11 Costly Google Ads Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Skyrocket your ROAS and transform your Google Ads performance. This guide exposes the 11 most common (and expensive) mistakes marketers make, plus proven strategies to avoid them. Get ready to unlock the true potential of your campaigns.

Before diving into these common mistakes, make sure your campaigns are set up for success with this Google Ads Optimization Checklist.” It covers essential tasks to maximize efficiency and ROI from the start.”

Let’s dive in!

1. Fixate on ROAS Without Understanding Its Drivers

ROAS (return on ad spend) is the ultimate PPC metric. It separates the campaign winners from the losers.

Understanding ROAS is crucial, but overlooking other important Google Ads metrics to track like CTR, CPC, and conversion rates can lead to skewed insights.

But many marketers get so focused on that final ROAS number, they forget about the four key factors behind it:

ROAS is directly influenced by these four factors. So if your ROAS is underperforming, it’s because one (or more) of these components is holding it back.

It’s also crucial to have a compelling offer and strong product-market fit. A poor offer can’t be salvaged by bid management alone. Provide clear and comprehensive information on your landing pages to reduce friction and increase conversions.

Q: How can I troubleshoot a sudden drop in ROAS?

A: If your ROAS takes a nosedive, start by examining each of the four underlying metrics – CTR, CPC, CVR, and AOV. Look for any significant changes that coincide with the ROAS decline.

For example, if you notice your CTR has plummeted, it could signal your ad copy or keyword targeting needs refreshing. If your CPC has spiked, competitor activity or shifts in the auction could be to blame.

Isolate the root cause to take swift, targeted action to course-correct your ROAS.

Q: What are some ways to boost my AOV to improve ROAS?

A: Your AOV is a critical lever for ROAS growth. A few tactics to try:

• Cross-sell complementary products on your site and in your email campaigns
• Implement free shipping thresholds to encourage larger orders
• Bundle products or create “value packs”
• Offer volume-based discounts
• Provide personalized recommendations based on past purchase behavior

Keep your ROAS engine firing on all cylinders:

• Examine your campaigns and check each factor – CTR, CPC, CVR, AOV
• Correlate performance changes with recent campaign adjustments
• Partner with CRO experts to increase your post-click conversion rates
• Analyze your customer data for opportunities to increase AOV

Bottom line? ROAS is a diagnostic tool, not a strategy. Understand what’s happening behind the scenes and you can take your ROI machine in any direction you want.

2. Make Decisions Based on Insufficient Data

Scenario: you launch a promising new ad group. You wait on the edge of your seat, ready for a flood of conversions. But after a few days…silence. Tumbleweeds. Nothing.

Panic sets in. You start adjusting bids, rewriting ad copy, and swapping keywords to see what works.

We’ve all been there. But here’s the issue: making significant changes based on a small amount of data is a surefire way to undermine your results.

Three reasons why:

1. Small sample volatility. A few days (or even weeks) of data is rarely enough to draw reliable conclusions. Effective PPC tracking verifies that data collection is accurate and sufficient, helping to avoid premature or misguided decisions. Decisions based on limited data are prone to inconsistencies.
2. Learning phase reset. Every major change to an ad group sends the campaign back to square one of the learning phase. This can trap you in an endless cycle where the algorithms never gather enough data to optimize.
3. Misattribution. Changing multiple variables simultaneously makes it impossible to identify what’s actually working (or not). You end up chasing symptoms instead of addressing root causes.

It’s also crucial to set realistic growth goals aligned with your ad investment, consumer demand, and past performance. To make tracking progress easier, use a Google Ads report template to consolidate key metrics and share clear insights with your team or clients. Unrealistic expectations can lead to hasty decisions based on insufficient data.

Another frequently overlooked area is analyzing performance by geo-location. Many advertisers fail to examine country, regional or even zip code level data to identify top and bottom performers. Adjusting bids or exclusions based on geographic insights can have a significant impact on efficiency.

Q: How long should I wait before making changes to a new campaign or ad group?

A: Allow new campaigns or ad groups to run for at least 2-4 weeks before making significant adjustments (longer for lower-volume campaigns).

This gives the Google Ads algorithms sufficient time to exit the learning phase and accrue enough data to make informed optimizations.

There are exceptions – if a campaign is spending aggressively with zero conversions after a week, defensive adjustments can be warranted. But in most cases, patience is a virtue.

Q: How can I tell if a campaign has enough data to make a decision?

