You did it - you launched that Google Ads campaign with optimism and high hopes. The anticipation of leads pouring in is enough to make anyone's heart race. But wait - when you check the conversion rate a few days later, you notice that the results just aren't matching your expectations. Ugh!

We’ve all been there, so we wanted to package up our knowledge from years of running campaigns to provide some quick tips for improving your ad performance. Let's dive into five common reasons your Google Ads might not be converting as expected and techniques you can use to turn the tide.

1. Broken Conversion Tracking

So, you want to convince website visitors to take some sort of action. That's what conversion is all about. But here's the thing: if your conversion tracking is botched, you're in for a bumpy ride. Conversion tracking is what enables communication between your website and Google Ads. It's a piece of code that lets them share data. If that code is MIA or broken, Google Ads won't know when a conversion happens. Those visitors may or may not be taking the desired action. Either way, you won't see the true impact of your campaign.

2. Failure to Navigate Location Targeting

When it comes to your Google Ads, targeting the right location can make all the difference. There's presence targeting (showing your ads to folks physically in a location) and interest targeting (reaching out to people searching for or interested in a location). The trick is to use presence targeting if you want to attract site visitors in your own backyard, not scattered across the globe.

3. Weathering the Storm of Seasonal Dips

Summer slumps, holiday hibernations – they happen. When fewer people are searching on Google, it’s just true that fewer will click on your ads. Google Ads are powered by bids on relevant keywords. When there are fewer searches for keywords, available inventory goes down, and costs go up. Be prepared for these slumps and consider adjusting your budget or strategy to weather the storm.

4. Your Landing Pages Are Falling Short

You've lured visitors in with your ad, and now it's time to seal the deal. But if your landing page does not have a clear message and simple user experience, they are likely to leave the page. A well-optimized landing page has attention-grabbing messaging, user-friendly navigation, and a compelling call to action. The visitor should be able to find what they are looking for based on your ad effortlessly.

5. Scattered Keywords

Picture this: you're paying for clicks, but those clicks are leading nowhere. Why? Because your keyword strategy is missing the mark. Here’s a few quick tips:

• Be specific: Long-tail keywords are more specific and are often cheaper and more relevant to your audience.

• Refine your match types: If you want to be exact, switch to “phrase” or “exact” matches for your keywords. Broad match allows your ad to show on searches that are related to the meaning of your keyword, which can include searches that don't contain the keyword terms.

• Add negative keywords: Monitor your search terms report and be sure to exclude terms from your campaigns that are triggering your ads to show for searches that aren’t relevant.

Tools like Google's Keyword Planner or Semrush are helpful for guiding you to the right keywords.

Sure, seeing your Google Ads fall short of converting can be disheartening. But remember, every challenge is a chance to learn and improve. As you tackle these five challenges head-on, remember that the journey to reaching a high conversion rate can take time. Embrace the learnings, make the tweaks, and soon enough, those clicks will transform into the leads and results you've been dreaming of.

If you need assistance optimizing your next ad campaign, we’re on standby.