30 common Google Ads problems with expert solutions

Problem 1: I'm getting clicks, but they don't seem like people who would actually buy my stuff.

Solution:

This often stems from keyword relevance issues. 
 

Action Steps:

• Dive deep into your Search Terms Report in Google Ads to see the exact queries triggering your ads.
• Aggressively add irrelevant queries as Negative Keywords to stop wasting money.
• Refine your keyword strategy: Pause overly broad keywords, focus on Phrase Match and Exact Match for better control, and test Long-Tail Keywords (more specific phrases) that indicate higher purchase intent.
• Ensure your ad copy and landing page directly match the intent behind your chosen keywords.

Problem 2: My ad spend is getting eaten up by clicks from searches that are totally unrelated to what I offer.

Solution:

This strongly indicates a need for better negative keyword management. 
 

Action Steps:

• Make reviewing the Search Terms Report a frequent habit (at least weekly).
• Build and maintain comprehensive Negative Keyword Lists. Proactively add terms you never want to show for (e.g., "jobs," "free," specific competitor types). Use shared lists across campaigns for efficiency.
• Utilize different Negative Match Types (broad, phrase, exact) for precise control over what searches are excluded.

Problem 3: My ads just don't seem to grab anyone's attention; hardly anyone clicks them.

Solution:

This points to issues with ad copy relevance and appeal (low CTR). 

Action Steps:

• Rewrite your ads using Responsive Search Ads (RSAs). Provide multiple unique, compelling headlines and descriptions focusing on Unique Selling Propositions (USPs), benefits, and clear Calls to Action (CTAs).
• Ensure your ad copy includes relevant keywords naturally to improve Ad Relevance.
• Implement relevant Ad Extensions (Sitelinks, Callouts, Structured Snippets, etc.) to make your ads larger, more informative, and stand out.
• Continuously test different messaging angles and monitor asset performance within RSAs, replacing weak assets.

Problem 4: People click my ads, but then they just disappear from my website almost instantly.

Solution:

This usually indicates a poor landing page experience or a disconnect between the ad and the page (high bounce rate). 

Action Steps:

• Ensure Message Match: The landing page must deliver exactly what the ad promised and be highly relevant to the keyword searched.
• Optimize for Speed: Use Google PageSpeed Insights to diagnose and fix slow load times. Fast pages are crucial.
• Improve Mobile Experience: Ensure the page is fully responsive and easy to use on smartphones.
• Clear Above-the-Fold Content: Make sure the value proposition and Call to Action (CTA) are immediately visible without requiring scrolling.
• Simplify navigation and ensure the page design builds trust. Consider dedicated landing pages for specific ad groups.

Problem 5: My daily budget runs out way too early some days, and other times it barely gets spent – I can't figure out why.

Solution:

This relates to budget management and potentially bidding strategy effectiveness. 

Action Steps:

• Review Bidding Strategy: Ensure it aligns with your goals. If using automated bidding (like Maximize Conversions/Target CPA), verify conversion tracking is accurate first. If using Maximize Clicks, monitor traffic quality closely. If manual, check if bids are appropriate.
• Analyze Budget Pacing: Understand when your budget is being spent. Are bids too high for your budget, causing it to deplete on expensive clicks early? Or are bids/Quality Score too low, preventing ads from showing enough?
• Implement Bid Adjustments: Analyze performance by time of day, day of week, device, location, or audience. Increase bids during peak performance times/segments and decrease during low-performing ones (within budget constraints).
• Check Impression Share: Look at "Impression Share lost (budget)" to confirm if the budget is the limiting factor.

Problem 6: It's really hard to tell if Google Ads is actually working because I'm not sure the sales or leads are being counted right.

Solution:

Accurate conversion tracking is fundamental for optimization. 