A: While there’s no universal magic number, a good rule of thumb is to wait until a campaign has generated at least 100 clicks and 1,000 impressions before drawing conclusions.

For conversion-based decisions, wait until you have at least 15-20 conversions. The more data you have, the more reliable your decisions will be.

You can also use the built-in reporting tools in Google Ads to assess statistical significance. For example, when comparing two ad variations, look for “95%” confidence level markers to determine if you have a clear winner.

So what’s an eager marketer to do?

• Allow new ad groups to run for at least 2-4 weeks before making significant adjustments
• Use A/B tests to isolate variables and measure results accurately
• Base decisions on data, not emotions or gut feelings
• Consider accelerated learning periods for high-volume ad groups

The key takeaway? Collecting sufficient data is crucial in PPC. Allow the data to accumulate, trust the process, and make changes based on evidence – not anxiety.

3. Fight Negative Keywords One by One

Negative keywords are the heroes of PPC. These invisible workhorses protect your budget from irrelevant searches and help your ads reach high-value queries.

But many marketers play an endless game of negative keyword whack-a-mole, adding negative terms as they pop up.

The problem? It’s reactive instead of proactive. The time you identify a bad keyword, it’s already wasted precious ad spend. Plugging individual leaks doesn’t address the underlying issue.

Q: What’s the most efficient way to discover new negative keywords?

A: Poring over your search terms report is a good start, but it can be tedious and time-consuming. Here are three ways to supercharge your negative keyword mining:

1. Use Google’s built-in search terms report filter to automatically identify searches that meet specific criteria (e.g. high spend but no conversions).
2. Leverage the power of Excel or Google Sheets. Export your search terms report, then use conditional formatting, pivot tables, and filters to surface trends and outliers.
3. Try third-party tools like Optmyzr or n-gram analysis to automate the negative keyword discovery process at scale.

The goal is to shift from reactive defense to proactive offense.

Q: Can adding too many negative keywords harm my campaign?

A: Yes, when used indiscriminately, negative keywords can do more harm than good. Overzealous use of negative match can inadvertently block valuable traffic and shrink your reach.

For example, let’s say you sell designer shoes and negate the term “cheap.” Seems sensible, right? But what about the shopper searching for “cheap designer shoes?” Conflating “cheap” with low quality cuts you off from a relevant lead.

The takeaway? Be judicious and precise with your negative match. Focus on keywords that are clearly irrelevant or consistently unprofitable – not those with ambiguous or situational intent.

Supercharge your negative keyword strategy:

• Analyze search terms for patterns, not just one-off irrelevant queries
• Create negative keyword lists to proactively exclude entire categories of irrelevant searches
• Use shared negative lists to efficiently eliminate poor matches across your account
• Combine broad match keywords with robust negative lists to refine relevance
• Automate negative keyword mining to save time and effort

The lesson? Prevention is better than cure when it comes to negative keywords. Get it right and you’ll filter out the bad fits while welcoming the people most likely to convert.

4. Neglect Emotional Appeal in Ad Copy

Reality check: your customers aren’t robots. They’re complex, emotional beings driven by desires, fears, and motivations. But most PPC ads sound like they were written by an algorithm – generic, flat, and uninspiring.

Want to stand out in the search results and get clicks? Put yourself in your target audience’s shoes and tap into the right psychological triggers.

Three tactics to try:

1. Appeal to their desires. What do your prospects want most? Respect? Independence? More free time? Weave those hooks into your headlines.
2. Agitate pain points. What problems keep your audience up at night? Wasting money? Losing time? Feeling insecure? Highlight those issues in your copy.
3. Leverage social proof. Humans are social creatures. We look to others for guidance. Showcase impressive clients, numbers, or testimonials to boost credibility.

The magic happens when you blend those emotional elements with relevant keywords and offers. You want your ads to strike an emotional chord and convince Google you’re a perfect match for the search query.

Q: How do I write emotionally compelling ad copy at scale?

A: Injecting emotion into your ads can feel like an art, but there’s a science to it too. Use these repeatable steps to craft emotionally potent ads at scale:

1. Research your audience. Dive deep into your buyer personas, mine customer reviews, and interview your sales team to uncover the key emotions that drive your target market.
2. Identify high-impact words. Build a master list of emotionally charged words and phrases that resonate with your audience. Sprinkle them strategically throughout your ad copy.
3. Templatize your ad structure. Create a basic ad template that includes placeholders for your target keyword, emotional hook, unique selling proposition, and call to action. Use this blueprint to efficiently generate ads at scale.
4. Split test. A/B test different emotional angles and word choices to pinpoint the most impactful messaging for each ad group.

