Where Most Google Ads Campaigns Go Wrong

Many business owners use Google Ads hoping for quick sales, only to drain their budgets due to beginner’s mistakes. Campaign ROI can improve drastically by recognizing and correcting these common Google Ads mistakes.

1. Ignoring Negative Keywords

Negative keywords tell Google which searches shouldn’t trigger your ads. If you skip, your ads can appear for completely irrelevant queries. For instance, if you sell premium headphones but don’t exclude the word “cheap,” your ads may appear on searches like “cheap” or “affordable headphones,” leading to wasted clicks. A real-world case study of a truck-repair campaign demonstrated how a “robust negative keyword list” prevented ads from showing on irrelevant searches, preserving the budget for high-intent clicks [LinkNow®].

To fix this issue, start adding obvious negatives (e.g., “free,” “jobs,” “cheap,” or unrelated product terms). Then use Google Ads’ Search Terms report weekly to spot and exclude queries that never convert. Tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs can suggest related terms you might want to remove. Over time, your negative keyword list becomes a “budget filter,” redirecting spend only toward prospective customers.

2. Targeting the Wrong Search Terms

Poor keyword selection and implementation is another common error. Running too many broad, generic keywords or lumping many topics into one campaign also dilutes effectiveness. Content marketer, Asi Dayan, shared that one of his biggest mistakes was using “way too many keywords at once” [WordStream] to market a single product. He eventually cut the list and focused on the most relevant keywords, which halved his cost-per-conversion.

To improve targeting:

• Research thoroughly: Use Google’s Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or similar tools to find relevant, high-intent keywords for your business, industry, and location.
• Theme your ad groups: Group 5–20 closely related keywords per ad group. For example, one group for “red running shoes” and another for “blue sneakers.”
• Match-type mix: Start with exact and phrase match for priority terms. Use broad matches only when you have time to monitor and filter the results with negatives.
• Monitor search terms: Review which actual searches triggered your ads. Remove or tighten any that are irrelevant, and consider adding converting queries as new keywords.

In short, be selective. If you have a limited budget, prioritize a few high-intent keywords instead of spreading thin across many. Dayan’s advice: if you’re strapped for cash, pause fringe campaigns and pour your budget into the strongest ones.

3. Not Optimizing for Mobile Users

Mobile devices account for the overwhelming majority of Google searches today, but many campaigns aren’t optimized for them. Ads or landing pages that look great on desktops may break or glitch on smartphones. One case study found that one-third of clicks came from mobile on a lab equipment campaign, yet mobile conversions were five times more expensive than desktop because the mobile site was broken [LUMITOS]. Once they fixed the problem (a non-functioning product page), results soared.

Business owners should ensure ads target mobile users correctly. Use responsive ads that adapt to phone screens, and test your ads on mobile to see how they look. Check Google Analytics or the Ads “Device” report: if mobile users bounce or convert poorly, investigate. Tools like Google’s PageSpeed Insights or Mobile-Friendly Test can diagnose slow or unresponsive landing pages. In fact, research shows that every extra second of load time can cut conversion rates by about 4.42% [Rocket Agents]. If your mobile page is sluggish or missing key info, fix it or even reduce your mobile bids temporarily until it’s addressed.

Your checklist:

• Check mobile experience: Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test and PageSpeed Insights. Aim for load times within 3 seconds.
• Adjust bids if needed: If mobile performance is poor, consider lowering the mobile bid adjustment (even 0%) until your pages are fixed, as Lumitos did.
• Responsive pages: Ensure your landing pages are responsive. Preview ads on mobile to confirm images and buttons display without errors.
• Mobile-specific assets: Use call extensions or app extensions for mobile audiences. Include mobile-preferred headlines if the action (like “Call Now”) is more effective on phones.

4. Publishing Ads That Don’t Persuade

Even with perfect targeting, a bad ad text loses the sale. Ads that are generic, vague, or lack a call-to-action will fail to grab users. Every ad should address the user’s needs. Specifically, it should state a clear benefit or offer, include relevant keywords from your ad group, and end with a compelling CTA (like “Shop Now” or “Get a Quote”).

For example, ConcreteInternet advises that your text “align with your keyword match and ad group for maximum relevance.” If the user searched for “affordable printing,” your ad should mention pricing or deals, not just “quality prints.” Many accounts make the mistake of running a single, generic ad per group, or dozens of chaotic variations. Instead, craft at least two distinct ads per ad group with different approaches. One might highlight price, another emphasize features or guarantees. Then A/B test them. Accentuate what makes you unique (free shipping? 24/7 support?) and use action words. Weak or silent ads leave users on the fence, while strong, benefit-driven copy entices the click.

