Quick test: is your account in order?
Tick the items that are already in order on your account. Each one is explained below.
1. Ads show for the wrong searches
Broad match keywords are Google Ads' default, and with them an ad can show for very distant searches. "Plumber" can bring clicks from "plumber jobs" or "plumbing school". Open the search terms report in your account: if it is full of searches you could never get a customer from, this is your biggest problem. The fix is tighter match types and negative keywords.
2. Tracking measures the wrong thing
If a page view counts as a conversion, or the same call is counted twice, Google thinks the campaign works and optimizes for more of the same. Check which conversions are primary and whether they match real leads. Read more about conversion tracking.
3. The ad leads to the wrong page
If an ad promises water heater replacement and lands on the home page, the visitor has to find the right information themselves. Many won't bother. Every ad group should lead to a page that matches exactly that search.
4. It is hard to get in touch from the page
Most clicks come from phones. If the phone number isn't tappable, the form is long or the page loads slowly, some visitors leave. Open your own site on a phone and try to get in touch like a customer.
5. The budget is too small or spread too thin
With a monthly budget of a few hundred dollars split across ten services, nothing gets enough clicks to learn. It is better to concentrate the budget on the few most important services than to show up a little everywhere.
6. Targeting is too broad
Google's default setting also shows ads to people who are merely "interested" in your area, even if they are on the other side of the country. For a local service, the location setting should be changed so that ads show only to people located in your service area.
7. The campaign runs on the Display network or search partners
A search campaign may by default have Display network expansion added, so the ad also appears on websites and in apps. Those clicks are cheap but rarely bring leads. Check in the campaign settings which networks are in use.
8. Nobody manages the account
Search terms, competitors and Google's own settings change all the time. An account set up once and left running starts leaking sooner or later. Review search terms at least once a month, preferably every two weeks.
Want us to go through your account? The Google Ads audit is part of the free assessment, and you get a list of the biggest leaks and what to fix first.