Q: Won’t emotional ads turn off some prospects?

A: It’s a valid concern. Push too hard on the emotional accelerator and you risk alienating prospects who prefer a more rational approach.

The key is balance. You want to blend emotional appeals with concrete benefits and facts. Use emotion to grab attention and forge a connection, then seal the deal with a compelling, logic-based offer.

For example, let’s say you’re advertising a CRM platform. You might lead with an emotional headline like, “Stop Letting Hot Leads Slip Away,” then follow up with a specific benefit like, “Increase Your Close Rate by 35% with Automated Follow-Ups.”

You’re acknowledging the emotional pain point (losing leads) while offering a measurable solution (boosted conversions).

Some tips to try:

• Interview clients to uncover their deepest desires and objections
• Emphasize benefits over features – sell the transformation, not just the product
• Use power words and vivid language to evoke emotion
• Continuously test ad variations to identify top-performing messaging

Emotions drive action, while facts inform decisions. Use both to create ads that resonate with your target audience.

5. Overlook YouTube and Gmail Ads

Quick question: when you think of “Google Ads,” what comes to mind first? I’d wager it’s search ads, followed by display.

But here’s the twist: Google’s advertising options extend far beyond the Search Network. PPC professionals who focus solely on search and display are missing out on a goldmine.

Enter the hidden gems of YouTube and Gmail ads.

These underutilized channels boast cost-effective CPMs, precise targeting, and massive engaged audiences.

YouTube ads and Gmail ads enable you to:

The best part? Competition is still relatively low on these networks – meaning early adopters can see significant results without huge investments.

Q: How do I get started with YouTube ads?

A: YouTube ads can be daunting if you’ve never run them before. Here’s a quick-start guide:

1. Set your goals. Are you looking to build brand awareness, drive site traffic, or generate leads? Your objectives will dictate your ad formats and targeting.
2. Know your ad types. YouTube offers three main ad formats: skippable in-stream ads (the most common), non-skippable in-stream ads (best for reach), and discovery ads (appear in YouTube search results).
3. Define your audience. Use YouTube’s robust targeting options to zero in on your ideal customers. Leverage life events, affinities, purchase intent, and more.
4. Create compelling videos. Your video ad is the star of the show. Keep it short, attention-grabbing, and emotionally resonant. Include a clear call to action.
5. Set your bids and budget. Start with a modest daily budget and use Target CPA bidding to optimize for conversions. Monitor your performance closely and adjust as needed.

Q: Do I need a large email list to succeed with Gmail ads?

A: While a sizable email list can certainly give you a targeting advantage, it’s not a prerequisite for Gmail Ads success. You can build high-performing Gmail campaigns using Google’s built-in affinity and in-market audiences.

The key is to get granular with your targeting. Don’t settle for broad categories like “travel” or “beauty.” Drill down into specific niches and sub-segments that align precisely with your offer.

For example, instead of targeting the broad “travel” affinity, focus on “luxury travel” or “adventure travel.” Layer on additional targeting like age, gender, and life events to further refine your reach.

You can also use Gmail ads to expand your email list. Create a compelling lead magnet (like a free guide or discount code), then target relevant audiences and drive sign-ups.

Dip your toes into YouTube and Gmail ads:

• Define your objectives and target personas
• Allocate a small test budget to validate the channel
• Develop unique video and email assets tailored to each platform
• Apply YouTube and Gmail best practices to your campaigns
• Experiment with different targeting combinations to find your ideal audience

The takeaway? If YouTube and Gmail aren’t part of your PPC mix, you’re overlooking a tremendous opportunity to reach your perfect customers for a fraction of the cost.

Don’t ignore these hidden weapons – they could be the secret to hitting your ROAS goals.

6. Disregard Quality Score Until It’s Too Late

Quality Score is Google’s way of rating your ads’ relevance and usefulness to searchers. The higher your Quality Score, the more favorably Google views your ads. That translates to better ad positions, higher click-through rates, and lower costs.

But too many agencies treat Quality Score as an afterthought. They’re content to let it languish while chasing flashier metrics. Focusing solely on click costs (CPCs) without considering other important metrics like conversion rates and quality scores can be detrimental to your campaigns.

Big mistake. Neglecting Quality Score can lead to:

• Escalating CPCs that strain your budget
• Plummeting ad positions that undermine your click-through rates
• Declining ROAS that hurts your bottom line and client relationships

The good news? Improving your Quality Scores is achievable. It just requires focus and a few key tactics:

Most importantly, prioritize Quality Score from the start. Set targets for your entire account, incorporate it into your optimization process, and treat it as a KPI in its own right.