Action Steps:

• Audit Your Setup: Use Google Tag Assistant or GA4's DebugView to meticulously check if your conversion tags fire correctly on confirmation pages or upon event completion.
• Verify Tag Implementation: Ensure the Google Ads tag (or GA4 tag sending conversions to Ads) is correctly installed via GTM or directly on the site.
• Check Conversion Actions in Ads: Confirm the conversion actions are set up correctly in Google Ads (e.g., correct category, count settings - 'One' for leads, 'Every' for sales usually, appropriate conversion window).
• Import Offline/Call Data: If applicable, set up Offline Conversion Tracking using GCLIDs or Call Tracking to capture the full picture.
• Rule out double counting (e.g., tracking the same conversion via Ads tag and imported GA4 goal).

Problem 7: My ads look pretty plain, just the basic text, unlike some others I see.

Solution:

You're likely underutilizing Ad Extensions, which make ads more informative and prominent. 

Action Steps:

• Implement Relevant Extensions: Add Sitelinks (linking to key site pages), Callouts (highlighting benefits like "Free Shipping"), Structured Snippets (listing features/types), and Image Extensions (if eligible).
• Use Goal-Specific Extensions: Add Call extensions if phone calls are valuable, Location extensions (linked to Google Business Profile) for local presence, or Promotion extensions for sales.
• Apply Strategically: Apply extensions at the campaign or ad group level for maximum relevance, rather than just account level. Keep extension info up-to-date.

Problem 8: Why are people from areas I don't even service, or people who clearly aren't my customers, clicking my ads?

Solution:

Your targeting settings need refinement. 

Action Steps:

• Refine Location Targeting: Go beyond just targeting your service area. Ensure you've selected "Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations" under advanced settings. Add specific Location Exclusions for areas you don't serve.
• Implement Audience Exclusions: Identify demographics or audience segments (e.g., certain age groups, known non-customer affinities) that are irrelevant and exclude them from your campaigns.
• Layer Audience Targeting: Add relevant In-Market or Affinity audiences set to "Targeting" (not "Observation") to focus your reach on users more likely to be your customers.
• Check Search Terms Report: Look for queries indicating wrong locations or user types and add them (and related terms) as negative keywords.

Problem 9: Google Ads seems to cost more than I expected, and my ads don't always show up where I thought they would.

Solution:

This strongly suggests a Low Quality Score (QS) and potentially non-competitive bids. 

Action Steps:

• Improve Quality Score: Focus on the three components:
• Ad Relevance: Ensure keywords are tightly grouped and directly reflected in the ad copy.
• Expected CTR: Write highly compelling, relevant ad copy with strong CTAs and utilize relevant ad extensions (see Problems 3 & 7).
• Landing Page Experience: Make sure the landing page is relevant, fast, mobile-friendly, and provides a good user experience (see Problem 4).
• Review Bids: While improving QS is key, ensure your bids are competitive enough for your keywords. Check bid recommendations, but prioritize QS improvements first. Higher Quality Scores directly lead to lower CPCs and better ad positions.

Problem 10: My ads used to work okay, but now they just don't seem to be doing as well, and I haven't changed anything.

Solution:

Google Ads requires ongoing monitoring and optimization; performance rarely stays static. 

Action Steps:

Diagnose the Change: Compare the declining period to a previous good period. Look at:

• Auction Insights: Has competition increased significantly?
• Search Terms Report: Have user searches changed? Are new irrelevant terms appearing?
• Impression Share: Are you losing impression share due to rank (QS/bid) or budget?
• Performance by Segment: Did performance drop more on mobile vs. desktop, specific locations, or times?

Verify Fundamentals: Double-check that conversion tracking is still working correctly and landing pages haven't changed or developed issues.

Implement Regular Optimization: Based on findings, start testing again. Refresh ad copy, test bid strategy adjustments, refine keywords/negatives, or update landing pages. Schedule regular reviews (weekly/monthly) to proactively manage performance.

Problem 11: My account feels disorganized, and I suspect keywords in different ad groups might be competing against each other.

Solution:

This often points to poor campaign structure or keyword overlap. 

