Google AdWords (now known as Google Ads) is a powerful platform for online advertising. However, there are several common mistakes that businesses and marketers make when using it. Here are some of the biggest mistakes with Google Ads PPC advertising:
Not Using Negative Keywords: Negative keywords prevent your ads from being triggered by certain words or phrases. Not using them can result in irrelevant clicks that cost money but don’t convert.
Ignoring the Account Structure: Not having a well-structured account (e.g., organized ad groups, campaigns, etc.) can lead to poor performance and make the account difficult to manage.
Setting and Forgetting: Not regularly reviewing and adjusting campaigns can result in wasted spend. It’s important to constantly optimize based on data.
Broad Match Disasters: Using broad match keywords without understanding its implications can result in displaying ads for irrelevant search queries.
Not Using Ad Extensions: Ad extensions provide extra information and can improve click-through rates. Not using them can be a missed opportunity.
Ignoring Mobile: Not optimizing for mobile or not considering mobile bids can lead to poor performance, especially as mobile searches continue to grow.
Poor Landing Page Experience: Even if your ad is perfect, a poor landing page experience can kill conversions. Make sure the landing page is relevant to the ad and offers a good user experience.
Not Tracking Conversions: Without setting up conversion tracking, you won’t know what’s working and what isn’t. It’s essential to measure ROI.
Bidding Wars: Getting into a bidding war with competitors can drive up costs without necessarily delivering better results.
Overlooking Quality Score: Quality Score is a metric Google uses to rate the quality and relevance of your keywords and PPC ads. Ignoring it can result in higher costs and lower ad positions.
Not Testing Ad Copy: Running different ad variations (A/B testing) can help determine what resonates best with your audience. Not testing can mean missing out on better-performing copy.
Not Setting a Proper Budget: Setting a budget that’s too low can result in missed opportunities, while a budget that’s too high can lead to overspending.
Ignoring Analytics: Not integrating with tools like Google Analytics can mean missing out on valuable data that can inform PPC strategy.
Not Considering Lifetime Value (LTV): Focusing only on the immediate conversion and not considering the lifetime value of a customer can result in underbidding for potentially valuable keywords.
Not Keeping Up With Changes: Google Ads is a constantly evolving platform. Not keeping up with the latest features, updates, and best practices can result in missed opportunities or suboptimal campaigns.
Not Using Geo-Targeting Appropriately: If you’re a local business or have specific geographic markets, not using geo-targeting (or using it incorrectly) can result in irrelevant clicks or missed local opportunities.
Avoiding these mistakes and investing time in continuous learning and optimization can lead to more successful Google Ads campaigns.