Q: What’s a “good” Quality Score to aim for?

A: While a perfect 10/10 is the ultimate goal, it’s not always realistic – especially for competitive keywords. In general, a Quality Score of 7 or above is considered strong.

But don’t get too hung up on the absolute number. The key is to focus on improvement over time. If you can move a keyword from a Quality Score of 3 to a 5, you’ll see a material impact on your performance.

It’s also important to consider Quality Score at the account level. While individual keywords may fluctuate, a high account average Quality Score is a strong indicator of overall account health.

Q: How often should I be optimizing for Quality Score?

A: Quality Score optimization is an ongoing process, not a one-time task. At a minimum, you should be monitoring your Quality Scores on a weekly basis and making adjustments to your keywords, ads, and landing pages.

That said, the frequency of your optimizations will depend on the size and complexity of your account. For large, dynamic accounts, daily Quality Score checks may be necessary. For smaller, more stable accounts, bi-weekly or even monthly check-ins may suffice.

The key is to find a cadence that allows you to stay proactive without getting bogged down in daily fluctuations.

Because when it comes down to it, Google rewards advertisers who create relevant, helpful experiences for searchers.

Work with the system by making Quality Score a pillar of your agency’s approach from day one.

7. Ignore Landing Page Optimization

If your landing pages fail to deliver on your ad’s promise, all that hard-won traffic will slip through your fingers.

Yet countless marketers focus on ad optimization while neglecting the post-click experience. They direct prospects to generic homepages, clunky lead forms, or worse – 404 error pages.

The consequences are dire:

• Sky-high bounce rates as confused visitors hit the back button
• Abysmal conversion rates that undermine your ROAS
• Wasted ad spend on traffic that never translates into leads or sales
• Low quality scores that inflate your CPCs and sabotage your ad rank

The solution? Treat your landing pages as the critical conversion catalyst they are. Every element, from your headline to your CTA, should be painstakingly optimized to guide visitors towards your goal.

Q: What are the key components of a high-converting landing page?

A: While every landing page is unique, there are certain universal elements that set the winners apart:

Q: How can I create PPC landing pages at scale?

A: Building dedicated, bespoke landing pages for every ad group is ideal, but not always feasible. That’s where dynamic keyword insertion (DKI) and landing page templates come in:

1. DKI for ad copy. Automatically insert your target keyword into your ad headlines to create hyper-relevant ads at scale.
2. DKI for landing pages. Pass your target keyword through to your landing page to automatically customize the headline, subheads, and body copy.
3. Templates. Build a library of landing page templates for different offer types, like demos, downloads, or purchases. Customize each template’s imagery and copy for individual campaigns.

The takeaway? Neglecting your landing pages is like filling a leaky funnel—no matter how much traffic you pour in, you’ll struggle to see results.

Plug those leaks with relevant, compelling, and seamlessly branded landing pages and watch your conversion rates soar.

8. Expect Google Ads to Be “Set It and Forget It”

Google Ads is not a slow cooker. Expecting leads and sales to pour in while you sit back and relax is a recipe for disaster.

But that’s exactly how many agencies approach PPC. They invest countless hours building pristine campaigns, then assume the ROI will keep flowing on autopilot.

News flash: it doesn’t work that way.

The truth is, Google Ads requires constant care and attention. It’s a dynamic platform that demands relentless monitoring, testing, and refinement to perform at its best.

A well-structured account with clearly defined campaign types, segments, networks, and bid strategies is crucial for identifying issues and optimizing performance. A chaotic account structure makes it difficult to pinpoint problems and make targeted improvements.

Because it’s always evolving:

• Competitors enter and exit the auction, shifting the bidding environment moment to moment
• Seasonal events and real-world developments influence consumer behavior and search patterns
• Google introduces new features and algorithm updates that can disrupt established best practices

So if you’re not continually optimizing keywords, testing ad copy, refining landing pages, and seizing new opportunities, you’re not just standing still – you’re falling behind.

Stagnation is the silent killer of PPC success. The only antidote is an unwavering commitment to perpetual improvement.

Q: How much time should I be spending on Google Ads management?

A: The short answer? More than you probably are now. Industry surveys show that the average SMB spends just 15-30 minutes per week managing their Google Ads account. That’s simply not enough.