Action Steps:

• Audit Campaign/Ad Group Structure: Ensure you have tightly themed ad groups where keywords, ads, and landing pages are highly aligned. Avoid putting slightly different keyword variations for the same core intent in separate ad groups unless strategically managed.
• Implement Cross-Ad Group Negatives: Add exact match keywords from Ad Group A as negative exact match keywords in Ad Group B (and vice-versa) if they target similar terms but different intents/themes, preventing internal competition (cannibalization).
• Refine Themes: Ensure each ad group focuses on a distinct theme or user intent. If themes overlap too much, consider merging ad groups or pausing redundant keywords.

Problem 12: I turned on automated bidding, but performance got worse, or it's acting unpredictably.

Solution:

Automated bidding requires the right conditions and sufficient data. 

Action Steps:

• Check Conversion Data: Ensure you have enough conversion data (Google often recommends 15-30+ conversions in the past 30 days for strategies like Target CPA/ROAS) and that tracking is accurate. Garbage data in means garbage performance out.
• Set Realistic Targets: Base your Target CPA or Target ROAS on historical performance, not just wishful thinking. Start with achievable targets.
• Allow Learning Period: Give the bidding strategy time (typically 1-2 weeks) to learn without making major changes to the campaign. Performance can fluctuate during this phase.
• Review Signals: Ensure the algorithm has the right signals. Are your conversion actions set up correctly? Are you feeding it value data if using ROAS-based strategies?

Problem 13: My mobile clicks are high, but conversions are much lower compared to desktop.

Solution:

Mobile user experience or intent might differ significantly. 

Action Steps:

• Analyze Mobile Landing Page: Critically evaluate the mobile version of your landing page for speed (use PageSpeed Insights), ease of navigation (simple menus, readable text), and form usability (simple fields, large buttons).
• Consider Mobile Intent: Are mobile users more likely to be researching than buying immediately? Tailor ad copy or CTAs for mobile if appropriate.
• Implement Mobile Bid Adjustments: If mobile consistently underperforms desktop on a CPA/ROAS basis, apply a negative bid adjustment for mobile devices. Conversely, if mobile performs well, consider a positive adjustment.
• Utilize Mobile-Friendly Extensions: Ensure Call extensions are prominent, and sitelinks lead to mobile-optimized pages.

Problem 14: Competitors seem to be outperforming me, but I'm not sure what they're doing differently.

Solution:

Leverage competitive insights available within Google Ads and through observation. 

Action Steps:

• Regularly Check Auction Insights: Monitor this report to see who you're competing against, how often they appear above you (Top-of-Page Rate), and their overall Impression Share. Note changes over time.
• Analyze Competitor Ads/Landing Pages: Manually search for your core keywords and analyze the ad copy, extensions, offers, and landing pages of competitors appearing prominently. Identify their strengths and weaknesses.
• Adjust Strategy: Based on insights, refine your bids (especially if losing Impression Share due to rank), improve your Quality Score, enhance your ad copy/offers, or differentiate your value proposition.

Problem 15: My ads run 24/7, but I know most of my business happens during specific hours.

Solution:

Use ad scheduling to focus your budget when it matters most. 

Action Steps:

• Analyze Performance by Time: Segment your performance data by Hour of Day and Day of Week to identify periods with high conversion rates/volume and periods with wasted spend or low activity.
• Create an Ad Schedule: In campaign settings, create a schedule that aligns with your peak business hours or conversion times.
• Apply Bid Adjustments: Within your schedule, apply positive bid adjustments during peak times to increase visibility, and potentially negative adjustments during consistently low-performing hours (or pause ads entirely during off-hours if appropriate).

Problem 16: I have similar keywords in different ad groups, and I'm worried they're stealing impressions from each other.

Solution:

This is keyword cannibalization, often solvable with strategic negative keywords. 

