Here are some common mistakes marketers make when setting up Google Ads campaigns, which can lead to wasted budget, poor performance, or missed opportunities:
⚠️ 1. Poor Keyword Targeting
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Using only broad match without negative keywords can attract irrelevant traffic.
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Not separating branded and non-branded keywords, which makes it hard to track performance accurately.
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Not doing proper keyword research, relying on intuition rather than data.
⚠️ 2. Lack of Negative Keywords
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Failing to use negative keywords allows your ads to show on irrelevant or low-intent searches.
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This leads to low CTRs and poor Quality Scores, driving up costs.
⚠️ 3. No Clear Campaign Structure
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Mixing different products/services or audiences into one ad group.
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Not segmenting campaigns by theme, funnel stage, or geography.
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Makes optimization and tracking very difficult.
⚠️ 4. Weak Ad Copy
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Generic or irrelevant headlines/descriptions that don’t match the keyword intent.
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Not using responsive search ads effectively.
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Ignoring the use of unique selling points or CTAs.
⚠️ 5. Skipping Ad Extensions
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Not using sitelinks, callouts, or structured snippets leaves valuable real estate unused.
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Reduces CTR and competitiveness in the ad auction.
⚠️ 6. Not Tracking Conversions
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No conversion tracking = you’re flying blind.
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Marketers often forget to set up or properly configure Google Ads or GA4 conversion goals.
⚠️ 7. Ignoring Match Types
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Using broad match only → poor traffic quality.
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Using only exact match → missing valuable long-tail traffic.
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A balanced strategy is usually better.
⚠️ 8. Improper Location Targeting
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Targeting entire countries when only a city or region is relevant.
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Forgetting to exclude irrelevant locations.
⚠️ 9. Budget and Bidding Mismanagement
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Allocating budget equally across campaigns regardless of ROI.
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Using automated bidding without enough data or setting unrealistic targets.
⚠️ 10. Lack of Regular Optimization
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Not reviewing search term reports or pausing underperforming keywords.
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Leaving campaigns untouched for weeks or months.
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Not A/B testing ads or landing pages.