5 Common Google Ads Mistakes SMEs Make and How to Avoid Them

5 Common Google Ads Mistakes SMEs Make and How to Avoid Them

As a small or medium-sized enterprise (SME), particularly one that deals in ecommerce business, leveraging Google Ads can be a game-changer to improve your online presence, traffic, and hopefully sales.

However, without proper knowledge and strategy, it’s easy to fall into common Google Ads mistakes that can drain your budget without actually delivering results. At Arbi Click, we have seen lots of cases like that; where the traffic just doesn’t click and there seems no way to improve it . Feels familiar?

As a highly experienced ecommerce digital marketing agency, Arbi Click has helped numerous SMEs optimize their Google Ads campaigns. We’ve identified five common mistakes in this article for you and provide actionable tips on how to avoid them.

Mistake #1: Neglecting Proper Keyword Research


Based on our experience, one of the most common mistakes when diving into Google Ads is not conducting a thorough keyword research. Many of our clients assume they know which keywords their potential customers are using. However in reality, they are wasting ad spend on irrelevant or highly competitive terms.

How to Avoid:

 
  1. Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to discover relevant keywords with good search volume and good competition.
  2. Incorporate long-tail keywords, which are often less competitive and more specific to your offerings.
  3. Regularly review and update your keyword list based on performance data and changing market trends.

At Arbi Click, we also do ongoing keyword research and optimization as the campaign running to ensure we are on the right track and keep at it. As a result, we’ve seen our clients improved their click-through rates by up to 60%, which was made possible through Google Ads keyword refinement strategy.

Also read: Unleashing the Power of Click Marketing As PPC, CPC, and CTR

 

Mistake #2: Ignoring Negative Keywords

Another common mistake that tends to be intentionally done, or in this case, undone by our clients was overlooking the negative keywords. We understand that it is important to target as many as effective keywords as possible, but it is also similarly important to ensure those keywords are efficient and not draining your ads budget.

How to Avoid:

 
  1. Regularly review your Search Terms report to identify irrelevant terms triggering your ads.
  2. Add these terms as negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing for unrelated searches.
  3. Create a shared negative keyword list that can be applied across multiple campaigns.

Try to experiment with negative keywords and make a comparison between using those negative keywords and avoiding negative keywords. You will be surprised by how much ads budget that you’ll save.

 

Mistake #3: Poor Ad Copy and Landing Page Alignment

We at Arbi Click totally understand this common mistake. It’s just copywriting, right? No one really reads words anyway; what’s important is the pictures and numbers! Well, we have news for you: once your potential customer is trying to differentiate A from B, those small prints really matter to see whether you’re aligned with their needs.

In fact, we bet our honor as an expert in ecommerce digital marketing agency that a good ads copy that is well-aligned with the landing page can significantly improve the ads quality scores, lower the cost per click, and increase the customer conversion rates (aka more sales!)

How to Avoid:

 
  1. Ensure your ad copy directly addresses the searcher’s intent and aligns with the content on your landing page.
  2. Use ad extensions to provide additional information and increase the relevance of your ads.
  3. Create specific landing pages for different ad groups or campaigns, tailoring the content to match the ad copy.
  4. Regularly test different ad variations to identify which messaging resonates best with your audience.

Mistake #4: Neglecting Mobile Optimization

Many SMEs are still too busy prioritizing their desktop-based websites and landing pages. The news is, there is an increasing prevalence of mobile phone users which means the Google Ads campaigns are not optimized for mobile searches.

Imagine you are looking into an ad that is too small to be seen in your mobile phone, or taking too long to load. Will you avoid those pages because they’re such a pain? Yes, it happens with our clients too. A lot.

How to Avoid:

 
  1. Create separate campaigns or ad groups for mobile devices, allowing for mobile-specific bidding and ad copy.
  2. Ensure your landing pages are mobile-responsive and load quickly on smartphones and tablets.
  3. Use mobile-specific ad extensions, such as call extensions or location extensions, to enhance your mobile ads.
  4. Monitor the mobile ads performance separately and adjust your strategy accordingly. 

Mistake #5: Inadequate Budget Management and Bidding Strategies

Many SMEs set their Google Ads budget without a clear strategy or fail to adjust it based on performance data. This can lead to overspending on underperforming campaigns or missing out on potential growth opportunities.

How to Avoid:

 
  1. Start with a conservative budget and gradually increase it as you gather performance data.
  2. Use automated bidding strategies like Target CPA or Target ROAS once you have sufficient conversion data.
  3. Regularly review your budget allocation across campaigns and adjust based on performance.
  4. Implement dayparting to focus your budget on the times when your ads perform best.
  5. Consider seasonal trends and adjust your budget accordingly.
At Arbi Click, we’ve helped clients improve their return on ad spend (ROAS) by 10-15x a month on average through strategic budget management and bidding optimizations.
Digital Ads Agency

Avoiding these five common Google Ads mistakes can significantly improve the performance of your campaigns and maximize your return on investment. However, mastering Google Ads requires ongoing learning, testing, and optimization.

At Arbi Click, we understand that ecommerce businesses, especially SMEs often have limited resources and time to manage focused Google Ads campaigns over time. That’s why we offer specialized services to help businesses like yours navigate the complexities of digital advertising and achieve sustainable growth.

Also, have we mentioned that Google Ads features and best practices are very dynamic and tend to update regularly as the market evolved? But worry not, ensuring that your campaigns are always optimized for success is our number one priority. 

Remember, in the fast-paced world of digital advertising, staying ahead of the competition means continually refining your approach. With Arbi Click as your partner, you’ll have years of expertise and support instantly on your side, turning your Google Ads campaigns with our accumulated wisdom to become a powerful business growth engine.

Not sure about our service? Worry not, we also offer free consultation and digital marketing strategy check-up, including your Google ads and SEO marketing strategy. Just follow this link to get in touch with us.

also read: 5 Reasons You Should Hire a Digital Marketing Agency Now!