Before You Write Off Google Ads: Common Mistakes Small Business Owners Make and How to Fix Them

Are you feeling burned by Google Ads and convinced it doesn’t work for your small business? You’re not alone.

As a small business owner, you already wear a lot of hats - from the day-to-day operations to customer service, and everything in between. Adding Google Ads management into the mix can be overwhelming, especially when it feels like you’re pouring money into ads that don’t deliver your desired results.

Over the years I’ve spoken with many small business owners who’ve been ready to write off Google Ads as a failed experiment. They’ve tried it, and for one reason or another, it didn’t bring the results they hoped for. But here’s the thing: advertising through Google can be a powerful tool to grow your business when it’s done right.

Often, the issues aren’t with Google Ads itself, but with how the campaigns are set up and managed.

So, before you completely give up on your ad campaigns, let’s take a closer look at some common mistakes that might be holding them back - and how you can fix them to start seeing the results you want.

1. Misaligned Keywords – The Silent Budget Eaters

Are You Speaking Your Customers’ Language?

One of the biggest mistakes I see is targeting the wrong keywords. Imagine running a café and bidding on the keyword “food,” thinking it’s relevant but attracting clicks from people looking for recipe ideas, grocery shopping tips or calories in food.

Not exactly your target customer, right?

Choosing the wrong keywords can consume your budget without delivering quality leads or sales. The most common culprits are overly broad keywords, not using negative keywords, or relying on assumptions rather than data.

How to Fix It:

• Use Keyword Research Tools: Tools like Google Keyword Planner can help you find terms your potential customers are actually searching for. Look for keywords that closely match what you offer.
• Review and Refine Your Keyword List Regularly: Google Ads isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it kind of deal. Regularly review your keywords based on performance data and adjust them to reflect what’s working.
• Add Negative Keywords: These are just as important as the keywords you’re bidding on. Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches, saving your budget for clicks that matter.

2. Targeting the Wrong Audience – Who’s Really Seeing Your Ads?

Your Ads Might Be Reaching the Wrong People

Another common issue is poor audience targeting. You might think that your product or service is great for everyone, but casting too wide a net can lead to wasted clicks from people who have no interest in buying from you.

It’s not just about who sees your ads but whether they’re the right people. Without proper audience targeting, your ads could be shown to users who aren’t even remotely interested in what you offer.

How to Fix It:

• Define Your Ideal Customer: Who are they? What are their interests, demographics, and online behaviours? Use this information to guide your audience targeting settings.
• Use Demographic and Interest Targeting: Most pay-per-click (PPC) platforms allow you to target ads based on user demographics, interests, and even past behaviours. Use these features to hone in on your ideal customer.
• Implement Remarketing: Remarketing targets people who have interacted with your business but haven’t converted. It’s a great way to remind them of what you offer and bring them back when they’re ready to buy.

3. Neglecting Ad Copy – Does Your Message Resonate?

Your Ad Copy Could Be Missing the Mark

Your ads must capture attention and compel action even if you’ve nailed the keywords and audience targeting. Bland, generic ad copy won’t cut through the noise and can leave potential customers scrolling past without a second thought.

Your ad copy is your chance to connect with your audience and convince them to click through to your website. If your message isn’t clear, doesn’t resonate with their needs, and lacks a clear call to action, your ads are less likely to perform.

How to Fix It:

• Craft Clear, Action-Oriented Copy: Focus on what makes your product or service unique and how it solves your customers' problems. Use strong, clear calls to action that tell them exactly what to do next.
• A/B Test Your Ad Copy: Don’t settle on one version. Test different headlines, descriptions, and calls to action to see which combinations drive the best result
• Highlight Your Value Proposition: What sets you apart? Make sure your ad copy clearly communicates why someone should choose you over your competitors.

4. Skipping Conversion Tracking – Flying Blind

Are You Measuring What Matters?