Action Steps:

• Identify Overlapping Keywords: Find keywords in different ad groups that could be triggered by the same search query.
• Apply Cross-Group Negatives: For Ad Group A targeting "blue running shoes," add [womens blue running shoes] as a negative exact match if Ad Group B specifically targets women's shoes. This directs the more specific search to the more relevant ad group.
• Ensure Thematic Purity: Review if your ad groups are truly distinct. If not, consider restructuring to ensure each ad group has a very tight theme.

Problem 17: I set up remarketing audiences, but they aren't really driving many conversions.

Solution:

Generic remarketing is often ineffective; segmentation and tailored messaging are key. 

Action Steps:

• Segment Your Audiences: Create lists based on behavior (e.g., visited specific product pages, abandoned cart, spent > X minutes on site, past converters).
• Tailor Ads & Offers: Create specific ad copy and potentially unique offers for different remarketing segments (e.g., offer a discount to cart abandoners).
• Adjust Bids: Bid more aggressively on high-intent lists (like cart abandoners) compared to general site visitors.
• Use Exclusions: Exclude recent converters (for a relevant period) from general prospecting or remarketing campaigns to avoid annoying them or wasting spend. Set appropriate membership durations based on your sales cycle.

Problem 18: Since running Performance Max, my Search campaign performance has changed unexpectedly.

Solution:

Performance Max (PMax) interacts with Search campaigns and needs careful management. 

Action Steps:

• Understand PMax Scope: PMax campaigns can serve ads on Google Search results and may prioritize over standard Search campaigns for some queries if the predicted performance is higher.
• Review PMax Reporting: Use PMax insights and asset group reporting (including search term insights if available) to understand where PMax is serving and how it's performing on Search.
• Refine PMax Inputs: Provide strong Audience Signals to guide PMax targeting. Ensure your assets (text, images, video) are high quality.
• Use Negative Keywords (Account Level): If PMax is capturing essential Search traffic you want handled by specific Search campaigns (like core non-brand terms), add those terms as account-level negative keywords (may require contacting Google support or using specific features if available). Ensure brand terms are excluded if you have dedicated brand Search campaigns.

Problem 19: I'm not sure which ads/keywords are truly driving conversions because people click multiple times.

Solution:

This highlights the importance of attribution modeling beyond just the last click. 

Action Steps:

• Review Your Attribution Model: In Google Ads (Tools & Settings > Measurement > Conversions > Settings), check your current model.
• Shift from Last Click: Consider moving away from the default "Last Click" model if it doesn't reflect your customer journey.
• Use Data-Driven Attribution (DDA): If eligible (based on conversion volume), DDA is generally recommended as it uses machine learning to assign fractional credit across all contributing interactions.
• Understand Model Impact: Be aware that changing models will redistribute conversion credit, potentially changing the apparent performance of campaigns/keywords focused on different parts of the funnel. Choose a model that best reflects your customer journey and business goals.

Problem 20: Performance fluctuates wildly at certain times of the year, and I don't adjust my strategy.

Solution:

Acknowledge and plan for seasonality in your industry. 

Action Steps:

• Analyze Historical Data: Look at year-over-year performance trends to identify predictable seasonal peaks and troughs for your products/services.
• Plan Budgets & Bids: Allocate higher budgets and potentially more aggressive bids leading into and during peak seasons. Conversely, consider reducing budgets or setting lower targets during expected low seasons.
• Update Ad Creative: Create season-specific ad copy, promotions, or landing page elements to align with user interest during different times of the year (e.g., "Summer Sale," "Holiday Gift Guide").

Problem 21: I see weird patterns in my clicks or suspect competitors are clicking my ads maliciously.

Solution:

Address potential invalid clicks while focusing on prevention. 