Additional tips and tricks:

• Be specific: Mention concrete benefits (e.g., “24-hour delivery” or “50% off today”) rather than vague praise.
• Include a CTA: Use action verbs like “Buy,” “Call,” “Book,” or “Try” to tell users what to do next.
• Match the query: If your keyword is “best noise-cancelling headphones,” make sure your ad headline or text includes similar wording (like “Top Noise-Cancelling Headphones – Save 20%”).
• Test multiple versions: Write different headlines or offers (e.g., “Fast Ship” vs. “Best Price”). After gathering data, keep the best performers and rewrite the weaker ones.

5. Running Ads Without Extensions

Google Ads provides free extensions (“assets”) that make your ads more prominent. A plain ad is easy to miss, but an ad with sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, etc., dominates more real estate on the search results page. WordStream’s data confirms this, noting that campaigns using sitelink extensions saw a modest improvement in click appeal compared to those that didn’t. In practice, adding sitelinks (additional links below your ad) essentially creates “mini ads” to other pages. For example, linking to specific products or sections gives searchers more options to click and often boosts overall click-through rate (CTR).

Enable every relevant extension, including:

• Sitelinks: Add 2 to 6 relevant links that expand your ad (e.g., product categories, hours, contact page). These can increase CTR by offering extra click paths.
• Callouts and snippets: Use callout extensions to list features (like “Free Estimates,” “Certified Pre-Owned”) and structured snippets for your product types or services. These add credibility and detail at no extra cost.
• Call and location extensions: If you have a business phone or address, these extensions make your ad more interactive (click-to-call) and local-friendly.
• Promotion and price extensions: For limited-time deals or price listings, these extensions display promotions within the ad text.

In many cases, these assets are free to use and improve ad visibility. Use them to enhance your ad’s message and give users more reasons to click.

6. Neglecting Ads Split Testing

Many campaigns run with one or a few ads per ad group and never change them. This is a big mistake. One case study shows that the top 5% of ads in an account (by CTR) account for 85% of impressions [WordStream]. In other words, a very small number of high-performing ads drive most of the results. If you never test variations, you miss out on finding those winners.

Create multiple ad variants to find what resonates. Use Google’s responsive search ads (RSAs) with several different headlines and descriptions, but also manually review which combinations appear. Aim for at least 2 to 4 active ads per ad group and try different angles: one ad might stress a discount (“20% Off”), another might stress a guarantee or benefit (“Lifetime Warranty”). After enough data (typically a few thousand impressions), pause the lowest performers and write new ones to replace them.

In other words, treat ad copy as a scientific experiment: assume your current ads can improve and test relentlessly!

7. Tracking Clicks But Not Conversions

SEMrush asks bluntly, “How will you know if your ad campaigns are turning a profit if you don’t track conversions?” A marketing analysis also mentions that accounts “lack proper conversion tracking, leaving advertisers unsure where to shift or scale investments.” Indeed, running Google Ads campaigns without conversion data blocks any effort to optimize bids or improve performance. 

To avoid wasting time and money, set up conversion actions in Google Ads for your primary goals (e.g., form submissions, purchases, phone calls). Use Google Tag Manager or direct tags to record every conversion in Ads and Google Analytics. That way, Smart Bidding can optimize toward real value instead of just clicks. Also, consider tracking secondary goals (micro-conversions like email sign-ups or eBook downloads) to collect more data.

If you don’t track conversions, you risk pouring your budget into ads that get clicks but no business results. Always measure the outcome and invest only in campaigns that prove a positive ROI.

8. Bidding Without Understanding Intent

Every keyword conveys a user’s purpose, and mismatch leads to wasted ad spend. A person searching “buy espresso machine” is ready to purchase, while “espresso machine maintenance” indicates an informational need. Advertisers who ignore this often see high bounce rates or low conversion rates. Ads should always mirror the searcher’s intent by matching the keywords, ad copy, and landing page to what users expect.

To improve, categorize your keywords by intent and tailor campaigns accordingly. For example, use separate ad groups for “review” or “best X” queries (with ads and pages offering information) and for “near me” or “buy” queries (with ads pitching quick action or deals).

Additional fine-tuning tips for better outcomes:

• Match ad to query: If a user’s query is informational, ensure your ad links to a helpful article or FAQ page. If it’s commercial, send them to a product or sign-up page.
• Segment campaigns: Group keywords by type (e.g., “research” vs. “purchase”). Tailor ads and bids for each category.
• Check engagement: Use Analytics to see if users leave immediately. A sudden spike in bounce rate signals a possible intent mismatch.
• Refine match types: Use phrase/exact match for high-intent terms to avoid unrelated traffic.

If you run ads without these to-dos, you’ll pay for clicks from people who were never ready to convert. Always coordinate your bid strategy, ad text, and landing page with what the user is looking for.

