If you’re a small business owner running Google Ads yourself, you’ve probably had that sinking feeling: money going out, nothing coming back in. Google Ads can be brilliant, but without the right setup, it’s very easy to burn through budget with no results.
Here are the five mistakes we see most often when small businesses try to DIY their campaigns and how to fix them before you waste another pound.
Mistake 1: Running Ads on Too Small a Budget
Lots of business owners “dip their toe in” with £200–£500/month.
The issue? That’s usually not enough data to learn what’s working.
You’ll see random results: one lead one month, nothing the next. It feels like Google Ads is broken, but really you just don’t have enough volume to judge.
Fix: Commit at least £1,000/month for 3–6 months. That level gives you enough clicks and conversions to see patterns. If you can’t stretch to that, you’re better off putting your time into SEO, content, or local marketing instead.
Mistake 2: Using Broad Match Keywords
Broad match looks easy: type in “plumber Manchester” and let Google do the rest. The problem is, Google shows your ad for all sorts of things… anything from “plumber jobs Manchester,” “DIY plumbing kits,” to “how to become a plumber.”
That means wasted clicks, wasted money.
Fix: Use phrase match (“plumber Manchester”) and exact match [plumber near me]. Add negatives like “jobs,” “courses,” and “cheap” so your ad only shows to people who might actually buy.
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Mistake 3: Not Setting Up Conversion Tracking
Far too many DIY campaigns stop at clicks.
You log in, see “200 clicks” and assume that’s good. But clicks aren’t sales.
Without conversion tracking, you’ll never know if those clicks are turning into phone calls, enquiries, or purchases.
Fix: From day one, set up conversion tracking. For service businesses, track calls, form fills or bookings. For ecommerce, track sales and shopping cart progress. Without this, you’ll end up paying for traffic that goes nowhere.
Mistake 4: Sending People to Your Homepage
If your ad goes to your homepage, you’re asking the customer to do the hard work.
They’ll have to click around, find the right service and then decide to contact you.
Most won’t bother.
Fix: Create a dedicated landing page that matches your ad exactly. If your ad says “Book a Free Boiler Service Quote,” the landing page should be about boiler service, with a simple form and a clear button: “Book Your Free Quote.” No distractions.
Mistake 5: “Set and Forget”
Google Ads isn’t a slow cooker (you can’t just turn it on and walk away).
Lots of small businesses launch a campaign and never check it again. A month later the budget’s gone and nothing came back.
Fix:
- Review search terms weekly and block irrelevant ones.
- Pause keywords that aren’t working.
- Write new ad copy every few weeks.
- Stick with manual bidding until you’ve had at least 30 conversions in 30 days — only then should you try automated bidding.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Ignore Ad Extensions
It’s not a disaster, but it’s money left on the table. Sitelinks, call buttons and callouts make your ad bigger and more clickable at no extra cost.
Stop Wasting Budget, Start Winning Customers
DIY Google Ad management isn’t impossible, but it does take practice. If you don’t avoid these mistakes, you’ll burn through budget with no results. But get the basics right and keep a close eye on thighs and Ads can be a steady source of leads or sales.
Want us to take a quick look at your account? We’ll tell you honestly where you’re wasting money and whether Google Ads is even the right channel for you right now.
Joanna Tracey