Action Steps:

• Enable Invalid Click Filtering: Ensure Google's automatic filtering is active (default). Review the "Invalid Clicks" column in your reporting.
• Monitor for Anomalies: Look for sudden, unexplained spikes in clicks from specific locations/IPs (if available), unusually high CTRs with zero conversions, or clicks outside business hours (if irrelevant).
• Refine Targeting: Tighten location and audience targeting, and use negative keywords aggressively to reduce exposure to potentially non-genuine traffic sources.
• Consider Third-Party Tools: If invalid clicks seem significant and persistent despite Google's filtering and your refinements, explore reputable third-party click fraud detection services (evaluate cost vs. benefit).

Problem 22: My ads sometimes show awkward phrases or don't quite make sense.

Solution:

This is often caused by poorly managed Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI). 

Action Steps:

• Use DKI Sparingly: Only use DKI {KeyWord:Default Text} in extremely tightly themed ad groups where you are confident any keyword triggering the ad will fit grammatically and contextually.
• Review Ad Group Keywords: Ensure no broad or potentially awkward keywords exist in ad groups where DKI is used.
• Craft a Solid Default Text: Make sure the text following the colon in the DKI code is a relevant, sensible default ad text that will show if the user's query is too long or doesn't fit well.
• Test Thoroughly: Use the Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool to see how your ads might appear for different keywords within the ad group.

Problem 23: I use a shared budget, but one campaign seems to eat it all, starving the others.

Solution:

Shared budgets require careful management, especially with differing campaign performance. 

Action Steps:

• Evaluate Campaign Grouping: Only group campaigns with similar performance goals and potential volume under a shared budget. High-volume or high-performing campaigns might need dedicated budgets.
• Implement Portfolio Bidding: Use automated bid strategies (like Target CPA or Target ROAS) within the shared budget portfolio. These strategies aim to allocate the budget across campaigns to maximize performance against the defined target, potentially balancing spend better than manual bidding under a shared cap.
• Monitor Individual Campaign Spend: Keep an eye on how much each campaign within the shared budget is actually spending. If one consistently dominates and limits others unacceptably, revert it to its own dedicated budget.

Problem 24: My impression share is low, but I don't know if it's because of budget or something else.

Solution:

Use the specific Impression Share (IS) metrics to diagnose the cause. 

Action Steps:

• Analyze IS Columns: Add columns for "Search Impression Share," "Search IS Lost (Budget)," and "Search IS Lost (Rank)" to your reports.
• Identify Limiting Factor: A high "IS Lost (Budget)" percentage indicates your budget is too low to capture all available relevant impressions. A high "IS Lost (Rank)" percentage indicates your Ad Rank (a combination of your bid and Quality Score) is too low.
• Prioritize Action: Generally, focus on improving Ad Rank first (by improving Quality Score or increasing bids strategically) as this is often more cost-effective than simply increasing budget. Address budget limitations if IS Lost (Rank) is low but IS Lost (Budget) is high.

Problem 25: I target specific audiences, but maybe I should also exclude people?

Solution:

Yes, audience exclusions are a powerful and often underutilized optimization tactic. 

Action Steps:

• Exclude Past Converters: Prevent showing ads (especially acquisition-focused ads) to people who have already recently converted (set appropriate timeframe).
• Exclude Low-Value Visitors: Create audiences for users who bounced quickly or visited only non-critical pages and exclude them from campaigns targeting higher intent.
• Exclude Irrelevant Demographics/Affinities: If data shows certain groups consistently perform poorly or are clearly not your target market, exclude them.
• Use Customer Match for Exclusions: Upload lists of existing customers to exclude them from prospecting campaigns if your goal is purely new customer acquisition.

Problem 26: My ads keep getting disapproved, and I'm wasting time fixing them or getting restricted.

Solution:

Proactive compliance and understanding policies are key. 

Action Steps:

• Study Relevant Policies: Thoroughly read and understand Google Ads advertising policies, especially those critical to your industry (e.g., healthcare, finance, trademarks).
• Check Before Submitting: Review ad copy and landing pages for compliance *before* you create or edit ads. Ensure claims are substantiated and landing pages function correctly.
• Utilize Policy Manager: Check the "Policy manager" under Tools & Settings > Setup in Google Ads for details on existing disapprovals and account eligibility issues.
• Avoid Repeated Violations: Repeatedly violating the same policy can lead to stricter penalties or account suspension. Fix the root cause.
• Appeal Appropriately: If you genuinely believe an ad was disapproved incorrectly, submit a well-reasoned appeal through the Google Ads interface.

