7 Google Ads Mistakes Costing You Money (And How to Fix Them)
Stop wasting budget on common PPC mistakes. Learn the optimisations that can dramatically improve your return on ad spend.
James Gleeson
Founder & Managing Director at Everblue Digital with over a decade of experience in digital marketing.
After auditing hundreds of Google Ads accounts, we've seen the same mistakes repeated over and over. These errors don't just waste budget—they can make the difference between a profitable campaign and one that drains your resources.
Mistake #1: Not Using Negative Keywords
This is the most common and costly mistake we see. Without proper negative keywords, you're paying for clicks from people who will never convert.
The fix: Review your search terms report weekly and add irrelevant terms as negative keywords.
Mistake #2: Ignoring Match Types
Broad match keywords can quickly burn through budget on irrelevant searches. Many advertisers don't realise how liberally Google interprets broad match.
Mistake #3: Poor Landing Page Alignment
Sending all traffic to your homepage is a conversion killer. Each ad group should have a relevant, dedicated landing page.
Mistake #4: Set and Forget Campaigns
Google Ads requires ongoing optimisation. Campaigns left unattended will gradually decline in performance.
Mistake #5: Not Tracking Conversions Properly
Without accurate conversion tracking, you're flying blind. You can't optimise what you can't measure.
Mistake #6: Bidding on Your Own Brand... Wrong
Brand campaigns need different strategies than generic campaigns. Many advertisers either ignore brand terms or overpay for them.
Mistake #7: Ignoring Quality Score
Quality Score directly impacts your cost per click and ad position. Improving it can dramatically reduce your costs.
Want us to audit your Google Ads account? Book a free strategy call and we'll identify opportunities to improve your ROI.
