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Did Google Ads Stop Working?: 5 Possible Problems

by Celeste Caraker | Sep 16, 2021, 09:00 AM
Google Ads

Google Ads can be a real beast to manage, and with good reason. There are a lot of working parts to a Google Ads account. That doesn’t mean you have to give up when your metrics don’t match your expectations. You can confront some common problems yourself and come out with some functional ads with a strong chance of performing well. Here are our top 5 ways to deal with your potential problems. 

Problem #1: Billing 

Remember when that new credit card came in the mail? Sure, you activated it. But did you update that card in your Google Ads account? The ads can’t run without updated account information. 

Solution: 

This one is easy! All you have to do is put in valid credit card information, and your account should be ready to move forward without further issue. To avoid this problem again, check when your card is due to expire and set some kind of a reminder. You could do this in your personal calendar or add a reminder on your digital calendar. This will help you avoid gaps in your ads presence and keep your campaign running smoothly. 

 

Problem #2: Your Date or Time Limits

Google Ads has feature upon feature at your fingertips. That includes the opportunity to segment your campaign to specific days of the week and times of day. Sounds like a great plan, right? Sure! That is until your limitations become so restrictive that your campaign isn’t getting enough feature time to create the conversions you're looking for. Oops! 

Solution: 

This may take some trial and error, but you should try adjusting the time and date limits in your campaign. If you’re not sure about what times to optimize for, then go back to the start. What is your campaign targeting? Who is your campaign targeting? When would they be most likely to perform this search? If you answer these questions but are still nervous, then you could try switching from Targeting mode to Observation mode. This lets you watch what different audiences are doing so you can learn their search habits more intimately. 

 

Problem #3: Disconnect from Search Intent

You’ve created a beautiful Google Ads campaign that will drive traffic to your landing page and generate oodles of leads and is aligned with your conversion goals. So why isn’t it working? It’s possible your ad isn’t matching search intent. If the user searches for “jewelry supplies” and your ad is all about the supply of beautiful finished jewelry you sell, they won’t click. They want jewelry-making supplies, not the finished product. Google wants your ad to answer the searcher’s question, and a super low click-through rate is telling Google you probably didn’t help the searcher find the answer. 

Solution:

Make sure your ad and where it leads are all answering the same question for the searcher. Follow the trail like a logic puzzle. If the searcher needs A, they will search for B. If I optimize for B, the searcher will click and want to see C, the answer to the need they started with. If your ad doesn’t lead them down this trail, it won’t be effective. If you’re unsure of how to optimize your ad’s copy for the searcher, then check out the next two problems that focus on keywords for your ad groups. 

 

Problem #4: Neglecting Negative Keywords

Let’s go back to the jewelry retailer example. Your ad is all about the massive supply of stunning jewelry you have to offer. But the person who searched for “jewelry supplies” saw your ad. That doesn’t match their search intent, and that doesn’t target the audience you were going for. What probably happened is you included the words “jewelry” and “supply” somewhere in your targeted keywords, so the searcher was shown your ad. 

Solution:

Sometimes it’s positive to be negative, or at least it is with keywords. In the example we’ve been using, it would be wise to set “jewelry supplies” as a negative keyword because you don’t want jewelry makers to see your ad, just jewelry buyers. However, be careful you don’t get too negative and cancel out some of the active keywords you do want. More on that next.

 

Problem #5: Keyword Matchmaking

Matchmaker, matchmaker, make me a keyword match! You want those searchers to search your keyword, so you go crazy finding all these high-volume words and phrases to boost your ads. Then you get into Google Ads, input those stellar keywords, and then nothing. Your ads aren’t getting clicks. Why? Well, how well did you input those keywords? 

Solution:

We mentioned before that Google Ads has an awesome suite of tools to help you out. One of those tools lets you choose what match type you want for a keyword. There are three different options, so it’s important to understand how each of those types will filter your keywords. 

  • Exact match=the searcher has to use those exact words in their search, with little to no variation

  • Broad match=the searcher will see your ad if it relates to your keyword, even if it doesn’t match their search intent

  • Phrase match=the searcher has to use those words in that order for your ad to show up

Broad match is the default setting, and that’s for good reason. Broad match keywords drive a lot of conversions, but don’t be afraid to add in some specifics so your budget is spent wisely. 

 

They Still Aren’t Working! Now What?

This is not an exhaustive list of the problems you may be facing. There are still issues related to your ad copy, keyword volume, ad approval, and more. There are a lot of working parts to ensure high-functioning ads, which is why many companies choose to use AdWords management services. 

At BoxCrush, our Google Ads management will help you tap into this mammoth PPC platform and get the most out of it. We are a Google Certified Partner with a team of marketing professionals who can take away the stress of managing ads and give you back the results you’ve been looking for. You can contact us for more information.

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