Problem 27: My account is cluttered with old campaigns, paused ad groups, and tons of keywords, making it hard to manage.

Solution:

Implement good account hygiene for better management and analysis. 

Action Steps:

• Pause/Remove Underperformers: Regularly review and pause or remove keywords, ads, and ad groups that consistently perform poorly or have zero impressions over a long period.
• Archive Old Campaigns: Remove old, completed, or irrelevant campaigns from active view (pausing is often sufficient, but removal cleans up navigation).
• Use Clear Naming Conventions: Implement a consistent and logical naming system for campaigns and ad groups (e.g., [Goal] - [Product/Service] - [Targeting] - [Match Type]).
• Leverage Labels: Use labels to categorize campaigns, ad groups, keywords, or ads for easier filtering, reporting, and bulk edits (e.g., "High Priority," "Testing," "Seasonal").

Problem 28: I look at overall campaign performance, but I don't drill down into details.

Solution:

Utilize segmentation to uncover hidden insights within your data. 

Action Steps:

Use the "Segment" Menu: In Google Ads reports, regularly use the "Segment" option to break down performance by:

• Time: Day of Week, Hour of Day, Month, etc.
• Conversions: Conversion Action, Conversion Source, etc.
• Device: Mobile, Desktop, Tablet.
• Network: Google Search, Search Partners.
• Geo: Location (Country, Region, City).
• Audiences: Specific audience lists applied.

Analyze Segment Performance: Look for significant differences in metrics (CTR, Conv. Rate, CPA) across segments to identify opportunities for bid adjustments, targeting refinements, or tailored creative.

Problem 29: I track initial sales, but I don't know the long-term value of customers acquired through Google Ads.

Solution:

Focus on tracking Customer Lifetime Value (LTV) requires connecting Ads data with backend systems. 

Action Steps:

• CRM Integration: Implement robust tracking that sends unique identifiers (like GCLID or user ID) along with leads/sales into your CRM.
• Offline Conversion Tracking: Use Offline Conversion Import with GCLID to upload subsequent purchases or value milestones from your CRM back into Google Ads.
• Calculate LTV: Work with your finance/data teams to calculate the average LTV of customers acquired through different channels/campaigns.
• Optimize Towards LTV: Set campaign goals and potentially adjust Target CPA/ROAS bids based on the expected LTV rather than just the initial transaction value, allowing you to bid more competitively for high-value customer acquisition.

Problem 30: I have a campaign that works well, but when I try to increase the budget, performance gets worse (CPA increases).

Solution:

Scaling campaigns requires more than just increasing the budget; efficiency often decreases as volume grows. 

Action Steps:

• Scale Gradually: Increase budgets incrementally (e.g., 10-20% at a time) rather than making drastic jumps, allowing automated bidding to adjust.
• Monitor Efficiency Metrics: Expect CPA/ROAS to potentially worsen slightly as you scale. Define an acceptable threshold.
• Expand Targeting Carefully: Test expanding keyword coverage (e.g., related terms, slightly broader match types with enhanced negative lists) or layering new audiences set to "Observation" first.
• Optimize Creatives & Landing Pages: Ensure your ads and landing pages remain highly relevant and efficient even as you reach a broader audience. Continue A/B testing.
• Adjust Bid Strategy Targets: You might need to slightly relax your Target CPA or Target ROAS goals to achieve higher volume, finding the right balance between scale and efficiency.
• Check Impression Share Lost (Rank): If IS Lost (Rank) increases as you scale, it means your bids/QS aren't keeping pace with the broader reach, requiring further optimization.