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5 Common Google Ads Mistakes and How to Avoid Them (Beginner-Friendly Guide)
- Unicorn
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 6
Google Ads can be a powerful tool for driving traffic and sales when used correctly. If you’re just starting out, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the many options and settings inside Google Ads. And truthfully, even experienced marketers can make mistakes that waste ad spend or lead to disappointing results.
In this blog, we’ll break down five (5) common mistakes people make in Google Ads—and how you can avoid them.
Blog Outline:
1. Not Defining a Clear Goal
The Mistake:
Many beginners jump into Google Ads without a clear objective. They launch a campaign without really knowing what success looks like—are they trying to get more sales? Leads? Website traffic? Without a clear goal, it’s impossible to track progress or make improvements.
Why It Matters:
Google Ads offers different campaign types (Search, Display, Video, Shopping, etc.) that are designed for specific goals. Choosing the wrong one could mean your ads show up in the wrong places or to the wrong people.
How to Avoid It:
Before creating a campaign, ask yourself:
What do I want to achieve with this campaign?
What action do I want people to take after clicking my ad?
Once you’re clear on your goal (like lead generation or product sales), choose the campaign type and ad format that best supports it.
2. Using Broad Keywords That Attract the Wrong Traffic
The Mistake:
Using short, broad keywords like “bags” or “digital marketing” might seem like a good idea to reach a wide audience—but they often bring in a lot of irrelevant clicks. This leads to wasted ad spend and low conversion rates.
Why It Matters:
Google matches your ads to search terms based on your keywords. If your keywords are too broad, your ad may show up for searches that have nothing to do with what you’re offering.
How to Avoid It:
Use long-tail keywords that are more specific, like “waterproof bags for” or “Google Ads training for beginners.”
Regularly review the search terms report to see which queries are triggering your ads and add irrelevant ones as negative keywords.
Start with a small set of well-researched keywords and expand as you gather data.
3. Not Setting Up Conversion Tracking
The Mistake:
Without conversion tracking, you won’t know which ads are actually bringing in sales, leads, or other valuable actions. This makes it difficult to measure the success of your campaigns and optimize them effectively.
Why It Matters:
Google uses conversion data to optimize your campaigns and show ads to people who are more likely to convert. Without this data, your campaign can’t improve and you can’t make informed decisions.
How to Avoid It:
Set up conversion tracking in your Google Ads account to monitor actions like purchases, sign-ups, or contact form submissions.
You can do this by using tools like Google Tag Manager to implement tracking codes on your website.
Make sure you’re tracking the right actions like purchases, form submissions, or phone calls.
This step may feel a bit technical at first, but it’s essential for running profitable campaigns. If needed, ask a developer for help or follow Google’s step-by-step guides.
4. Writing Generic Ads Without a Strong Call to Action (CTA)
The Mistake:
Ad copies that are vague or unengaging ads are less likely to attract clicks. Generic ads that do not speak directly to the user’s needs and don’t include a clear next step like “Sign up now” or “Get your free quote” people will scroll past it.
Why It Matters:
Your ad copy is the first impression a potential customer gets of your business. If it’s not engaging or clear they leave your website without taking action.
How to Avoid It:
Focus on benefits, not just features.
Speak to the problem your audience is trying to solve.
Include a strong, action-oriented CTA like “Book Your Free Demo,” “Start Today,” or “Learn More Now.”
Test different versions of your ad copy to see which one performs best. Sometimes small changes can make a big difference.
5. Neglecting Landing Page Experience
The Mistake:
Even if your ads are well-targeted and compelling, a poor landing page can deter potential customers. If users click on your ad and land on a page that’s slow, confusing, or irrelevant, they’re likely to leave without converting.
Why It Matters:
Your landing page is where the conversion happens. If it doesn’t match the ad’s message or if it’s hard to navigate, you’ll lose potential customers.
How to Avoid It:
Make sure your landing page matches your ad copy in both content and tone.
Keep it simple: clear headline, short explanation, key benefits, and a visible CTA.
Optimize it for mobile users and ensure fast load times.
A good rule of thumb: if your ad promises something, your landing page should deliver it immediately.
Conclusion
Getting started with Google Ads can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. By avoiding these five common mistakes, you’ll already be ahead of many advertisers. Focus on clarity, relevance, and optimization at every stage—from the keyword to the ad, to the landing page.
Whether you’re learning Google Ads for yourself, or looking to offer it as a service for others, remember this: success in Google Ads isn’t about doing everything perfectly from day one—it’s about learning, testing, and improving along the way.
Want to Learn Google Ads the Right Way?
Start with our beginner-friendly Free Google Ads Lessons and gain the confidence to run real campaigns that get real results.
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