Making critical Google advertising mistakes when starting out can cause your campaigns to crash and burn. Many businesses dive into PPC advertising with excitement, eager to see results, taking the DIY approach but often make some big mistakes along the way. From targeting the wrong keywords to overlooking the importance of ad quality, these missteps can hurt your performance and drain your budget without generating much return on investment.
Have you ever wondered why your ads aren’t getting the clicks you expected? Or maybe you’ve noticed that your conversion rates aren’t as high as you hoped OR that you’re not sure how to track conversions at all. You’re not alone! Many advertisers struggle with these issues, but the good news is that most mistakes are avoidable if you take advantage of our expertise laid out below.
To help your campaign succeed we’ve listed the most common pitfalls people encounter in Google advertising with practical tips to help you improve your campaigns. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to refine your strategy, these insights will steer you in the right direction. And, if you feel like you’re in a bit over your head, don’t stress. Call us! We’re happy to help you fine tune your campaign or take over the campaign for you so that you get the results you’re looking for without having to spend hours on end learning the basics.
Understand That The Right Keyword Match Is Key To Effective Google Ads
There are three types of keyword matches in Google Ads:
- Broad match: Your ads show for searches containing any combination of your keywords, regardless of order. This type reaches the widest audience but may appear for searches not directly related to your product. For example, a broad match for “best Roots hats” might show for “Roots hats for skiing” or “best Roots.” It’s great for maximizing clicks but can be less precise.
- Phrase match: Your ads appear when people search for your keywords in the exact order but can include other words before or after. If your keyword is “best dog toy,” your ads might show for “where to buy the best dog toy.” It balances reach and relevance.
- Exact match: Your ads only show for the exact keyword you’re targeting. For “best dog toy,” the ad will only appear when someone searches for that exact phrase. While this is highly targeted, it may result in fewer impressions.
The match type you choose affects how often and where your ads appear. Broad match gives more impressions but can be imprecise, while phrase and exact match often lead to higher conversions but fewer impressions. It’s best to start with exact match, then expand to phrase and broad as needed, depending on performance.
Don’t Forget Ad Extensions When You Set Up Your Google Ads
Even if you master keyword match types, you may not see results if you’re not using or optimizing ad extensions—a common mistake that can be avoided.
Ad extensions allow you to add extra information to your ads, like sitelinks, call buttons, and location details. This helps improve your ad’s visibility and click-through rate (CTR) by giving users more reasons to click. You can manage these in the “Ad Extensions” tab of your Google Ads account.
Using the right ad extensions can significantly increase clicks, but your landing page needs to convert well once people arrive. Extensions not only boost your CTR, but also provide more opportunities to motivate users to visit your site. For example, you can schedule sitelinks to appear on specific days, giving you more control over when and how they show.
In short, ad extensions are like rich snippets for paid ads—they improve CTR and enhance ad performance. Make sure to choose the right ones, as poorly selected extensions could turn users away.
Use Negative Keywords to Filter Results In Your Ads
One of the biggest mistakes in Google Ads is not using negative keywords. With over 6 million daily searches, 15% of them being new, not all keywords will be relevant to your business.
Negative keywords allow you to exclude terms that don’t fit your product or service, helping reduce costs and improve results. Many advertisers overlook this and wonder why their ads aren’t converting as expected.
Negative keywords are a simple way to target the right customers, lower costs, and boost ROI. They also improve your Google Ads quality score. For example, excluding irrelevant terms like “jobs” for a career placement site can prevent wasted clicks.
Keep your list of negative keywords tailored to each ad group, and don’t overuse them. Start with obvious ones like “free” or “nude” and track them in a spreadsheet for easy management.
Be Sure To Bid on Your Own Brand In Google Ad Keywords
Bidding on your own brand name in Google Ads can be a smart move to promote your business and protect it from competitors. While some advertisers may avoid it because their brand keywords don’t get much traffic or already rank high organically, this mindset can limit growth. The real value of bidding on your brand lies in protecting your brand and increasing revenue, not just gaining clicks and impressions.
By bidding on your brand, you prevent competitors from hijacking your search results and poaching your prospects. Even if you rank #1 organically, competitors can bid on your brand keywords and appear above you, redirecting potential customers. Bidding higher ensures that when people search for your brand, your ad stays at the top, capturing the most relevant and high-converting traffic.
Brand keyword ads can also help reduce customer turnover. Advertising your brand consistently helps retain customers by making your business more visible and accessible. Research shows that reducing customer turnover by even 5% can significantly boost profits, so investing in brand keyword bidding can have long-term benefits for your bottom line.
Finally, using Google’s Keyword Planner, you can find relevant brand keywords to target. By combining these with negative keywords (to filter out irrelevant searches), you can show your ads to the right audience across both search and display networks, ensuring your brand is always front and center when it matters most.
Do Your Calculations To See If Your Conversions Make Sense
When running a business, even offline, it’s important to track how well you’re converting leads into sales and to monitor your profit margins. The goal is to boost your overall revenue, not just short-term profits.
The same principle applies to your PPC ads. You should set up conversion tracking for inquiries or sales in Google Ads through the “Tools and Analysis” menu. Knowing how much you’re expected to earn and what conversion rate will achieve that can help you optimize your spending.
Know The Value of Your Loyal Customers
Do you know how much each of your customers is worth over time? If not, you could be wasting both time and money on your advertising.
Instead of guessing how much you should spend to acquire a new customer, take the time to calculate your Customer Lifetime Value (CLV). This figure represents the total amount of money a customer is likely to spend with your brand throughout their relationship with you.
Understanding CLV is more detailed than just looking at your return on investment (ROI), but both are important for growing your revenue and business. When you know your customers’ lifetime value, you can fine-tune your advertising campaigns and focus on the right keywords that will attract the best prospects to your landing page.
Be Sure To Optimize Your Ad Position In Google Search
Google ranks ads using a simple formula: bid x ad quality. If you bid higher than other advertisers for the same keywords, your ad is more likely to show up first, assuming your quality score is the same.
Your ad’s quality is based on your keywords, click-through rate, and relevance, which all affect its placement. Interestingly, being in positions 3 to 5 of search results can often yield better ROI, including more conversions, than being in the top spot. Higher-ranking ads might get more clicks, but those clicks may not come from users ready to buy.
Instead of just trying to outbid big name competitors, focus on improving your quality score to enhance your ad rank. Remember, there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to ad positioning. Testing different bids and ad copy can help you find what works best for your industry. Lower your bid and watch the results, using Google’s suggested bid as a starting point.
Is It All Too Much For You To Take In? Call Us, We’re Local Google Ad Experts
To get the most out of your ads, it’s essential to reach the right audience. This approach will not only drive more traffic but also bring in better leads and boost your sales. Remember, setting long-term goals is important. If you only focus on getting quality clicks in the short term, you might miss out on bigger opportunities.
If this all seems like a lot to absorb, pick up the phone and call 3SIXTY Marketing Solutions! We will take care of all these bad Google habits for you so you just have to sit back and see the results. Call 647-250-1494, or book a free consultation today to get started on a Google ad campaign that converts into real leads and sales to help grow your business.
