And How to Avoid Wasting Your Budget on Bad Clicks
If you’re running Google Ads — or paying someone else to run them — chances are good you’re leaving money on the table.
I’ve reviewed hundreds of accounts over the last decade. Different industries. Different budgets. Different platforms. But the same problems keep showing up.
And the painful truth is this: Google will gladly take your money, whether your campaigns are set up right or not.
In this post, I’ll break down the 5 most common (and costly) mistakes I see in Google Ads accounts every single week — and show you how to fix them before they drain your budget.
1. Broad Match Keywords That Bleed Budget
Let’s start with the biggest offender.
Many small business accounts rely heavily on broad match keywords — like “insurance” or “marketing agency” — hoping to cast a wide net. But wide nets often catch the wrong fish.
When Google sees a broad match keyword, it will match it to anything remotely related. That could be job seekers, DIYers, or someone 200 miles outside your service area.
Example:
You’re targeting “accounting services” and showing for searches like “become an accountant” or “free accounting software.”
🛠️ Fix it:
- Use phrase match and exact match for tighter control
- Regularly review your search terms report
- Add negative keywords to eliminate junk queries (e.g., “free”, “jobs”, “DIY”)
💡 Bonus: Start narrow, then scale — not the other way around.
2. Poor or Generic Ad Copy
Too many ads read like this:
“We Provide High-Quality Services. Get In Touch Today.”
What service? Who is it for? What makes you different?
When your ads sound like everyone else’s, you lose the click — or worse, you pay for irrelevant ones.
🛠️ Fix it:
- Highlight a specific benefit or offer
E.g. “Free 20-Minute Strategy Call for UK-Based Startups” - Include qualifiers (location, business type, industry) to repel bad clicks
- A/B test 2–3 ad variations in each ad group
🎯 Rule of thumb: Ads should qualify and attract — not please everyone.
3. Weak Landing Pages That Don’t Convert
This one stings because even if your keywords and ads are perfect, if your landing page doesn’t convert — it’s all wasted.
I see campaigns driving £5–10 CPC traffic to slow, cluttered, or generic service pages with no clear CTA.
Signs your landing page is underperforming:
- High bounce rate (>70%)
- Time on page under 30 seconds
- Low conversion rate (<3%)
🛠️ Fix it:
- Create dedicated landing pages per campaign, not generic service pages
- Include a strong, benefit-driven headline, sub-headline, and clear CTA
- Optimise for mobile — over 60% of traffic is likely on mobile
💡 Add trust signals: reviews, client logos, guarantee statements
4. No Conversion Tracking (Or Bad Tracking)
I cannot overstate this: If you’re not tracking conversions, you’re flying blind.
Google Ads is a bidding algorithm. It learns what to optimise based on your data. If you’re not feeding it accurate conversion data — it’s guessing. And that guesswork is costing you.
Common tracking issues I see:
- No conversions set up at all
- Tracking page views instead of real actions (like form fills or bookings)
- Using old Universal Analytics (instead of GA4 or server-side tracking)
🛠️ Fix it:
- Set up proper conversion actions in Google Ads (form submissions, bookings, phone calls)
- Use Google Tag Manager to fire tags cleanly
- Check your attribution model — “last click” may not show the full picture
🔧 Want a tip? Even if you don’t have full CRM integration, you can still track leads accurately with a basic setup.
5. No Campaign Structure or Segmentation
Too many accounts lump all keywords, audiences, and services into one campaign — or worse, one ad group.
The result?
- Poor quality scores
- Muddled messaging
- No insight into what’s working
🛠️ Fix it:
- Break your campaigns down by intent or service
E.g. Google Ads Consultant, SEO Strategy, Marketing Audit - Use SKAG-style (Single Keyword Ad Groups) or at least tightly themed groups
- Separate branded vs non-branded campaigns
💡 Why it matters: You want data clarity. That’s how you scale what works and cut what doesn’t.
Bonus Mistake: No Retargeting
If you’re not retargeting visitors who didn’t convert — you’re missing one of the cheapest, most effective tools in Google’s ad arsenal.
🛠️ Fix it:
- Set up a re-marketing audience in Google Ads (site visitors, converters, etc.)
- Create tailored display or YouTube campaigns just for that audience
- Use it for lead magnets, testimonials, or “why choose us” angles
What a Healthy Google Ads Setup Looks Like
Let’s flip the script — here’s what good looks like in most of the accounts I manage or advise on:
✔️ Exact match + phrase match keywords
✔️ Ad copy focused on benefits, not buzzwords
✔️ Dedicated, mobile-first landing pages
✔️ Clean conversion tracking + goal reporting
✔️ Segmented campaigns for visibility + control
✔️ Retargeting that stays top-of-mind
And most importantly — ongoing reviews and optimisation. Google Ads isn’t “set it and forget it.” It’s an evolving machine. If you don’t steer it, it veers off fast.
Final Thought: Don’t Blame Google — Fix Your Setup
Google Ads is a powerful tool, but like any tool, it only works if used correctly. If you’re running ads right now and not seeing results, it doesn’t necessarily mean Google Ads “doesn’t work.” It means your setup probably has a leak — or five.
If you want a second set of eyes on your campaign, I offer a Free PPC Performance Call — no pressure, no pitch, just clarity.