7 common Google Ads mistakes that waste budget

Most Google Ads accounts do not lose money to one big mistake. It leaks out gradually: through loose keywords, through a page that fails to convince, through a campaign optimised for the wrong goal. Below are the seven mistakes I see most often, and what to do about them. You can check several of them in a single afternoon.

1. Conversions are not measured

This is the first and most important mistake. If Google Ads does not know what success looks like for you, it cannot optimise for it. You end up counting clicks, and a click is not a customer.

What should be tracked:

• enquiry form submissions;
• taps on your phone number (on mobile);
• clicks on your email link;
• purchases and their value, if you run an online shop.

2. Keyword match types that are too broad

Broad match combined with automated bidding can work well, but only once the account already has enough quality conversion data. In a new account, or one with little data, it often shows your ads for searches that have little to do with your service.

A practical rule: start with phrase and exact match, review the search terms report, and switch broad match on only when results are stable.

3. No negative keywords

The search terms report shows what people actually typed before clicking your ad. The first time you open it, you will usually find phrases you would rather not pay for: "free", "jobs", "course", "template".

Spend a few minutes each week reviewing new terms and add the irrelevant ones as negative keywords. Over time it is one of the cheapest ways to cut waste.

4. Every service in one campaign

When different services or products share one campaign and one ad group, the ad copy stays generic and the budget is split by chance. A clearer structure works better:

How to organise the structure

1. One campaign per business goal or service group.
2. Ad groups built around a specific search intent.
3. Ad copy that repeats what the person just typed.
4. A separate budget for whatever brings the most enquiries.

5. A landing page that does not convince

An ad does only half the job: it brings the visitor. If the page is slow, confusing or does not answer the question the ad raised, the money is already spent. Check:

• whether the page loads quickly on a mobile connection;
• whether the headline matches what the ad promised;
• whether the contact form is short and clear;
• whether there is at least one trust signal (a testimonial, a certification, real contact details).

6. Default location and device settings

It is easy to leave location targeting on "people in or interested in" the chosen area. If you only serve Vilnius, you probably do not want to pay for clicks from someone elsewhere who is merely "interested" in Vilnius. Likewise, check whether mobile and desktop convert equally well and adjust bids accordingly.

7. Too much automation, too little oversight

Automated bidding and Performance Max are powerful, but they learn from what you feed them. If the data is poor (see mistake 1), the goal is vague and nobody reviews the results, automation efficiently optimises the wrong thing.

A quick check

Where to start

If you only have time for one action, start with tracking. Without it, every other decision is made blind. If you would like a specialist to look at the account, you can request a free audit: I will tell you where money is being lost now and what is worth fixing first.