At a bare minimum, you should dedicate several hours per week to core optimization tasks like:

• Review search term reports and add negative keywords
• Analyze ad performance and pause underperformers
• A/B test ad copy and landing pages
• Adjust bids and budgets based on performance
• Identify and capitalize on new keyword opportunities

For larger, more complex accounts, it’s not uncommon for agencies to spend 10+ hours per week on hands-on management and optimization.

Q: What tools can I use to streamline Google Ads management?

A: While there’s no substitute for manual analysis and optimization, there are a number of tools that can help you work smarter, not harder. Some top picks:

• Google Ads Editor: Google’s free desktop application for bulk campaign edits and offline management.
• Optmyzr: A suite of tools for automating common PPC tasks like A/B testing, keyword management, and reporting.
• AdEspresso: A user-friendly platform for creating, managing, and optimizing Google Ads campaigns at scale.
• Wordstream: An all-in-one PPC management platform with intelligent optimization recommendations.

The key is to use these tools to supplement your manual efforts, not replace them entirely. Automation can streamline processes, but it can’t replace strategic thinking and human insight.

Five habits to embrace:

1. Weekly performance check-ins to identify issues and kick-start optimizations
2. Quarterly account audits to eliminate inefficiencies and uncover wasted spend
3. Ongoing A/B testing of ad copy, landing pages, audiences, and offers
4. Regular bid adjustments by device, location, schedule, and audiences
5. Proactive adoption of new Google Ads features and betas
6. Swift responses to timely events and emerging trends
7. Education and skill development to stay ahead of the curve

Look, no one’s suggesting you need to monitor your campaigns 24/7. But treating PPC as a “one and done” tactic is a recipe for lackluster results and squandered budgets.

Treat your account like a high-stakes client that demands round-the-clock attention and you’ll keep the ROI coming for the long haul.

9. Underutilize the Power of Customer Match

Pop quiz: what’s the most potent targeting weapon in your Google Ads arsenal? If you said keywords, you’re not wrong – but you’re not entirely right either.

See, while keywords are undeniably important, they’re also a bit…impersonal. They reveal a lot about what people are searching for in the moment, but little about who they are, what drives them, and how likely they are to buy.

Enter Customer Match.

In essence, Customer Match is Google’s version of custom audiences. It allows you to upload your email lists, phone numbers, and mailing addresses to Google Ads and target those exact individuals with tailored campaigns.

The benefits are immense:

• Laser-focused reach. Serve ads to your most valuable prospects and customers
• Enhanced relevance. Craft personalized messaging and offers that resonate with each audience’s unique needs
• Heightened engagement. People pay more attention to ads from brands they recognize
• Improved performance. Enjoy higher CTRs, conversion rates, and ROAS from primed audiences

But despite its massive potential, Customer Match is sorely underused by most agencies. They’re satisfied relying exclusively on keyword-based “spray and pray” approaches.

Understanding the user journey and aligning keywords, ad copy, and landing pages to create a seamless experience for potential customers is paramount. Customer Match allows you to deliver highly relevant messages at each stage of the funnel.

Q: What types of audiences should I target with Customer Match?

A: The beauty of Customer Match is its versatility. You can create hyper-targeted segments based on virtually any customer attribute or behavior. Some high-impact audiences to try:

• Newsletter subscribers
• Loyalty program members
• High lifetime value customers
• Recent purchasers
• Lapsed customers
• Customer service inquiries
• Event attendees or webinar registrants

The key is to align your audiences with specific campaign goals. Looking to drive repeat purchases? Target recent buyers with upsell or cross-sell offers. Want to reactivate dormant customers? Serve them a winback campaign with an enticing discount.

Q: How do I make sure my Customer Match campaigns are compliant with privacy regulations?

A: With the rise of GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy laws, it’s crucial to ensure your Customer Match campaigns are fully compliant. Some key steps:

1. Obtain explicit consent from your customers to use their data for marketing purposes. A clear opt-in during the signup or purchase process is ideal.
2. Provide a simple way for customers to opt out of your marketing communications at any time. Include unsubscribe links in all your emails.
3. Securely hash all personally identifiable information (PII) before uploading it to Google Ads. This includes email addresses, phone numbers, and mailing addresses.
4. Keep your customer data fresh and accurate. Update your lists to remove bounced emails, inactive customers, and opt-outs.

Follow these guidelines to harness the power of Customer Match without running afoul of privacy regulations.