If you’re not tracking conversions, you’re essentially flying blind. It’s like trying to improve your fitness without ever stepping on a scale or checking how far you’ve run. You can’t improve what you don’t measure, and in PPC, clicks alone don’t tell the full story.

Without proper tracking, it’s impossible to know which ads are driving sales or leads and which ones are just costing you money.

How to Fix It:

• Set Up Conversion Tracking: Use tools like Google Analytics, Google Tag Manager, and Google Ads conversion tracking to measure the actions that matter most to your business - whether it’s purchases, sign-ups, or contact form submissions.
• Track Beyond Clicks: Measure all the way through to the final conversion to understand which keywords, ads, and landing pages are truly driving results.
• Review Your Data Regularly: Review your conversion data regularly to see what’s working and where there’s room for improvement.

5. Poor Landing Page Experience – Are Your Clicks Going to Waste?

Your Landing Page Could Be Letting You Down

Your paid ad might be perfect, but if the landing page it links to isn’t up to scratch, you’re likely missing out on conversions. Even if your ads are spot on, slow load times, a poor checkout experience, and unclear calls to action can all contribute to poor performance.

Think of your landing page as the final hurdle - if it trips up your potential customers, they’ll click away to find a better alternative.

How to Fix It:

• Ensure Relevance: Your landing page should be closely related to your ad content. If your ad promises a special offer, make sure it’s easy to find on the landing page
• Optimise for Speed and Mobile: In today’s fast-paced digital world, a slow-loading page can lose a potential customer in seconds. Make sure your pages load quickly and look great on mobile devices.
• Clear Call to Action: Every landing page should have a clear, compelling call to action that guides the visitor to what to do next—whether that’s making a purchase, signing up, or getting in touch.

6. Setting Unrealistic Budgets and Expectations – Quality Over Quantity

Are You Expecting Too Much for Too Little?

Small budgets can be a big barrier to Google Ads' success, especially in competitive industries. If your budget is too low, your ads might not reach enough of your target audience to make a real impact.

Pay-per-click isn’t just about putting money into ads; it’s about investing wisely. Sometimes, the problem isn’t the amount you’re spending but how you’re spending it.

How to Fix It:

• Set Realistic Budgets: Look at your industry and competition to gauge what a realistic budget looks like. Understand that online advertising is an investment - expecting huge returns from minimal spend is often unrealistic.
• Focus on Quality Leads: It’s better to have fewer, higher-quality clicks that are more likely to convert than a large number of clicks that don’t go anywhere.
• Allow Time for Testing and Optimisation: Despite what some may say, paid advertising isn’t instant. It takes time to test different approaches and find what works best for your business.

7. Neglecting Regular Campaign Reviews – Set It and Forget It Won’t Cut It

Google Ads Isn’t a ‘One and Done’ Deal

If you’ve set up your campaign and then left it to run without any adjustments, you’re likely missing out on opportunities to improve. Google Ad campaigns require ongoing management and optimisation to keep performance on track.

It’s like a garden - you can’t just plant the seeds and walk away expecting a perfect bloom. It takes regular attention, watering, and a bit of pruning to see real results.

How to Fix It:

• Schedule Regular Reviews: Set aside time weekly or bi-weekly to review your campaigns, check performance, and make adjustments as needed.
• Stay Informed: PPC platforms like Google Ads are constantly evolving. Keep up with updates and new features that can enhance your campaigns.
• Be Ready to Adapt: The digital landscape changes quickly, and your PPC strategy needs to keep pace. Regularly test new approaches and don’t be afraid to change things up if something isn’t working.

Google Advertising can feel like a complicated and frustrating part of your marketing strategy, but it doesn’t have to be a lost cause. Before you write it off as a waste of time and money, take a step back and check for these common pitfalls. With the right tweaks, you can turn your campaigns around and start seeing the results your business needs.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed or unsure about your PPC efforts, let’s chat! I’ve helped many small business owners turn struggling campaigns into success stories, and I’d love to help you too.

Book a free discovery call today, and let’s get your Google Ads working for you.