Google Ads is a highly effective tool for businesses looking to reach their target audience and drive conversions. With millions of users across the UK, the platform offers unmatched reach and sophisticated targeting capabilities. Businesses that use Google Ads often see impressive returns, with many reporting significant revenue from their investment in ads. However, despite its effectiveness, many businesses make common mistakes that can hinder the success of their campaigns. In this post, we’ll discuss these mistakes and why avoiding or correcting them is crucial for achieving the best results.

Mistake #1: Using Default Campaign Settings

One of the most common mistakes is relying on default campaign settings. Google Ads offers a variety of options within the campaign settings, and it’s essential to adjust them according to your specific goals and objectives.

For instance, goal settings should align with your campaign’s purpose. The default conversion goals might work for some campaigns, but it’s better to customise them to suit different stages of the customer journey. For example, conversions in an awareness campaign may have a lower value compared to those in a decision-making stage. Customising the goals at the campaign level allows Google Ads to optimise for the right actions, leading to more relevant conversions.

Another aspect to focus on is the marketing objective. When creating a campaign, selecting the correct objective is crucial. Whether you’re aiming for sales, leads, or website traffic, the marketing objective should align with your campaign’s goals. For example, if you run an e-commerce business, you would choose “Sales” as the objective and select a goal like “Add to Cart” or “Purchase” to guide your ads.

By default, new campaigns are set to show ads across Google’s entire network. While this can increase visibility, it may not always be the best approach. If you’re not getting desired results, consider excluding the Google Display Network or Search Partners, or test them if you’re targeting niche markets.

Finally, bidding strategies should match the goals and objectives set earlier. For example, if you’re targeting specific actions like “Purchases,” a Target CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) bidding strategy might be more appropriate. Adjusting these settings is key to running an efficient campaign.

Mistake #2: Poor Campaign Structure

The structure of your Google Ads campaign plays a significant role in the efficiency of your ad spend and overall campaign performance. A disorganised structure can lead to poor results and difficulty in scaling your campaigns.

When setting up campaigns, it’s essential to determine the right number of campaigns for your business. The number of campaigns you need depends on your business objectives, budget, and target locations. For example, if you’re a UK-based university aiming to attract students from various regions, it might make sense to create separate campaigns for specific countries rather than targeting the entire UK at once. This approach helps manage your budget better and ensures your campaigns align with your overall marketing efforts.

In terms of ad groups, a well-organised campaign structure includes themed ad groups based on your products or services. For example, if you run a home improvement business, consider creating separate ad groups for each service you offer, such as kitchen or bathroom remodelling. This enables you to write more targeted ad copy and connect the right keywords with relevant ads and landing pages, providing a seamless experience for users.

Additionally, keeping the number of keywords within each ad group at a manageable level—around 15-25—helps maintain focus and relevance. It’s important to ensure that your keywords are aligned with your campaign goals, and that they are consistent across your ads and landing pages. This helps improve your Quality Score and leads to better ad performance.

Mistake #3: Lack of Keyword Diversity

Keyword targeting is at the heart of any Google Ads campaign, and a lack of diversity can severely limit your reach and potential for success. Without a balanced mix of keywords, your ads may fail to reach the right audience or gain enough visibility.

One common issue is an imbalance between low-volume and high-volume keywords. Low-volume keywords are less competitive and easier to rank for but generate less traffic, while high-volume keywords are highly competitive and harder to rank for but bring in more traffic. A successful campaign should include both types, allowing you to attract a broader audience and drive more qualified leads.

Search intent is another important factor in keyword diversity. Understanding the different types of search intent—whether informational, transactional, or navigational—helps you choose keywords that align with the user’s intent at each stage of their buying journey. Failing to consider search intent can result in missed opportunities to capture traffic from users who are searching for more specific products or services.

In summary, a well-rounded approach to keyword targeting that incorporates both volume and intent is key to expanding your reach and improving campaign performance. By ensuring your ads are tailored to a range of search behaviours, you increase the chances of driving meaningful traffic to your site.

Conclusion

Google Ads offers incredible opportunities for businesses, but only if the campaigns are set up and managed correctly. Avoiding common mistakes such as relying on default settings, poor campaign structure, and limited keyword targeting can drastically improve your ad performance and maximise return on investment. By customising your settings, focusing on campaign structure, and diversifying your keyword strategy, you’ll be well on your way to running a successful Google Ads campaign in the UK.