9. Overlooking Audience Filters

Google remarketing lets you re-engage past visitors with personalized ads, often at much lower cost per conversion since they’re already familiar with your brand. In-market and affinity audiences can target users who have demonstrated strong interest in certain products. Case studies confirm big gains, with one e-commerce retailer boosting conversions by 40% by adding in-market targeting for apparel. In other case studies, a travel company saw a 25% lower CPA by using travel-focused in-market audiences, while a tech brand experienced 30% more sales when targeting in-market electronics shoppers [Ignite Digital]. These successes show that reaching warmer or more specific audiences pays off.

To capitalize, layer audience signals on top of keyword targeting. Use RLSA (Remarketing Lists for Search Ads) to bid more aggressively on returning visitors, or to exclude current customers. Try similar audiences to find new users like your converters. Use demographics and life events if relevant (for instance, target people who are newly engaged for wedding-related services). Tools like Google Analytics or Display & Video 360 can reveal which audience segments convert best on your site. Failing to use these options means paying full freight for broad traffic instead of focusing on the segments likely to convert.

10. Spreading the Budget Too Thin

If each campaign has a few dollars per day, the account may never gain momentum. WordStream describes ads campaigns with $10+ cost-per-click but only $5/day budgets split across many ads “not even enough to cover one click.” In such cases, Google can’t learn or optimize, so performance stalls. To avoid this, set realistic budgets that allow several clicks daily. If the budget is tight, consider pausing secondary campaigns and diverting funds to the one you think will perform best, then move sequentially. Note that without a high enough daily budget, Google is “hamstrung” and can’t validate your investment.

Use Google’s tools to help plan ad spend. The Performance Planner can estimate what spend is necessary for a given impression share or ROI target. Review Auction Insights to see how much impression share you’re losing to competitors. If your share is very low, you may need to increase your budget or bid higher.

Other strategies to consider:

• Consolidate campaigns: If you must limit spend, run only the top-priority campaigns instead of spreading $5/day across many.
• Prioritize spend: Allocate more budget to campaigns/keywords with proven conversion rates. Consider using a shared budget for similar campaigns so Google can automatically adjust spend to the best performer.
• Account for seasonality: Increase budgets during peak seasons or sales periods; don’t treat your spend as static year-round.
• Test and adjust: Begin with a modest budget on a campaign, then scale up if it proves profitable. Beware of campaigns that never spend any money, as their budgets may be too low to compete.

A word of advice based on trial and error: Underfunding or scattering the budget across too many campaigns can lead to chronically mediocre results. Related article: How to Lower Your Google Ads Cost-Per-Click

Other Mistakes in Google Ad Management

After fixing keyword targeting, ad copy, bidding, audience filters, and the rest of the above, many advertisers still lose money through smaller missteps that chip away at campaign performance, including:

• Wrong campaign settings: Check your location, language, and ad schedule. A mis-set location target (e.g., targeting all of the U.S. when you serve only Arizona) can waste clicks. Also, running ads 24/7 instead of your peak hours burns the budget outside your business hours. Use bid adjustments for times or places that perform poorly.
• Ignoring quality score: Google Help reminds us that “a higher Quality Score (QS) means your ad and landing page are relevant and useful” compared to the competition. A low Quality Score means higher cost-per-clicks (CPCs). Regularly review keyword QS components (expected CTR, ad relevance, landing page experience) and improve the lowest one. High-QS keywords cost less and rank higher.
• Not using the right tools: For large accounts, not using Google Ads Editor or scripts is inefficient. Editor allows bulk changes (like pausing many ads or adding several extensions at once) faster than the web UI. Analytics and Data Studio can reveal deeper performance trends. Don’t do everything manually if useful tools exist.
• Neglecting Competition: Competitors update their ads, keywords, and promotions regularly. If they run a promotion on the same products you advertise and you leave your ads unchanged, theirs will attract more visitors. Use tools like Auction Insights or manual search reviews to track what others in your industry are doing. Update your messaging or adjust bids to stay competitive. Otherwise, their ads will pull attention away from yours.
• Blind reliance on automation: Auto-bidding and Google recommendations can help, but should not run unchecked. Here at PrimeView, our digital marketing experts advise against auto-applying recommendations, as Google can cause too many changes on your behalf without consent. Instead, review suggested changes periodically and apply only those that fit your strategy. Similarly, start Smart Bidding on campaigns with stable conversion data, not brand-new ones.

Each of these mistakes can drain performance, often more than one realizes. Systematically reviewing your campaigns for these issues, as experts recommend, helps you reclaim wasted budget and improve results, including cutting costs per conversion in half while delivering the leads and sales your business needs.

Work with a Google Ads Management Specialist in Phoenix, AZ

Most campaigns waste ad spend because no one fixes what’s broken. PrimeView audits your Google Ads account, reworks what underperforms, and restructures campaigns so they convert instead of merely collecting clicks. Call +1-480-970-4688 or send us a message to take control of your paid search instead of chasing clicks that don’t lead anywhere.