Google Ads can put your business in front of people searching for exactly what you offer — but a poorly structured campaign can spend budget quickly on irrelevant clicks. These are some of the most common setup mistakes.
1. Using broad keywords without negatives
Broad keywords can match a wide range of searches. Without negative keywords, a "boiler repair" ad might show for "boiler repair jobs" or "DIY boiler repair". Review the search terms report regularly and add negatives.
2. Targeting the wrong locations
Check location settings carefully. By default, campaigns can include people who have shown interest in a location, not just people located there. For local businesses, target people in or regularly in your service area.
3. Sending everyone to the homepage
Send each ad group to the most relevant page on your site. If someone searches for a specific service, land them on that service page with a clear way to contact you.
4. Not tracking conversions
Without conversion tracking, you cannot tell which keywords lead to enquiries or sales. Set up tracking for form submissions, calls or purchases before you start spending.
5. Launching without a review
Build campaigns in a paused state and check everything — ads, keywords, budgets and locations — before going live.