Don’t make that mistake. Harness the power of Customer Match:

• Segment your first-party data into meaningful categories (e.g. newsletter subscribers, previous buyers, loyalty program members)
• Upload your segmented lists to Google Ads and build dedicated campaigns for each audience
• Customize your ad copy, offers, and landing pages to match each segment’s stage in the customer journey
• Continuously test to identify the highest-ROI segments and tactics
• Implement a system for updating your audiences to keep them fresh

The brilliance of Customer Match lies in its ability to combine the intent of search with the precision of email marketing. You’re not just showing ads to nameless, faceless searchers – you’re delivering the right message to the right person at the right time.

That’s the difference between a campaign that merely survives and one that thrives.

10. Use Broad Match Keywords Without Safeguards

If keywords are the lifeblood of Google Ads, match types are the levers that control the flow.

Match types determine how closely a user’s search query must match your chosen keywords for your ad to be eligible to show.

There are four varieties:

And therein lies the danger. Broad match casts the widest net, but it also carries the greatest risk. Leave it unchecked and it can quickly exhaust your budget on irrelevant searches before you can course-correct.

But abandoning broad match entirely isn’t the answer either. When used strategically, it can be powerful for:

• Discovering new high-performing keywords
• Expanding your reach to tangentially related topics
• Capturing long-tail variations you may have overlooked

The key is to deploy broad match as part of a deliberate, safeguarded strategy – not as a hands-off catchall. PPC competitor analysis allows you to identify gaps in targeting, uncover high-performing keywords, and refine your approach to align with competitor trends.

If you rely solely on AI-generated ad copy without human oversight and a clear strategy, it can lead to generic, irrelevant ads that fail to attract qualified clicks and conversions. Broad match keywords amplify this risk by expanding your reach to a wider, less targeted audience.

Q: How can I control my broad match exposure?

A: Broad match is a high-risk, high-reward proposition. To mitigate the risk and maximize the reward, try these safeguards:

• Use broad match sparingly. Limit it to a small subset of your top-performing keywords – those with a proven track record of driving cost-effective conversions.
• Deploy negative keywords aggressively. Continuously mine your search term reports for irrelevant queries and add them as negatives at the ad group or campaign level. Consider using shared negative lists to scale your efforts.
• Isolate broad match keywords in their own ad groups. This allows you to closely monitor performance, adjust bids, and tailor ad copy without impacting your other match types.
• Set conservative bids. Start with bids 50-70% lower than your exact match bids and adjust based on performance. The goal is to minimize wasted spend while still generating enough data to uncover new opportunities.
• Use Smart Bidding. Use Target CPA or Target ROAS to automate your bids, optimize for your goals, and limit wasted spend on broad match.

Q: Should I use broad match for all my campaigns?

A: While broad match can be useful, it’s not ideal for every campaign. Here’s why:

• Broad match prioritizes reach over precision. It aims to show your ads for a wide range of searches related to your keyword, even if those searches aren’t exactly what you intended. This means your ads might appear for searches with different intents or meanings, potentially leading to irrelevant clicks and wasted spend.
• It relies heavily on Google’s understanding of your keyword. Google’s algorithms are constantly improving, but they don’t always perfectly grasp the nuances of your business and target audience. This can result in your ads showing for searches that are technically related to your keyword but not relevant to your offerings.
• Established campaigns are better equipped to handle this variability. Campaigns with a proven track record – high click-through rates, good conversion rates, and strong Quality Scores – are more likely to benefit from broad match. They have already demonstrated their effectiveness and can better absorb the potential for wasted spend that comes with a broader reach.
• New or struggling campaigns need more focus. For these campaigns, it’s crucial to prioritize relevance and efficiency. Exact and phrase match give you more control over when your ads appear, ensuring that you’re reaching the most qualified audience and maximizing your budget.

When you’re ready to use broad match, remember these tips:

• Start with your winners: Apply broad match to keywords that are already performing well on exact and phrase match.
• Use negative keywords: A strong negative keyword list is essential to prevent your ads from showing on irrelevant searches.
• Monitor your search terms: Regularly check the search terms report to identify new winning keywords and add irrelevant terms to your negative keyword list.

Broad match is a powerful tool, but a dangerous one. Wield it wisely and it can unlock a treasure trove of high-converting keyword opportunities. Mishandle it and it can decimate your budget faster than you can say “negative keyword.”

11. Overlook Sitelinks and Ad Extensions

Think about the perfect Google Ad. Compelling copy, relevant keywords, and an irresistible call to action. You lean back, confident the leads and sales will come pouring in.

