5 Budget Wasting Settings Google Ads

Several search results highlight common Google Ads settings and practices that can lead to wasted budget. I’ll synthesize this information to provide 5 key points.

Here are 5 Google Ads settings that commonly lead to wasted budget:

1. Broad Match Keywords (without careful management): While broad match can increase reach, it often triggers your ads for irrelevant search queries. If you’re not diligently adding negative keywords or using other match types (phrase, exact), your ads can show for searches that have nothing to do with your product or service, leading to wasted clicks and budget.

   ⚡ Why it wastes budget: Attracts unqualified traffic, increases irrelevant clicks, and reduces conversion rates.

2. “Presence or Interest” Location Targeting: This default setting allows your ads to show to people who are interested in your targeted locations, even if they are not physically in those locations. For local businesses, or those with specific service areas, this can lead to ads being shown to people far outside your target audience.

   ⚡ Why it wastes budget: Shows ads to irrelevant geographical audiences, resulting in clicks from users who cannot become customers.

3. Search Partners Network Enabled by Default: When setting up a search campaign, Google often enables the “Search Partners” network by default. This extends your reach beyond https://www.google.com/search?q=Google.com to other search sites. While it can be beneficial, traffic from search partners sometimes has lower quality or conversion rates, especially for businesses with limited budgets.

   ⚡ Why it wastes budget: Can lead to lower quality clicks and conversions from partner sites, diluting your ROI, particularly if not monitored closely.

4. Display Expansion on Search Campaigns (Default Setting): This setting allows your text ads from search campaigns to also show on the Google Display Network. Text ads designed for search intent often perform poorly on the Display Network, where users are Browse content, not actively searching for a product or service.

   ⚡ Why it wastes budget: Shows text ads in contexts where they are less relevant and less likely to convert, resulting in wasted impressions and clicks.

5. Ignoring Negative Keywords & Search Terms Report: Not regularly reviewing your Search Terms Report and adding irrelevant terms as negative keywords is a major budget drain. Without negative keywords, your ads continue to show for terms that are clearly not related to your offerings (e.g., “free,” “jobs,” “DIY” if you’re selling premium services), leading to clicks from users with no purchase intent.

   ⚡ Why it wastes budget: Allows ads to be triggered by irrelevant searches, accumulating clicks that will not convert into leads or sales.

Ready to stop wasting ad spend and boost your ROI?

Audit your Google Ads settings today!