How often should I add negative keywords?

In the beginning – every day. For a mature account – at least once a week.

Is automation in Google Ads harmful?

No, but it works best with high data volume. For small budgets, manual settings are often more effective.

Why is my cost-per-click increasing?

It could be due to increased competition or a low Quality Score for your ads and landing pages.

5 Mistakes Eating Up Your Google Ads Budget

Wasting budget in Google Ads is often the result of small settings working against you. From using keywords that are too broad to lacking proper tracking, these mistakes can turn a profitable campaign into a liability within days.

1. The Broad Match Trap

Google often recommends using Broad Match to 'reach more people.' In reality, this means your ad could show for queries that only vaguely relate to your business. For example, if you sell 'high-end watches,' your ad might appear for 'old watch repair' or 'watch batteries.' Every click costs money, but the likelihood of a sale in these cases is zero.

How to fix it: Use Phrase Match or Exact Match to gain more control over your traffic.

2. Lack of a Negative Keyword List

Negative keywords are your shield against irrelevant traffic. Many businesses forget to add words like 'free,' 'jobs,' 'second hand,' or 'courses.' Without them, you're paying for clicks from people who have no intention of buying. Regularly reviewing the Search Terms report is mandatory for any successful PPC campaign.

3. Trusting 'Google Recommendations' 100%

Google's recommendation system is designed to spend your budget faster. It often suggests increasing your budget or applying automated settings that aren't suited to your goals. Automation is great, but it requires human oversight and an understanding of the business context.

4. Neglecting the Mobile Experience

Over 70% of Google Ads clicks today come from mobile devices. If your website is slow or buttons are too small to tap with a finger, users will leave immediately after clicking. You pay for that click, but get nothing in return. Always test your landing pages on a mobile phone first.

5. Sending All Traffic to the Homepage

This is a classic mistake. If you're advertising 'winter jackets,' you should send people directly to the jackets category, not to the homepage where they have to start their search all over again. Every additional step a user has to take reduces the conversion chance by at least 20%.

Budget Optimization Checklist:

Have you checked your Search Terms report in the last 7 days?
Do you have a list of at least 50 negative keywords?
Are your ads directed to specific landing pages?
Is your Conversion Tracking set up correctly?
Is the Display Network disabled in your Search campaigns?

Fixing these mistakes can lower your cost-per-click and increase the number of inquiries. If you want a professional audit, reach out to us via our contact page.