But wait…what’s that looming in the distance? It’s your competitors, siphoning away your clicks with ads so prominent, feature-rich, and enticing they make yours look like a relic.

While you were focused on fine-tuning your ad copy, they were maxing out every extension and sitelink at their disposal. The result? Ads that command the search page, overflow with click-worthy information, and make yours fade into the background.

That’s the power of ad extensions. Allowing you to append additional details to your standard text ads, they help you:

• Increase your SERP visibility and presence to steal attention from competitors
• Provide extra relevant info and enticements to boost your click-through rates
• Offer direct paths to high-value site pages to accelerate conversions

But despite their immense potential, extensions are often treated as an afterthought (if they’re used at all). Too many agencies set them once and never revisit them, or worse – ignore them entirely.

Avoid making frequent, drastic changes to campaigns without allowing sufficient time for stabilization and data collection can undermine the effectiveness of your sitelinks and ad extensions. Give them time to perform and gather insights before overhauling them.

Q: Which ad extensions should I be using?

A: The short answer? All of them. Google currently offers 10 different ad extension types, each serving a unique purpose:

The more extensions you deploy, the more SERP real estate you can capture and the more enticing your ads become.

Q: How often should I update my ad extensions?

A: Ad extensions are not a set-it-and-forget-it affair. Like your core ad copy, they need attention and optimization to perform at their peak.

At a minimum, audit your extensions quarterly to:

• Refresh stale or outdated copy (e.g. expired promos, seasonal messaging)
• Swap in new extensions to align with evolving business priorities
• Pause underperforming extensions and replace them with new variants
• Ensure all tracking is functional and accurate
• Identify opportunities to expand your extension coverage

For heavy seasonal advertisers (e.g. retail, travel), more frequent updates may be necessary to capitalize on timely trends and events.

The key is to treat your extensions with the same level of care and attention as your core campaign elements.

Big mistake. Get the most out of your extensions and sitelinks:

• Use every extension type that aligns with your business and goals
• Make sure your sitelinks are tightly related to their accompanying ad and landing page
• Write clear, compelling, action-oriented sitelink copy
• Rigorously test multiple versions of each extension to identify the top performers
• Schedule extensions to appear based on seasonality and promotions

Ad extensions can measurably improve your SERP presence and performance without increasing your cost per click.

Bonus: Master Performance Max, Don’t Let It Master You

Performance Max, Google’s supercharged campaign type launched in 2021, harnesses machine learning to relentlessly pursue conversions across the entire Google Ads inventory – Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps – you name it.

Think of it as Smart Shopping on steroids. Feed Google your ultimate goals, a bundle of creative assets, and watch as it automatically crafts and serves the optimal combo to the right audience at the right moment. No manual targeting, keyword management, or channel-specific adjustments needed.

Sounds too good to be true? The early results were striking:

• Up to 30% more conversions at the same or lower cost per acquisition compared to standard campaigns
• Up to 20% higher return on ad spend for e-commerce advertisers
• Increased reach and efficiency – the dream automation made real

Yet years later, many marketers still struggle to fully capitalize on Performance Max’s potential. They fall victim to critical mistakes that kneecap their results.

The most common Performance Max pitfalls to avoid at all costs?

1. View Performance Max as a “Magic Wand”

Countless advertisers make the fatal error of treating Performance Max as a “set it and forget it” solution that will automagically solve all their marketing woes. They throw their entire budget into a single campaign, sit back, and wait for the conversion floodgates to open.

Big mistake. While incredibly powerful, Performance Max is no panacea. Drive killer results with strategic planning, constant optimization, and an intimate understanding of your audience and goals.

Q: How can I get the most out of my Performance Max campaigns?

A: To unleash Performance Max’s full potential, you need to adopt a hands-on, iterative approach. Some key steps:

1. Start with clear goals. Define specific, measurable targets that align with your broader business objectives. Share these with Google to guide the algorithm.
2. Provide robust inputs. The more high-quality assets you feed the machine – videos, images, headlines, descriptions, logos – the better equipped it will be to craft winning combos.
3. Leverage your first-party data. Upload customer lists, build detailed audience segments, and use that intel to inform your creative and landing pages.
4. Set smart bidding thresholds. Use target CPA or ROAS bidding to keep your spend in check and avoid inefficient placements.
5. Monitor and tweak constantly. Keep a hawk-like eye on your performance and make strategic adjustments to your assets, goals, and bids as needed.

