10 Google AdWords Mistakes to Avoid

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Google AdWords is one of the most popular and powerful PPC services by far – but it’s very easy to miss important features or make a mistake that can unnecessarily increase your costs, reduce your conversion rate and affect your overall pay per click advertising performance.

Here’s 10 Google AdWords mistakes to avoid from the experts at PPC Agency Upperdog:

  1. Not using location targeting – you can target ads in locations of your choice including countries, cities, or a mile radius. If your products/services are only sold in certain places, or most of your customers come from certain areas then you should just target these locations.
  2. Not using device targeting – did you know you can adjust your keyword bids by device (mobile, desktop and tablet)? If most of your conversions are coming from mobiles you’re missing a trick by not increasing your mobile bids. On the other hand, if a certain device has a low conversion rate you may wish to reduce your bids and re-divert to a better converting device.
  3. Not using ad extensions – ad extensions are free additions to your ads that provide more options for users to click on. Callout extensions for example allow you to place more information below your ad.
  4. Only having a single ad for each ad group – your ad is designed to entice your customers to click on it. Your PPC management strategy should always include creating at least 2 ads per ad group, so you can split test which messaging works best.
  5. Not using the right bid strategy – using automated bid strategies can greatly increase your bids and deplete your budget before you know it. It’s usually best to select manual bidding, so you can decide exactly how much you’re willing to spend on a keyword. If you’re unsure about using the right bidding strategy in your campaigns, you can always request a free PPC audit!
  6. Not making effective use of search terms – the “search terms” tab allows you to see exactly what users are searching for. You should always use this information to expand your campaign keywords or negative keywords.
  7. Not using the right keyword match types – keyword match types determine which search terms trigger your ad. For example, the broad match type will show your ads to a wide audience which could result in a lot of clicks and cost, but not convert well. Exact match will only show to users who search for the exact match of your keyword, which may cost more – but convert better.
  8. Not scheduling your ads – by default your ads will show 24/7. If your business can only receive enquiries 9-5, you should make sure to schedule your ads for these hours only.
  9. Not using the right delivery method – if your ad delivery method is set to “accelerated” AdWords will automatically spend your budget more quickly at the start of the day. Once the daily budget is depleted your ads will not show for the rest of the day! Opt for standard delivery instead.
  10. Not showing your account some TLC – it’s important to regularly check your AdWords account to make sure it’s performing well in terms of keywords, clicks and conversions. Checking keyword performance can even benefit your SEO strategy!

Google AdWords is an effective tool for immediately generating traffic, enquiries and sales to your website. But it can be a bit of a minefield and that’s why you need a trusted Google Partner to manage your pay per click advertising. To get in touch with our qualified and accredited Google AdWords experts, give PPC Agency Upperdog a call on 01202 798 820 or email hello@upperdog.co.uk.