Quick reference for terms used across Adspirer documentation and the advertising industry.
A/B Test
Running two ad variations simultaneously to determine which performs better. Change one variable at a time (headline, image, audience) for clean results.
Ad Extensions
Additional information added to Google Ads (sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, price extensions). Extensions increase ad real estate and improve Quality Score. Adspirer adds these automatically with add_sitelinks, add_callout_extensions, and add_structured_snippets.
Ad Group
A container within a campaign that holds a set of related ads and keywords. Each ad group targets a specific theme or product.
AGENTS.md
The brand context file used by Codex CLI. Equivalent to CLAUDE.md (Claude Code) and BRAND.md (Cursor). Contains brand overview, audiences, budgets, and KPI targets.
Attribution Model
The rule that determines how credit for conversions is assigned to touchpoints. Common models: last-click, first-click, linear, data-driven.
Bid Strategy
The method used to set bids for your ads. Options include Manual CPC, Target CPA, Target ROAS, Maximize Clicks, and Maximize Conversions. Adspirer recommends a strategy based on your campaign data using update_bid_strategy.
BRAND.md
The brand context file used by Cursor. Equivalent to CLAUDE.md (Claude Code) and AGENTS.md (Codex).
Broad Match
A keyword match type in Google Ads that shows your ad for searches related to your keyword, including synonyms and related topics. Broadest reach but least precise.
Callout Extension
Short text snippets (max 25 characters) that highlight value propositions in Google Ads. Examples: “Free Shipping”, “24/7 Support”, “No Setup Fee”.
CLAUDE.md
The brand context file used by Claude Code. Created by /adspirer:setup. Contains brand overview, voice, audiences, connected platforms, budgets, and KPI targets.
Conversion
A completed action that you’ve defined as valuable — a purchase, form submission, phone call, or sign-up.
Conversion Window
The period after an ad interaction during which a conversion is attributed to that ad. Typically 7-30 days.
CPA (Cost Per Acquisition)
Total ad spend divided by number of conversions. Lower is better. Formula: Spend ÷ Conversions.
CPC (Cost Per Click)
The amount you pay each time someone clicks your ad. Formula: Spend ÷ Clicks.
CPM (Cost Per Mille)
Cost per 1,000 impressions. Used primarily for awareness campaigns on Meta and LinkedIn.
Creative Fatigue
When ad performance declines because the audience has seen the same creative too many times. Symptoms: rising frequency, declining CTR. Adspirer detects this with detect_meta_creative_fatigue.
CTR (Click-Through Rate)
Percentage of impressions that result in clicks. Formula: Clicks ÷ Impressions × 100. Higher is generally better.
DSA (Dynamic Search Ads)
Google Ads campaign type that automatically generates headlines from your website content and matches to relevant searches.
Exact Match
A keyword match type in Google Ads that shows your ad only for searches that match the exact meaning of your keyword. Most precise but narrowest reach.
Impression
A single instance of your ad being displayed to a user.
Impression Share
The percentage of eligible impressions your ad actually received. Low impression share may indicate budget constraints or low Ad Rank.
KPI (Key Performance Indicator)
The primary metric you use to measure campaign success. Common KPIs: CPA, ROAS, CTR, conversion rate, cost per lead.
Lookalike Audience
An audience on Meta Ads that mirrors the characteristics of your existing customers. Created from a source audience (customer list, website visitors, or app users).
LTV (Lifetime Value)
The total revenue a customer generates over their entire relationship with your business. Used to determine acceptable CPA.
Match Type
Controls which searches trigger your Google Ads keywords. Three types: Broad Match, Phrase Match, Exact Match. Adspirer manages match types with add_keywords and update_keyword.
MCP (Model Context Protocol)
An open standard created by Anthropic that allows AI assistants to connect to external tools and services. Adspirer uses MCP to give AI clients access to 100+ advertising tools. See How MCP Works.
MEMORY.md
A persistent file used by Claude Code and Cursor agents to remember past decisions, optimization results, preferences, and learnings across sessions. Not available in Codex.
Negative Keywords
Keywords you add to prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches. Example: adding “free” as a negative keyword prevents your premium product ads from showing on “free software” searches. Managed with add_negative_keywords.
OAuth 2.1 with PKCE
The authentication standard Adspirer uses to connect to ad platforms. Your passwords stay with Google/Meta/LinkedIn/TikTok — Adspirer only receives scoped access tokens. See Security.
Phrase Match
A keyword match type in Google Ads that shows your ad for searches that include the meaning of your keyword. Narrower than broad match, broader than exact match.
PKCE (Proof Key for Code Exchange)
A security extension to OAuth that prevents authorization code interception attacks. Every authentication generates a cryptographic proof that only your specific session can complete.
PMax (Performance Max)
A Google Ads campaign type that uses AI to optimize across all Google channels (Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, Discover) from a single campaign.
Quality Score
Google Ads’ rating (1-10) of your ad relevance, expected CTR, and landing page experience. Higher Quality Score = lower CPC and better ad positions. Ad extensions improve Quality Score.
Remarketing / Retargeting
Showing ads to people who previously visited your website or interacted with your brand. Available on Google Ads, Meta, and LinkedIn.
ROAS (Return On Ad Spend)
Revenue generated per dollar spent on ads. Formula: Revenue ÷ Ad Spend. A ROAS of 4.0 means 4revenueforevery1 spent.
RSA (Responsive Search Ad)
Google Ads format where you provide multiple headlines (up to 15) and descriptions (up to 4), and Google tests combinations to find the best performers.
Search Terms
The actual words people type into Google that trigger your ads. Different from keywords (which you set). Analyzing search terms with analyze_search_terms reveals opportunities and waste.
Sitelink Extension
Links to specific pages on your website that appear below your main ad. Each sitelink has text (max 25 chars), two description lines (max 35 chars each), and a destination URL.
SKILL.md
The instruction file that teaches AI assistants proven advertising workflows. Skills contain step-by-step tool sequences, safety rules, and platform guidance. See Agent Skills Overview.
STRATEGY.md
A persistent file where strategic decisions are saved as directives (AVOID, PREFER, CONSTRAINT, REQUIRE). All Adspirer skills read this before executing. Directives are only saved after user confirmation.
Structured Snippets
A Google Ads extension that shows predefined categories of offerings. Available headers: Brands, Courses, Destinations, Models, Service Catalog, Styles, Types.
Target CPA
A Google Ads bid strategy that automatically sets bids to get as many conversions as possible at your target cost per acquisition.
Target ROAS
A Google Ads bid strategy that automatically sets bids to maximize conversion value at your target return on ad spend.
Wasted Spend
Ad spend on clicks that don’t lead to conversions. Common causes: irrelevant keywords, broad match without negatives, poor landing pages, wrong audiences. Adspirer identifies waste with analyze_wasted_spend. Last modified on March 4, 2026