2. Underutilize First-Party Data

With a focus on user privacy, first-party data is king. Performance Max is uniquely positioned to alchemize that data into marketing gold.

However, most advertisers fail to fully harness their first-party data. They don’t upload comprehensive customer lists, create detailed audience segments, or leverage that data to inform their ad creative and landing pages.

The consequence? Generic, scattershot campaigns that miss the mark with their highest-value prospects.

3. Dismiss Offline Conversion Tracking

One of Performance Max’s most game-changing evolutions? The power to track offline conversions and connect them to your digital campaigns.

But despite this transformative capability, droves of marketers still fixate solely on online conversions. They fail to deploy tools like Google’s Offline Conversion Tracking or sync their CRM data to attribute in-store sales, phone calls, or other lucrative offline actions.

The result? A massive slice of their ROI story goes untold.

4. Discount the Interplay Between Performance Max and Other Campaigns

Performance Max doesn’t operate in isolation. It’s a single component of a vast, intricate Google Ads machine.

The boundaries between campaign types have never been blurrier. Search, Display, Shopping, Video – they’re intricately intertwined, each one’s performance constantly influencing the others.

But a staggering number of advertisers silo their Performance Max campaigns. They ignore how their other campaigns could be shaping (or even sabotaging) their results. They neglect to extract Performance Max insights to enhance their search efforts, and vice versa.

To succeed with Google Ads, recognize how all the pieces fit together, then exploit that intel to spur holistic growth.

5. Over-Relying on Automation

There’s no question that Google’s machine learning and automation capabilities have quantum leaped in recent years. Performance Max perfectly embodies the awe-inspiring potential of that automation.

But even the most sophisticated algorithms can’t rival human expertise and intuition. They can’t grasp the subtleties of your brand, your customers, and your competitive arena like a battle-tested marketer can.

Yet a frightening number of advertisers set their campaigns to autopilot and let the machines run the show. They neglect to scrutinize their automated recommendations, insert negative keywords informed by their unique business needs, or infuse their own strategic genius.

Automation should augment your marketing prowess – not replace critical thinking and hands-on optimization.

Wasted spend and poor-quality traffic can result from over-expanding targeting options (e.g., location, language, apps, YouTube) without proper qualification and exclusions. Be selective in your targeting to reach the right audience.

Q: How can I strike the right balance between automation and manual control in Performance Max?

A: The key is to embrace automation as a powerful tool, not an infallible oracle. Use it to streamline processes and surface insights, but never abdicate strategic decision-making entirely.

Some ways to maintain a healthy equilibrium:

1. Review your automated recommendations. Don’t blindly accept every suggestion. Evaluate each one through the lens of your unique goals, audience, and brand.
2. Feed the machine high-quality inputs. The more relevant, diverse, and compelling your creative assets, audience data, and conversion goals, the smarter the automation can be.
3. Proactively exclude irrelevant or off-brand placements. Don’t rely solely on Google’s algorithms to determine where your ads appear. Use account-level exclusions and negative keywords to maintain brand integrity.
4. Continuously monitor and adjust. Keep a close eye on your campaign performance and make tactical tweaks to your assets, bids, and settings as needed. Don’t “set and forget.”
5. Sync with your other campaigns. Use Performance Max insights to inform your search, display, and video efforts and vice versa. Treat your Google Ads account as an interconnected ecosystem, not a collection of siloed channels.

The advertisers who will reign supreme with Performance Max? The ones who strike the optimal equilibrium between machine learning wizardry and marketing acumen. They’ll embrace automation’s power while never relinquishing the wheel.

They’ll perpetually test, learn, and adapt to outfox the algorithms and serve up the ultimate bespoke experience to every user, every time.

Key Takeaways

We’ve covered a lot of ground today. From the silent killers undermining your ROAS to the overlooked We’ve covered a lot of ground today. From the silent killers undermining your ROAS to the overlooked opportunities waiting to be seized, we’ve left no stone unturned in the quest for Google Ads mastery.

But I know you’re busy. So here’s a quick recap of the 11 (+1 bonus) most costly Google Ads mistakes and how to fix them:

Bonus: Ignore the possibilities of Performance Max – explore Google’s latest smart bidding solution for more conversions with less heavy lifting.

The through line? No matter how sophisticated your tactics, success in Google Ads always comes back to a few timeless principles: customer empathy, data-driven decisions, and a fanatical focus on incremental gains.

Master those fundamentals and you’ll be ready to sidestep the ROAS-ravaging mistakes and pounce on the needle-moving opportunities. Go forth and conquer!