Your Google Ads may be wasting money
These are the 7 most common and most expensive mistakes I see in small business Google Ads accounts.
1. Not using negative keywords
The problem: your ads show up for unrelated searches, wasting a big share of your budget.
The fix: build a negative keyword list of 50 to 100 terms from your search terms report. Review it weekly for the first month, then monthly.
2. Sending traffic to your homepage
The problem: your homepage isn't built to convert ad visitors. They leave because they can't find what the ad promised.
The fix: create a landing page for each campaign with one clear call to action that matches the ad.
3. Ignoring ad assets
The problem: ads without extras like sitelinks take up less space and get fewer clicks.
The fix: add sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets and a call button to every campaign.
4. Broad match without smart bidding
The problem: broad match keywords trigger unrelated searches, especially with manual bidding.
The fix: if you use broad match, pair it with Smart Bidding (Target CPA or Target ROAS) so Google optimizes for real conversions.
5. Not tracking conversions properly
The problem: without conversion tracking, Google can't optimize for leads and sales.
The fix: track form submissions, phone calls and purchases. Google Tag Manager keeps it clean.
6. Setting it and forgetting it
The problem: campaigns get worse over time as competition changes and ads go stale.
The fix: review search terms weekly, refresh ad copy monthly and adjust bids based on results.
7. Targeting too broadly
The problem: showing ads nationwide when you serve one area wastes money on people who can't buy from you.
The fix: use radius targeting around your service area, for example a set distance around Buffalo.
The impact
Fixing these 7 mistakes often cuts wasted spend significantly while bringing in more leads. That's not cutting your budget. It's removing waste. Want a second set of eyes on your account? Book a free call.