Google Ads is a powerful tool for businesses to reach their target audience, increase traffic, and drive conversions. A well-structured Google Ads campaign is essential for maximising return on investment (ROI) and achieving measurable results. When campaigns are thoughtfully designed with clear objectives, optimised keywords, and proper tracking, businesses can effectively achieve their desirable goals.
However, even small errors can derail performance and waste ads budget. These simple Google Ads mistakes often lead to irrelevant clicks, missed opportunities, and unproductive use of resources. Even seasoned professionals can stumble if they overlook these critical points, as Google Ads requires ongoing management and expertise.
In this article, we explore the seven most common Google Ads mistakes and actionable solutions to help you get the most out of your campaigns.
The Most Common Google Ads Mistakes
Incorrect Keyword Match Types
Choosing the correct keyword match types is essential for targeting the right audience. Google Ads provides three match types:
- Broad Match: Displays ads for searches broadly related to the keyword.
- Phrase Match: Shows ads for searches containing a specific phrase or close variations.
- Exact Match: Limits ads to searches that exactly match the keyword.
Relying too heavily on broad match keywords can result in irrelevant clicks and wasted budgets. For example, a bakery might see their ad for “fresh cakes” appearing for unrelated searches like “cake decorating classes,” leading to poor targeting.
Solution – Use a combination of broad match, phrase match and exact match to ensure you target the right audience while avoiding irrelevant clicks. Regularly review your Search Terms Report to identify and adjust underperforming queries.
Ignoring Negative Keywords
Negative keywords are vital for excluding irrelevant search queries. Without them, campaigns risk attracting unqualified traffic, draining budgets, and reducing return on investment.
For instance, a local gym advertising “personal training sessions” might attract searches like “free training sessions” or “online fitness videos,” which are irrelevant to their target audience.
Solution – Build and update a negative keyword list to exclude irrelevant searches. This keeps your ads focused on qualified traffic and prevents wasted ad spend.
Using the Wrong Conversion Action (or None at All)
Tracking the right conversion actions ensures you measure campaign success accurately. Without proper tracking, businesses lack clarity on what’s driving results, making it hard to optimise campaigns effectively.
For example, an online furniture store might only track website traffic but miss valuable data on purchases or abandoned carts, leading to incomplete performance analysis.
Solution – Set up accurate conversion tracking for actions like form submissions, purchases, or calls. This ensures you measure meaningful results and optimise your campaigns effectively.
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Pairing Smart Bidding with the Wrong Goal
Smart Bidding automates bidding strategies to improve performance, but pairing it with the wrong campaign goal can lead to inefficient spending.
For instance, using “Maximise Clicks” when the true goal is generating conversions could waste the ads budget without delivering sales or leads. Businesses must align bidding strategies with specific objectives, such as “Maximise Conversions” for lead generation campaigns.
Solution – Choose bidding strategies that match your objectives. For instance, use Maximise Conversions for lead generation instead of Maximise Clicks, which may drain your budget.
Relying on Auto-Applied Recommendations
Google Ads provides automated recommendations to enhance campaigns, but blindly accepting these suggestions can harm performance. Some recommendations—like enabling broad match keywords or increasing bids—may not align with your overall goals.
For example, a small eCommerce business with a limited budget might struggle if automated suggestions push for higher bids or expanded targeting, resulting in overspending.
Solution – Review Google’s automated suggestions carefully. Only apply changes that align with your campaign goals and ignore recommendations that could lead to overspending or poor targeting.
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No Ad Copy Testing Strategy
A/B testing ad copy is critical for identifying what resonates most with your audience. Running the same ads without testing prevents businesses from optimising performance and improving click-through rates (CTR).
For instance, an electronics retailer may run ads with the headline “Best Deals on Laptops” and another with “Top-Selling Laptops Under $1,000.” Without testing, they wouldn’t know which message drives better engagement.
Solution – Use A/B testing to identify the most effective messaging. Test different headlines, descriptions, and calls to action to improve click-through rates (CTR) and conversions.
Underfunding Campaigns
Insufficient budgets are a common reason campaigns underperform. Limited funding restricts ad visibility, reduces reach, and prevents Google from optimising for the best results.
For example, a local florist might spread their budget too thin across multiple campaigns, causing ads to appear inconsistently and miss opportunities during peak search times.
Solution – Set realistic budgets based on your industry, campaign goals, and competition. Focus your spending on high-performing campaigns to maximise return on investment.
How to Avoid These Google Ads Mistakes
Avoiding these common pitfalls requires careful planning and regular campaign reviews. Here’s how you can prevent these errors:
- Use a campaign setup checklist to ensure all settings are accurate.
- Regularly review the Search Terms Report in the Google Ads campaign to refine keywords and negative keywords.
- Track meaningful conversions to measure success accurately.
- Test ad creatives regularly to find the best-performing copy.
- Work with an experienced Google Ads Specialist to optimise your campaigns.
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By avoiding these seven common Google Ads mistakes, you can significantly improve your campaign’s performance and ROI. Whether you’re targeting leads, sales, or website traffic, precision and regular optimisation are key.
Crunchy Digital, the best search engine marketing company, specialises in creating and managing results-driven campaigns. Don’t let common Google Ads mistakes hold back your success—let the experts handle it for you.
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