Google Ads helps you attract high intent traffic to your business website which can, in turn, improve your revenue regardless of whether you’re an e-commerce brand, affiliate marketing company.
The problem comes when those who are new to Google Adwords do not use this ad platform properly and as a result, lose money at a negative ROI (return on investment).
Here is how you can avoid wasting money on Google Adwords.
Table of Contents
Avoid Common Pitfalls
Many businesses lose money on Google Ads by making the same mistakes:
- Ignoring the search terms report and wasting money on irrelevant clicks
- Failing to optimize for mobile users
- Using overly broad match keywords
- Relying too heavily on automation without oversight
Being proactive about these issues can save you thousands in wasted ad spend.
Be Careful About Directing Adwords Back To Your Home Page
This is a mistake because most Internet users do not have a lot of time to search for multiple webpages just to locate your items and you want your Google ads to go directly to the webpage that has what customers and regular Web visitors are looking for. For example, if you are selling your bridal wear at discount prices for the spring, the Google ad should lead customers to the webpage where they can shop for the discounted clothing.
Have Discernment When Choosing Words From Google Adwords Keyword Generator
When you sign up for Google Adwords you will receive a list of suggested keywords for use in the Google ads but it does not mean that it is necessary to include every one of those words as part of your ad. When you use Adwords that are too generic, it will be hard to attract the right visitors to your website. If your website offers marriage advice to interracial couples, you want to narrow your keywords so that mostly those couples will come to your site.
Keyword Research: Check Out Your Competition
Keywords are the backbone of any successful Google Ads campaign. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to discover relevant terms with strong commercial intent. Focus not just on high-volume keywords but also on long-tail keywords, which tend to have lower competition and higher conversion potential.
Don’t forget to analyze your competitors’ strategies. Look for gaps you can exploit and opportunities they might be missing.
You can avoid wasting money on Google Adwords by checking out your competition and seeing what kind of keywords they use to attract high traffic to their websites. You can do this by going to the Google keyword tool and then click on “site related keywords.” After you do this you would type in the name of the website you want to research and then you would look at the main keywords on the site. When you look at the competition it gives you the opportunity to improve your ads and website overall.
Don’t Forget The Mobile Audience
When you do not optimize the Google ads for mobile devices, you lose out on potential customers and money. Mobile device users are looking for quick information on businesses or certain topics, and when your mobile ads lead them to the results they want, they are more likely to make purchases or read your content.
Work on Building A Good Landing Page
A common mistake some people make with Google Adwords is the failure to create excellent landing pages that will keep customers interested in what you offer. The purpose of the landing/money page is to showcase your services and if you know the keywords they used in getting to your ads, you can customize the landing page to meet their needs. If you have a blog that features photos of vintage weddings from the early 20th century, you would have a landing page that have some of the photos and then you can include a message for them to download or save the photos to their computers.
Use Your Keyword Matches Wisely
You can target your audience better and save money by using your keyword matches wisely. A broad match lets you include a wide variation of your targeted keywords and this would include generic and specific keywords. For example, if you included “jazz albums” as your keyword in a broad match, you may also get variations such as “jazz albums 2014” or “jazz albums for beginners.” When you bid on words for a broad match, you could get traffic that is not related to your target customer. A phrase match would show ads for an exact phrase you chose while the exact match shows ads that only suit the keyword you chose.
Look At The Google Ads Quality Score
The quality score is essential to a successful Google Adwords campaign because if certain keywords have low quality scores, you waste money and you do not get a lot of traffic or conversions for your website. You should eliminate unprofitable keywords with the lowest scores and organize your best scoring keywords by theme for best results.
Geo-Targeting & Audience Segmentation
If you are a local business owner, then your best Google Adwords strategy would be to localize the ads so that mostly residents in your city will go to your website and buy from your website. While on Google Adwords’ website you would click om the “Campaigns” button and then you would go to the “Locations and languages” tab where you can choose the city you want to target the ads.
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Target specific locations based on business service area.
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Adjust bids by location, device, and audience demographics.
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Use remarketing audiences to re-engage previous visitors.
Track The Conversions
If you want to know how well your ads are performing, track the conversions of your website by going to the “Tools” section on Adwords’ website and then you will click on the “Conversions” tab. If you see a low amount of conversions from your website’s ads, make a few changes so that the conversions increase.
Use Negative Keywords
One of the most overlooked features in Google Ads is the negative keyword list. Adding irrelevant or unqualified search terms as negatives helps prevent your ads from showing up for the wrong audience.
For example, if you sell premium software, you might want to exclude keywords like “free” or “cheap.” Regularly reviewing your search term reports allows you to fine-tune this list and avoid wasting spend on clicks that will never convert.
The advantage of using negative keywords is that you limit undesired traffic to your website and it ensures that your money is spent wisely on Google Adwords. For example, if you sell plus size work wear but you do not sell plus size bridal wear, you can choose “bridal wear” as a negative keyword. When this happens, your ad will not appear on websites where people are searching for plus size bridal wear.
Separate Ad Campaigns
By default Google combines the search and display ad campaigns but you waste money with this method. It is better to separate your ad campaigns when deciding which keywords to include in your ads.You can assign certain ads to be used for Google Search and then assign others for display ads. Also separate your mobile ads.
Test Your Ads Periodically
When you test the ads, you want to think about the best messages to use to convince potential customers to click on the ads and make a purchase. Include calls-to-action as part of your ads and decide whether to use lighthearted or a serious tone with the ads. You can also test your ad with different categories so you will know which ad would succeed.
Take Advantage of Ad Extensions
Ad extensions are good for increasing traffic to your website and your ads, and the best ad extensions to use are site links. Site links are links underneath your ad that bring visitors to other webpages on your website such as “Contact Us” or “About Us.” Another idea is to use image ad extensions but they should represent your ad’s keywords or themes. Some businesses use “offer extensions” and it serves as a way to promote your services with discounts or freebies. When you use offer extensions they must have a promotion code.
Manage Your Budget and Bidding Strategy
Choosing the right bidding strategy can make or break your campaign. Whether you’re using manual CPC, enhanced CPC, or smart bidding, your strategy should align with your goals.
Set daily and monthly budget caps to avoid overspending, and monitor your bids regularly. Automated bidding can save time, but make sure you have enough data before relying on it fully.
Track and Analyze Everything
Without tracking, you’re flying blind. Set up conversion tracking in both Google Ads and Google Analytics to get a complete picture of performance. Use search term reports and attribution models to understand what’s driving results.
Avoid a “set-it-and-forget-it” approach. Regularly analyze performance and make data-driven adjustments to improve your campaigns.
Know When to Hire a Pro
If you’re not getting the results you want—or you simply don’t have the time or expertise to manage PPC effectively—it might be time to bring in a professional. An experienced PPC manager can quickly identify areas of waste and implement strategies to maximize ROI.
While hiring an expert may come with upfront costs, the long-term savings and performance improvements often far outweigh the expense.
Conclusion
Google Adwords is an excellent way to increase your business’s visibility online and offline, and with these methods you can succeed in this kind of marketing.
By following these PPC management best practices, you can protect your budget, improve performance, and achieve your business goals more efficiently.
If you’re unsure whether your current campaigns are optimized, consider requesting a free PPC audit or consulting with our team of experts. Don’t leave your ad dollars on the table—manage your PPC campaigns the smart way.
Contact us about our PPC management service today or check out PPC.co for more info!
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