When business owners in Karnataka tell us that *"Google Ads don't work for our industry"*, nine times out of ten the issue is not the platform. It is how the account was configured.
Google’s default campaign setup is engineered to spend your money quickly across broad networks. If you simply accept Google's default recommendations, 40% to 60% of your advertising budget is drained on low-quality traffic, irrelevant clicks, and accidental mobile app taps.
Here are the **5 most common Google Ads mistakes** we uncover during client account audits, and the exact steps to fix them.
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Mistake 1: Leaving "Search Network with Display Select" Enabled
When creating a Search Campaign, Google checks an innocent-looking box titled *"Include Google Display Network"*.
- **What happens:** When your daily search budget isn't fully exhausted by search queries, Google takes your money and shows your text ads inside free mobile gaming apps, flashlight tools, and random blog websites.
- **The result:** Children playing smartphone games accidentally click your ad for commercial solar installation. You pay ₹40 for an accidental tap that has zero chance of converting.
- **The fix:** Always uncheck "Display Network" when creating Search campaigns. Keep Search and Display strictly in separate campaigns.
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Mistake 2: Using Broad Match Keywords Without Strict Negative Keyword Lists
If you add the keyword `digital marketing agency` as Broad Match (without quotation marks or brackets), Google may show your ad for:
- *"free digital marketing course in kannada"*
- *"digital marketing job vacancies mysore"*
- *"what is digital marketing wikipedia"*
Every one of those searches has zero commercial intent to hire an agency. Yet you pay ₹50 to ₹100 for each click.
- **The fix:** Switch to **Phrase Match** (`"digital marketing agency mysore"`) or **Exact Match** (`[digital marketing agency mysore]`), and add negative keywords weekly.
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Mistake 3: Setting the Location Option to "Presence or Interest"
By default, Google Ads selects:
- *"Presence or interest: People in, regularly in, or who've shown interest in your targeted locations."*
This means someone sitting in Lucknow or Patna who browses photos of Mysore Palace can see your local orthopedic clinic ad, because Google determined they showed "interest" in Mysuru.
- **The fix:** Edit Location Options to **"Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted location"**. Ensure your money is only spent on people physically located within your service area.
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Mistake 4: Directing Traffic to a Slow, Generic Homepage
Sending paid ad clicks to your homepage forces the user to do homework. They searched for *"commercial pest control for restaurants"*, but landed on a homepage featuring residential bed bug removal, general company history, and a slider with five generic stock photos.
Most users will leave within 4 seconds.
- **The fix:** Create dedicated, fast landing pages for each service cluster. Ensure the headline directly answers the search query and the contact button is immediately visible.
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Mistake 5: Failing to Check the "Search Terms" Report Weekly
Many business owners look at their Google Ads dashboard once a month, check the total clicks, and pay the invoice.
The most valuable tab in Google Ads is the **Search Terms report** (not "Keywords"). It shows the exact phrases real human beings typed into Google before clicking your ad.
- If you run an architectural firm and notice you paid ₹1,200 this week for people searching *"free autocad drawings download"*, you must immediately add *"autocad"* and *"download"* to your negative keyword list.
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Audit Checklist: Is Your Ad Spend Safe?
- Display Network disabled on all Search campaigns?
- Location targeting set strictly to "Presence"?
- At least 50 standard negative keywords active?
- Traffic directed to specific service landing pages?
- Conversion tracking tracking real phone calls and WhatsApp chats?
- Search terms report reviewed at least once every 7 days?
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Frequently Asked Questions
Should I accept Google's automated "Optimization Recommendations"?
Be very cautious. Google's recommendation score pushes you toward automated bidding, broad match expansion, and higher daily budgets. Many of these recommendations benefit Google’s ad revenue rather than your cost-per-lead. Evaluate each recommendation through the lens of your actual business margins.
Why is my Cost-Per-Click higher than my competitors?
Your Cost-Per-Click is determined by your **Quality Score** (rated 1 to 10). If your landing page is slow, irrelevant, or lacks clear content, Google charges you a higher price for the same ad slot. Improving page speed and headline relevance lowers your click costs.
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Final Takeaway & Next Move
Google Ads is not a slot machine where you pull the lever and hope for luck. It is a precise mathematical tool. Eliminating wasted spend on display networks, irrelevant locations, and broad searches allows your actual budget to focus entirely on genuine customers.
**Want a free audit of your current Google Ads account?** Savhn’s performance team in Mysuru will review your campaign structure, search terms report, and conversion tracking to show you where budget is leaking. Book an ad audit or message us on WhatsApp today.