Most underperforming accounts aren't broken in some complicated way. They're leaking money through the same handful of holes.
1. No negative keyword list
Broad match without negatives is the fastest way to burn a budget. "Free", "jobs", "DIY", "cheap", and competitor brand terms should be excluded from day one.
2. Sending all traffic to the homepage
If someone searches for a specific service, they should land on a page about that service. Homepage traffic converts at a fraction of the rate of a matched landing page.
3. Conversion tracking that measures the wrong thing
Counting page views or clicks on a phone number that no one actually calls gives Google the wrong signal, and the algorithm optimises straight toward the wrong outcome.
4. Letting Performance Max run unchecked
PMax will happily spend your budget on brand searches you'd have won for free. Brand exclusions and clean asset groups are essential.
5. Ignoring the search terms report
This is where the truth lives. Twenty minutes a week in the search terms report will save more money than any bid strategy change.
6. Running ads outside business hours with no plan
If nobody answers the phone at 9pm and you have no after-hours form follow-up, you are paying for leads you can't service.
7. Changing everything at once
Every significant edit resets the learning phase. Make one meaningful change, let it run a fortnight, then judge it.
Want this done for you?
We do two things and we do them really well — Google Ads and website design. Book a free 20-minute strategy call and we'll tell you exactly where your fastest wins are.