Over 95% of businesses spend money on Google advertising. With such a large percentage invested, mistakes are bound to happen. And these mistakes can negatively affect an ad campaign.

Discover the top mistakes you’re making with PPC in your Google Ads strategy. Knowing common mistakes elevates future strategy for better marketing overall.

1. Keyword Misuse

One of the most common issues with PPC ads is keyword misuse. Keywords are expensive and are then often overused. Make sure to focus on much more specific keywords. Not just “IT”, something more like “IT Services in Houston Tx” would work better.

Using keywords strategically is simple with proper keyword research. It can also help you make the most of negative keywords. Negative keywords are those which you do not want to show your ads for.

Understanding negative keywords can you help you avoid wasted spend. Ignoring these keywords is another common mistake with Google Adwords. Avoiding this keyword misuse alters your conversion and lead generation.

2. Mismatched Types

Another common mistake for Google Ad strategy is mismatching keywords types. Proper keyword research can direct you to use the targeted keywords for your business.

The following keyword types yield different results and offer better or worse results. The right PPC ads are worth investing in, with expert support.

• Broad match: generic keyword match with a scattershot approach based on relevance alone – usually not recommended
• Broad match modifier: expands on broad matches with contextual relevance – these were removed as an option in 2021.
• Phrase match: using a series of keywords with better connections to context – good option to use.
• Exact match: best used for very specific search terms describing your exact service.

Matching the right keywords requires an understanding of Google advertising. If you want the lead and conversion benefits of successful keywords, you need the right type. Most advterisers stick with mostly exact match, and some phrase match.

3. Lackluster Ads

Another common mistake for IT company advertising is ads that lack quality or quantity. Quality ads offer strong calls to action, researched keywords, and compelling copy. If you pay for higher amounts of poorer quality ads, you won’t see the benefit.

Make sure to A/B test your ads to always be running the top performer. If the ad isn’t turning into more leads or sales – pause it and make a new/revised ad with better performing ad copy.

Also make sure to use as many ad extensions that make sense to use – sitelinks, callouts, call, structured snippets, etc.

4. Conversion Confusion

Even if you understand conversion rates, you may still find yourself confused. A common mistake for PPC ads is not tracking conversions. This can happen when using single ad groups or simply from negligence.

Conversion tracking is essential for calculating profit margins. If you want to understand your ROI and ad spend, you must track your conversions.

Most advertisers track when a form is submitted, an ecommerce sale is completed, or when someone calls the company. These are easily setup inside Google Ads or Google Analytics as goals.

The Best Way to Elevate Your Google Ads Strategy

Your clearer understanding of common PPC ad mistakes allows you to improve your marketing. Boosting your ROI and generating more quality leads should always be top priority – above Quality Score and CTR. The best and simplest way to elevate search ads is through expert training. Review our training lessons to learn more of our expert strategies here.