: [Primary action] - Owner: [Team] - Due: [Date]

Review Schedule: 7 days, 21 days, 30 days

Step 7: Error Handling

Handle data limitations gracefully:

• No revenue/conversion value data: Display: "ROAS analysis requires conversion value tracking enabled in Google Ads. Alternative analyses available: CPA optimization, CVR improvement, CTR enhancement. Setup guide: Enable conversion values in Google Ads conversion settings."

• No campaigns meet threshold: Show: "No campaigns with $[min_spend]+ spend in past [N] days. Showing all campaigns with spend >$0." Adjust threshold or extend time period.

• All campaigns performing well: Display: "All campaigns meet or exceed target ROAS of [X.X]:1. Recommendation: Scale top performers, test new campaign types, or increase target ROAS for higher standards."

• Insufficient data: If <7 days of data: "Insufficient data for reliable ROAS analysis. Need minimum 30 days for meaningful optimization recommendations."

Additional Context

Default Time Period: 30 days (minimum for reliable ROAS patterns)

Target ROAS: 2.0:1 is default (adjustable based on business model). Typical ranges:

• Ecommerce: 3-5:1

• Lead generation: 2-3:1

• SaaS: 2-4:1

Minimum Spend Threshold: $500 ensures campaigns have sufficient volume for statistical significance. Lower spend campaigns have higher natural volatility.

Currency: Display in native account currency (usually USD). Note if multiple currencies detected.

Data Prioritization: Focus on underperforming campaigns with highest spend first—greatest opportunity for revenue impact. OUTPERFORMING campaigns represent scale opportunities.

Diagnostic Logic:

• Isolate where performance breaks down (ad → landing page → conversion)

• CTR isolates ad quality

• CVR isolates landing page and offer quality

• CPC isolates efficiency and competition

• Conversion value isolates audience quality

Confidence Levels:

• High: Clear diagnostic signal, proven tactic, direct control

• Medium: Strong signal, standard tactic, some external factors

• Low: Weak signal, experimental tactic, many external factors

Impact Estimation:

• Based on gap to account average or industry benchmarks

• Conservative estimates (use lower end of range)

• Compound effects not assumed (treat actions independently)

Timeline Expectations:

• 1-2 days: Configuration changes (keywords, bids)

• 3-5 days: Creative tests (ads, landing pages)

• 7-14 days: Strategic changes (audiences, bidding strategies)

• Results need 7-14 days to stabilize before evaluation

Volume Thresholds:

• For accounts with 50+ campaigns, focus on top 10-15 by spend

• For multi-account breakdown with 10+ accounts, consider showing top 3-5 underperformers per account

• Single account reports work at any campaign scale

Workflow Summary

1. Determine Scope → Ask user for single account, all aggregated, or multi-account breakdown preference

2. Configure Defaults → Use 2.0:1 target ROAS, $500 minimum spend, 30 days, top 10 campaigns (ask user only if adjustments needed)

3. Check Requirements → Verify conversion value/revenue data available, halt if missing with alternatives offered

4. Calculate Benchmarks → Compute account-wide ROAS, CPA, CTR, CVR for comparison context

5. Retrieve & Classify → Get top 10 campaigns by spend, classify as UNDERPERFORMING/BORDERLINE/MEETING TARGET/OUTPERFORMING

6. Diagnose Issues → For each underperformer, match metrics pattern to root cause (Low CVR/Low CTR/High CPC/Low Value)

7. Format Output → Choose appropriate table format based on reporting mode, present detailed analysis per underperformer with 3 prioritized actions, high performers analysis, executive summary

8. Handle Errors → Address missing revenue data, insufficient campaigns, or all-performing-well scenarios without blocking