Over a decade, countless conversions, substantial expenditures, and numerous self-praising blog posts about my Google Ads triumphs, I feel it’s time for transparency. I want to share the most significant mistakes I made along the way.
My journey has been largely successful. I’ve helped various startups achieve impressive PPC results, often exceeding expectations. However, my path wasn’t without its missteps and budget-draining errors. There are things I wish I could go back and change.
Every digital marketer makes errors. Experimentation is in our DNA. We constantly test, refine, and discard strategies. Learning from these experiences, both our own and those of our peers, is crucial for growth.
This article outlines common Google Ads mistakes and provides guidance on how to avoid them.
Let’s dive in.
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1. Overloading on Keywords
Effective keyword research is paramount for search campaigns. This article won’t delve into the intricacies of keyword research; that’s a topic for another day. Instead, I’ll focus on my biggest mistake: using an excessive variety of keywords for a single product.
This happened at a past startup where our Facebook campaigns were thriving, but I yearned for more. While I knew Google Ads held potential, my approach hindered progress.
My flawed strategy was trying to unearth the perfect search terms by casting a wide net.
The Problem:
The sheer volume of keywords translated into countless ad groups, ads, and landing pages. This became a time sink, diverting attention from the truly valuable keywords.
It took me a while to realize that some keywords simply weren’t worth the effort, regardless of optimization attempts. I was clinging to underperforming keywords and wasting valuable resources.
Once I narrowed my focus to the most relevant keywords, my efficiency and results skyrocketed. My Google Ads CPA halved, and I could allocate the entire budget effectively.
The Lesson:
Choose your battles wisely. Prioritize highly relevant keywords and dedicate your efforts to maximizing their potential.
2. Misplaced Faith in the GDN
The Google Display Network (GDN) offers vast possibilities with its targeting options and ad formats. However, it can be challenging to utilize effectively for reaching cold audiences, especially compared to platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn.
My GDN Misstep:
I explored every avenue of the GDN, from keyword targeting to affinity audiences, even enlisting Google’s support. Despite our combined efforts, it yielded subpar results for expanding our audience.
Experimentation isn’t inherently bad. However, my mistake was stubbornly believing the GDN would eventually deliver, even with a sky-high CPA and low user quality. I should have recognized that it wasn’t the right fit for our advertising goals.
The Solution:
I shifted my GDN strategy to focus solely on retargeting. This strategic realignment freed up resources to invest in other channels, significantly boosting our overall user acquisition efforts.
3. Premature SKAG Implementation
As advocates of Single Keyword Ad Groups (SKAGs), we understand their power in creating hyper-relevant ads and landing pages, leading to higher CTRs, conversions, and Quality Scores.
You might wonder why I consider SKAGs a mistake. The issue lay in the timing.
The Pitfall:
I implemented SKAGs prematurely, without sufficient data.
Typically, I activate SKAGs after accumulating substantial data, allowing me to isolate top-performing keywords. However, this time, I jumped the gun, assuming I could achieve exceptional results from the outset.
The Downside:
The lack of data backfired. My account became a labyrinth of ad groups, keywords, and landing pages, making optimization a nightmare. I was essentially throwing resources at the wrong targets.
While SKAGs can be effective, they’re resource-intensive and not suitable for everyone. In my case, being a one-person marketing team with limited time and no data, SKAGs were the wrong choice.
A Better Approach:
Starting with a simpler campaign structure and grouping keywords with similar intent is key.
Once enough data is gathered, top-performing keywords can be separated into SKAGs with corresponding ads and landing pages.
4. Neglecting Landing Pages
I used to obsess over keyword grouping, ad copy, bid optimization, and negative keywords, but I neglected a crucial element: landing pages.
While I avoided sending traffic to our homepage, I lacked sufficient landing pages to cater to specific user searches.
A Better Approach:
Creating dedicated landing pages for keyword sets with distinct user intent is crucial.
For instance, Wekudo offers streamlined office event planning solutions. If a user searches for “office team building activity,” they land on this page:
However, searching for “office team building” leads to a different, more relevant page:
This small adjustment significantly impacts Quality Scores and conversion rates.
5. Underutilizing Ad Extensions
Google ad extensions are incredibly potent. They enhance your ad’s real estate, provide valuable information, enable direct calls, link to specific pages, showcase reviews, and more.
My Extension Oversight:
While I utilized extensions, I didn’t fully leverage their capabilities. I relied on a few generic sitelink extensions at the account level.
A Better Strategy:
Utilize a wider range of extensions and tailor them to specific ad groups. For instance, implement call extensions for mobile-enabled campaigns, highlight benefits with callout extensions, and explore the full spectrum of Google’s offerings.
Worried about other potential Google Ads copy mistakes? Check out this video of what to avoid!
Final Thoughts
Digital marketing is a journey of continuous learning and adaptation. My mistakes haven’t overshadowed my successes because I embraced the learning process and sought insights from others’ experiences.
By learning from my errors, you can avoid similar pitfalls and streamline your path to Google Ads success. For more valuable tips, check out our post 7 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started PPC.