Introduction
Google Ads can be one of the quickest means of driving traffic, generating leads, and sales to your business. But here’s the truth: many advertisers waste so much money each year because of simple, avoidable mistakes.
Whether you are a small business, a startup, or even an experienced marketer, there’s a good chance you may be making some of these mistakes without even knowing it.
In this article, we’ll reveal the top 10 mistakes advertisers continue to make in Google Ads and how to rectify them immediately.
Not Defining Clear Goals
The Mistake:
Most advertisers start their business over online platforms, for example, Google Ads, without paying any attention to the exact goal of the campaign. What’s the reason behind using Google Ads for them? Is it to get traffic to their website, make people aware of their brand, capture leads, or make a sale? Campaigns will be directionless without clear direction.
The Fix:
- Determine your main objective of the campaign: Sales, Leads, or Brand Awareness.
- Use Google’s campaign types (Search, Performance Max, Display, Shopping, Video) depending on the objective.
- Set measurable KPIs (like cost per conversion or ROAS).
Too Broad Targeting of Audiences
The Mistake:
Some advertisers believe “the more people see it, the better.” But broad targeting of this kind exhausts your budget sooner and the possibility of getting irrelevant traffic increases, resulting in wasted budget because your ads are being displayed to users who won’t convert.
The Fix:
- Use specific keywords with buying intent.
- Target specifically by location, demographics, or device type.
- Make the most use of in-market audiences and remarketing.
- Example: Target “buy running shoes online” instead of “shoes” for higher quality clicks.
Ignoring the Use of Negative Keywords
The Mistake:
Your ad may show up for irrelevant searches if you don’t use negative keywords. For example, if you sell premium watches, your ad might show for “cheap watches,” leading to wasted ad spend.
The Fix:
- Add keywords that go against your business under negative keywords.
- The addition of negative keywords might slightly reduce your website traffic, but it prevents your ads from showing to irrelevant users.
- Use Google’s search terms report to cut down on irrelevant queries.
- Continue to review and modify your list every week.
Not Testing Ad Copy
The Mistake:
Writing one ad and running it forever is a recipe for poor performance. Users develop “ad fatigue” and click-through rates (CTR) decrease.
The Fix:
- Test various combinations of headlines and descriptions with Responsive Search Ads (RSAs).
- Showcase various USPs (Unique Selling Points) about your business to intrigue users.
- Monitor CTR and conversion rate to determine the best-performing ads.
Avoiding Usage of Ad Extensions (Assets)
The Mistake:
Most advertisers neglect to implement ad extensions like sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, etc. This causes their ads to appear smaller and less compelling than those of competitors.
The Fix:
- Extensions are free features that can be added to your ad. Add at least 4–6 extensions like sitelinks, callouts, call, location, and promotions extensions.
- Use them to provide additional information and increase visibility.
- Ads with extensions tend to receive higher CTRs.
Driving Traffic to a Poor Landing Page
The Mistake:
Even the most effective ad will fail if users end up on a slow, confusing, or irrelevant page. Too many advertisers direct users to the homepage rather than a targeted landing page.
The Fix:
- Develop custom landing pages for each campaign.
- Keep them simple with one clear CTA (Call to Action).
- Ensure fast load times (3 seconds or less) and mobile-friendliness.
- Example: If your ad says “50% Off Digital Marketing Course,” the landing page should reflect that offer directly, not just your homepage.
Forgetting to Track Conversions
The Mistake:
Many advertisers run campaigns without proper conversion tracking. They have no clue which ads, keywords, or audiences are bringing customers or revenue.
The Fix:
- Enable conversion tracking with Google Ads or Google Analytics 4.
- Track actions like form submissions, purchases, calls, or sign-ups.
- Use this data to allocate more budget to the best-performing ads.
Over-Dependence on Broad Match Keywords
The Mistake:
Broad match keywords often generate random, irrelevant searches that eat up your budget.
The Fix:
- Use Phrase Match or Exact Match for more control.
- Pair broad match keywords with Smart Bidding only if necessary.
- Monitor search terms weekly.
Failing to Use Smart Bidding Correctly
The Mistake:
Some advertisers either avoid Smart Bidding altogether or use it without enough conversion data, leading to poor results.
The Fix:
- If you have at least 30 conversions, apply strategies like Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) or Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend).
- If new, start with Maximize Conversions until you build sufficient data.
- Always review performance before switching strategies.
“Set It & Forget It” Mentality
The Mistake:
Google Ads isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it platform. Many advertisers launch campaigns and never optimize them, wasting budget and losing performance.
The Fix:
- Review campaigns weekly.
- Continuously update keywords, ad copy, and campaigns.
- Keep experimenting — digital advertising is always changing.
Bonus Mistake: Not Using Remarketing
The Mistake:
Most users don’t convert on the first visit. Forgetting remarketing means losing warm prospects.
The Fix:
- Run remarketing campaigns to reconnect with visitors who didn’t convert.
- Show retargeting ads based on what they viewed (e.g., abandoned products).
- Remarketing typically delivers the best ROI.
Final Thoughts
Google Ads will remain one of the best ad platforms in 2025. But even the smartest advertisers make simple mistakes like ignoring negative keywords, failing to track conversions, or driving traffic to poor landing pages.
The good news? Any mistake can be corrected. As the saying goes: Better late than never. With clear objectives, refined targeting, ad copy testing, and the use of AI-based tools like Performance Max and Smart Bidding, you can transform your campaigns into profit machines.
Note: The difference between a money-draining campaign and a money-making one usually comes down to avoiding these simple errors.