You’re bleeding money on Google Ads, and for what? A trickle of clicks, a couple of conversions, and a hefty bill that makes you question everything. It’s time to face the truth: throwing more money at Google Ads isn’t the answer. But don't worry, this isn’t about telling you to abandon ship. Instead, it's about steering your ship in the right direction. Let’s dive into why your Google Ads spend is draining your budget and what you can do to fix it.

1. You’re Paying for Keywords That Don’t Convert

Let’s start with the obvious: not all keywords are created equal. If you’re paying top dollar for broad, generic keywords, you’re essentially throwing cash into the void. Sure, these keywords get clicks, but are they the right clicks? Probably not. The real money-makers are those long-tail, highly targeted keywords that speak directly to the needs of your audience.

Quick Fix: Go granular. Focus on long-tail keywords that are specific to your product or service. Use Google’s Keyword Planner to find keywords with high intent and lower competition. And don’t forget to regularly review your search terms report to see what’s actually driving conversions.

2. You’re Ignoring Negative Keywords

Here’s a pro tip that’s worth its weight in gold: negative keywords. If you’re not using them, you’re wasting money—period. Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing up in irrelevant searches, which means you’re not paying for clicks that won’t convert.

Implement Now: Start building a list of negative keywords. Think about all the irrelevant search queries that could trigger your ad. Use Google’s search terms report to identify these and add them to your negative keyword list.

3. Your Landing Pages Are Killing Conversions

You can have the best ad copy in the world, but if your landing page is a dumpster fire, none of it matters. Slow load times, confusing layouts, or a lack of a clear call to action can all torpedo your conversion rates.

Fix It Fast: Audit your landing pages. Ensure they’re fast, mobile-friendly, and laser-focused on converting visitors. Split test different layouts, headlines, and CTAs to find what works best. And for the love of conversions, make sure your landing page matches the intent of the ad that brought the user there.

4. You’re Not Using Ad Extensions

Ad extensions are like free real estate on the search results page. They make your ad stand out and give potential customers more reasons to click. If you’re not using them, you’re leaving money on the table.

Pro Tip: Use all relevant ad extensions—site link, callout, structured snippets, call extensions, you name it. Not only do they increase your ad’s visibility, but they also improve your Quality Score, which can lower your cost-per-click.

5. Your Bidding Strategy Is All Wrong

Google Ads offers a buffet of bidding strategies, but picking the wrong one can lead to overspending with little to show for it. If you’re still manually bidding without a clear strategy, you’re probably overspending.

Strategize: Review your current bidding strategy. If you’re not seeing results, consider switching to automated bidding strategies like Target CPA or Target ROAS. These strategies use machine learning to optimize your bids and get the most out of your ad spend.

6. You’re Forgetting to Optimize for Mobile

We’re living in a mobile-first world, yet so many Google Ads campaigns are still optimized for desktop. If your ads aren’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out on a massive chunk of potential conversions.

Quick Win: Optimize your ads and landing pages for mobile. Ensure your site loads quickly on mobile devices and that your ads are designed with mobile users in mind. Consider using mobile-specific bid adjustments to get the most out of your mobile traffic.

7. You’re Not Leveraging Audience Targeting

If you’re not using Google’s audience targeting features, you’re essentially running blind. Audience targeting allows you to focus your ads on people who are more likely to convert, saving you money and improving your ROI.

Dial It In: Use in-market audiences, affinity audiences, and customer match to refine your targeting. Layering these on top of your keyword targeting can drastically improve your campaign’s performance.

Final Thoughts: Stop the Bleed, Start the Growth

The truth is, Google Ads isn’t the problem—it’s how you’re using it. By refining your keyword strategy, optimizing your landing pages, and leveraging the full suite of tools Google offers, you can stop wasting money and start seeing real results. It’s time to stop the bleed and start growing your business.