The Ultimate List of Google Ad Mistakes to Avoid

Did you know Google was visited 62.19 billion times in 2019? Individuals use Google to search for almost anything, so why not use this popular search platform to help generate new business?

Google Ads help businesses get in front of individuals who search for products and services similar to what they offer. Plus, the benefit is that companies can set their ad budget and only pay when users click on the ad. Google Ads are a great way to grow your business, but to see desirable results, it is important to avoid the following mistakes.

Avoid Unorganized Ad Groups & Too Many Keywords

When using Google to promote your brand, it is critical ad groups have a theme (i.e. digital marketing agency). This will help ensure the ad copy and landing page content is related to what individuals search for.

Using GRIT as an example, if someone searches for “digital marketing agency,” the ad copy should be about the digital marketing services offered and direct users to a landing page that outlines these services as well as a call to action to contact us. What we would not want is for someone to search for “digital marketing agency” and the ad copy and landing page highlight our public relations services or direct to the homepage of our website as this content is not what the individual searched for.

Having ad groups with narrow themes correlates to the keywords identified. Using the digital marketing agency example above, keywords for this theme could include digital marketing, digital marketing agency, digital marketing York, Pa, and so forth. To keep the ad theme tight, it’s important to not include other keywords related to GRIT’s business such as communications agency, branding, or graphic design agency York, Pa.

Remember to monitor the different variations of similar keywords. For example, one ad group could be themed internet marketing, while the other is themed digital marketing. While these terms mean the same thing, it can be beneficial to see which keyword and theme performs better and then optimize your ads accordingly.

Don’t Ignore Negative Keywords

While there may be certain keywords you want associated with your brand, there may be others you want to avoid at all costs. Keywords where you do not want your brand to appear in search results are known as negative keywords. Google allows users to add keywords they do not want their ads appearing for at both the campaign and ad group level. It is important to add negative keywords before ads start running to save money on irrelevant clicks.

For example, some negative keywords GRIT would want to include are free, job, salary and resume. When people search for “digital marketing agency” we want GRIT’s services to appear and generate new business. We do not want to appear in searches where people are trying to figure out how much digital marketers make, what a digital marketer’s resume may look like, or for digital marketing job openings.

When identifying keywords, it is also important to consider the different variations (i.e. jobs vs. job or job vs. career). People will search Google for anything and everything, so it is critical to identify what you do not want your ads to appear for and add those terms as negative keywords to save money.

Avoid Only Creating One Ad

Did you know Google uses machine learning technology to optimize Google Ads? This means the platform will automatically choose ads that are performing better to appear more often. However, Google Ad’s optimization feature will only benefit your company if you have more than one ad. Many businesses make the mistake of only creating one ad, which does not give Google the chance to feature the best ad more often. GRIT recommends having three to five ads in each ad group and allowing Google to optimize the ad rotation.

So, what if you have three to five Google Ads, but are not seeing results? Take a look at the ad copy to ensure it is compelling, clear and there is a call to action so individuals know what step to take next. Also take a look at the landing page and make sure all distractions (including the website navigation) have been removed. It’s also helpful to analyze what competitors are saying or offering in their Google Ads. This information can be used to adjust ad copy and further engage the target audience.

Don’t Ignore Ad Extensions

Don’t ignore Google Ad extensions. Increase the click-through-rate of your ads by adding callouts, sitelinks, location and more. GRIT recommends adding callouts to your Google Ads to highlight your brand’s differentiators.

For example, do you offer free consultations? If so, add that as a callout in your ads. Sitelinks can also be beneficial as they link back to relevant information on your website such as contact information or additional products/services. Sitelinks can also be tracked to measure their performance.

The location extension is also key, especially if you are a local business. Google Ads can be connected to your Google My Business account so your address, telephone number, hours and more will appear within your ad. Learn more about ad extensions and the options available to your company within Google Ads!

Avoid Tracking Conversions That Are Not Real

One of the most important steps in marketing is measuring results. How can you tell if your efforts are working if you do not track relevant metrics? One key metric to track is conversions. Conversions are actions that lead to new business; for example, filling out a form on a landing page, contacting your business, or purchasing a product to name a few. These are the items companies should be tracking and counting as conversions, not how many pages an individual visited or how much of the page they scrolled through because those actions are not making you money.

Track the proper metrics and determine which ads are generating conversions. Using this information, you can optimize other ads that may not be performing as well to continually increase new business leads.