8 GOOGLE ADS MISTAKES THAT WILL COST YOU MONEY

Google Ads is a powerful tool that, when used correctly, can help you generate a healthy return on investment for your business. However, like any tool, it can be misused. And when that happens, you can end up wasting a lot of money. In this blog post, we will explore 10 of the most common Google Ads mistakes that businesses make. From bidding on the wrong keywords to not tracking your results, we will cover everything you need to know to avoid these costly mistakes.

1. SKETCHY ROI CALCULATIONS

When it comes to Google Ads, your return on investment (ROI) is everything. Yet, many businesses make the mistake of calculating their ROI in a very simplistic way.

They simply take their total ad spend and divide it by the total number of sales generated from their ads. This gives them a very rough estimate of their ROI.

However, this calculation doesn't take into account the lifetime value of a customer or the fact that some customers may have been generated organically (without ads).

To get a more accurate picture of your Google Ads ROI, you need to track not only your ad spend but also your conversion rate and the average order value for customers generated from your ads.

2. LACKING CUSTOMER CLARITY

If you're not clear on who your customer is, your Google Ads will suffer. You need to know who you're targeting so you can create ads that speak to their needs and interests. Without this clarity, you'll end up wasting money on ads that no one sees or clicks on.

To avoid this mistake, take the time to define your ideal customer. Who are they? What do they need/want? What are their interests? Once you have a good understanding of your target audience, you can create ads that will resonate with them and get results.

3. CHOOSING THE WRONG ADWORDS CAMPAIGN STRATEGY

If you're not careful, it's easy to choose the wrong Google Ads campaign strategy and end up wasting a lot of money. Here are some common mistakes people make:

1. Not knowing the difference between search and display campaigns: Search campaigns are designed to reach users who are actively searching for your products or services, while display campaigns are designed to reach users who are passively browsing the web. If you're not sure which type of campaign is right for you, it's best to consult with a Google Ads expert.

2. Not setting a budget: It's important to set a budget for your Google Ads campaigns so that you don't overspend. Make sure to account for all of your costs, including ad spend, CPCs, and CPMs.

3. Bidding too low: If you bid too low on your keywords, your ads may never be seen by potential customers. Make sure to do your research and bid an appropriate amount based on the competition.

4. Not optimizing your landing pages: Your landing pages play a big role in how successful your Google Ads campaigns are. If they're not optimized for conversion, you could be wasting a lot of money on clicks that never turn into customers.

5. Not tracking your results: It's important to track your Google Ads campaign results so that you can see what's working and what isn't. Without tracking, you won't be able to improve your campaigns over time

4. SELECTING INCORRECT KEYWORD STRATEGIES

One of the most common Google Ads mistakes is selecting the wrong keyword strategies. There are three main types of keywords:

Broad match keywords: These are the least specific and will show your ad for any search that includes your specified keyword, even if it’s in a different order or with other words before or after it. For example, if you use the broad match keyword “red shoes,” your ad could appear for searches like “shoes for red dress” or “where to buy red shoes.”

Phrase match keywords: These are slightly more specific than broad match keywords, and will only trigger your ad for searches that include your specified keyword phrase in the same order. So, using our “red shoes” example from above, your ad would only appear for searches like “red shoes for women” but not “shoes for red dress.”

Exact match keywords: These are the most specific type of keyword, and will only trigger your ad for searches that exactly match your specified keyword phrase. So, using our “red shoes” example once again, your ad would only appear for the search “red shoes” and nothing else.

5. NOT TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AD EXTENSIONS

If you're not taking advantage of ad extensions, you're missing out on a valuable opportunity to improve your click-through rate (CTR) and get more leads. Ad extensions are free, so there's no excuse not to be using them.

Ad extensions are essentially additional information that you can add to your ads, such as your phone number, address, or website URL. This extra information makes your ads more relevant and clickable, which can lead to more leads and conversions.

There are many different types of ad extensions available, so it's important to experiment and find the ones that work best for your business. Not all ad extensions will be applicable to every business, so it's important to test out different combinations to see what works best.

If you're not sure how to get started with ad extensions, reach out to a Google Ads expert who can help you set up and optimize your campaign for success.

6. NEGLECTING NEGATIVE KEYWORDS

It's important to remember that not all keywords are created equal. Just because a keyword has a high search volume doesn't necessarily mean it's a good fit for your campaign. In fact, focusing on negative keywords can actually be more beneficial for your Google Ads campaigns.

What are negative keywords? Negative keywords are words or phrases that you don't want your ad to show up for. For example, if you're selling women's clothing, you might want to add "men" as a negative keyword so that your ad doesn't show up when someone searches for "men's clothing."

Why should you use negative keywords? By adding negative keywords to your campaign, you can help ensure that your ad is only shown to people who are actually interested in what you're selling. This can help improve your click-through rate (CTR) and overall campaign performance.

How do you find negative keywords? There are a few different ways to find negative keywords for your campaign. You can use the Keyword Planner tool in Google Ads, look at your Search Terms Report, or use third-party tools like SEMrush or SpyFu.

Once you've identified some potential negative keywords, add them to your campaign so that your ad won't show up when people search for those terms.

7. FOCUSING ON BID AMOUNT OVER QUALITY SCORE

When it comes to Google Ads, many advertisers focus on bid amount over quality score. This can be a costly mistake, asQuality Score is a measure of how relevant and useful your ad is to the user. A high Quality Score means that your ad is more likely to be shown to users who are interested in what you're selling, while a low Quality Score means that your ad is less likely to be shown.

There are a few things you can do to improve your Quality Score:

1) Make sure your ad is relevant to the keyword you're bidding on. Your ad should include the keyword you're bidding on, and it should be clear what your offer is.

2) Make sure your landing page is relevant to the keyword you're bidding on. Your landing page should include the keyword you're bidding on, and it should be clear what your offer is.

3) Make sure your ad copy is clear and concise. Users should be able to understand what you're offering without having to read through a lot of text.

4) Use negative keywords. Negative keywords are words or phrases that you don't want your ad to show up for. For example, if you sell women's clothing, you may want to add "men" as a negative keyword so that your ad doesn't show up when someone searches for "men's clothing."

5) Test different versions of your ad. Try different combinations of keywords, headlines and descriptions.

8. CHOOSING AN ADWORDS MANAGEMENT AGENCY BASED ON PRICE

The first mistake that many businesses make when it comes to Google Ads is choosing an AdWords management agency based on price. It’s important to remember that the cheapest option is not always the best option. When it comes to your Google Ads campaign, you want to choose an experienced and reputable AdWords management agency that will be able to get you the results you need without breaking the bank.

Choosing an AdWords management agency based on price can often lead to subpar results. In order to get the most out of your Google Ads campaign, it’s important to choose an agency that has a proven track record of success. Experienced AdWords management agencies will be able to help you create a successful campaign and get you the results you need.