Why Knowing How to Spot Red Flags is Key in Paid Search Advertising
As we near our 80th episode of The Digital Marketing Mentor Podcast, we realized that so many marketers struggle with identifying inefficiencies in their ad campaigns – we thought, why not turn these conversations into helpful resources?
So we are.
Recently, Danny Gavin sat with Optidge’s Head of Paid Search, Brianna Deboever, to discuss one of the biggest pain points in Google Ads management: spotting red flags before they drain your budget.
In this blog, Brianna and Danny discuss how to navigate paid search advertising by highlighting some common red flags you should look out for and give you some fantastic insights you can put into practice on day one.
Quick Tip: Campaign Structure Matters – and So Does a Foundation
It’s not our first red flag but it’s just as important. A well-structured campaign is the backbone of any successful Google Ads strategy.
Poor campaign settings can lead to underperformance, wasted budget, and missed opportunities.
Here, Brianna gives us two key areas to focus on:
Ad group size → Large, unfocused ad groups can lead to irrelevant matches and lower quality scores.
Keyword relevance → To help Google serve more relevant ads it’s important to ensure that keywords are tightly themed, this improves CTR (click-through rates) and overall performance.
Red Flag #1: Overly Broad Ad Groups
In 2024, it was estimated that 72 billion USD in ad spend was wasted globally as a result of invalid traffic. Ad groups that have too many keywords create messy data and make optimization difficult.
When too many keywords trigger a single ad, relevance drops, and performance suffers.
Best practices to avoid wasting ad spend:
- Keep ad groups tightly themed with 3-7 closely related keywords.
- Ensure that your ad copy aligns directly with the keywords in each group.
- Regularly audit your ad groups to identify where segmentation is needed.
Red Flag #2: Misuse of Broad Match Keywords
Danny and Brianna agreed that broad match is a bit too imprecise for the majority of advertisers, particularly those with a lower Google Ads budget who may or may not be using smart bidding.
A case study from 2024 – figured out a way to utilize broad matches for an approximate 5$ per click conversion that’s worth checking out. That case aside, broad match keywords might increase reach – but if they are not used correctly, they can also attract unrelated visitors.
Take these steps to avoid wasting your ad budget on irrelevant searches:
- Use phrase match and exact match instead of relying solely on broad match.
- Add negative keywords to filter out unrelated searches.
- Regularly review your Search Terms Report to identify irrelevant queries and exclude them.
Red Flag #3: Misconfigured Location Settings
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “Location, location, location!” And, it couldn’t be more relevant here.
By default, Google Ads will show your ads to people “interested” in your location – not just those physically there. This setting can often lead to international or out-of-area clicks that don’t convert. You can take some steps to mitigate the loss by:
- In Google Ads settings, select “Presence” instead of “Presence or Interest” to ensure ads only show to users physically located in your target area.
- Regularly check Geographic Reports to spot unexpected traffic sources.
Red Flag #4: Inefficient Bid Strategy
Although automated bidding can be a useful tool, it can also be harmful if used prematurely. Insufficient historical data might make it difficult for Google’s AI to optimize effectively. In our experience, we’ve found it to be important to start with manual bidding and collect initial data before transitioning to automation.
Brianna advises that, once you have at least 30-50 conversions per month, shift to automated bidding. Remember to select the right bidding strategy based on your campaign goals (e.g., Target CPA for lead generation, max conversion value for e-commerce, etc..).
Red Flag #5: Poor Quality Scores
Low-quality scores lead to higher costs and lower ad visibility. The important thing to note here is that Google assigns a Quality Score based on:
- ad relevance
- landing page experience
- expected CTR
To give your Google Ads a serious boost, start by making sure your ad copy actually includes the keywords you’re targeting (because, you know, relevance matters).
And, just as importantly, don’t let your landing pages be the weak link – sprinkle those keywords throughout your headings and content. A/B test your headlines and descriptions to see what grabs attention and gets those clicks rolling in.
Small tweaks can mean big results!
Negative Keywords and the Important Role They Play
Stop wasting ad spend.
Ignoring negative keywords in your Google Ads campaign is like leaving your front door wide open and hoping only invited guests walk in.
Without negative keywords, your ads could be popping up for all sorts of irrelevant searches – meaning you’re paying for clicks from people who have zero interest in what you offer.
Imagine running a high-end boutique and your ad shows up for “cheap discount shoes.” Not exactly your target audience… Take the time to add negative keywords to filter out the noise, and save your budget for the clicks that actually matter.
A step-by-step how-to-fix it:
- Check the Search Terms Report weekly to identify unwanted queries.
- Use broad match negatives to block irrelevant searches without limiting reach.
- Segment negatives by campaign and refine targeting without restricting valuable traffic.
Conversion Tracking and Monitoring Are Key to Success
Conversion tracking is the key to measuring success. Without it, you have no way to measure success or optimize effectively. Think of conversion tracking like your campaign’s GPS – you need it to know if you’re actually headed in the right direction.
Some great tips from Brianna include → Start by setting things up with Google Tag Manager and then, bring in Google Analytics 4 (GA4) for the deeper insights that can help you make smarter decisions.
But, don’t just set it and walk away. Regularly check and test your tracking to make sure everything’s working as it should. Data that’s not accurate is about as useful as a broken compass.
Client Collaboration and Monitoring
A truly effective Google Ads strategy isn’t just about numbers – it’s about partnership. That’s why compared to no-growth companies, high-growth businesses are three times more likely to use marketing partnerships in their overall strategy.
At Optidge, we believe open communication and consistent monitoring are essential to long-term success. Here are the three steps we use to make it work – and keep it working:
1. Define Roles Clearly
Who’s responsible for what? Defining clear roles between our team and the client ensures smooth execution. Whether it’s campaign strategy, creative assets, or analytics, knowing who handles each aspect prevents miscommunication and delays.
2. Make Communication a Part of Your Workflow
72% of business leaders believe their team’s productivity has grown as a result of better communication. For that reason, instead of treating communication as an afterthought, we integrate it into our production pipeline strategy with:
- regular check-ins
- performance reviews
- strategy calls
The goal is to keep everyone aligned and informed – because surprises are great for birthdays, not for marketing budgets.
3. Implement Frictionless Monitoring
Why manually check performance when you can automate insights? We use Slack integrations, AI-driven tools like Narrative BI, and other tools for automated reporting to track campaign health in real-time. Our team is open to tech innovations – this means less guesswork and faster optimizations for our clients.
The Optidge Difference Through Partnership and Mentorship
The million-dollar question is – what sets Optidge apart?
We don’t just manage campaigns – we educate and empower our clients to understand the strategy behind all decisions. We do this by focusing on:
- Integrating campaigns with a CRM to measure lead quality and lead distribution, as well as track the full customer journey
- A focus on the full marketing funnel that ties performance metrics back to actual business outcomes.
- Regular, transparent communication with clients.
- Collaborative strategy sessions that help us align on business goals.
- Ongoing education and mentorship on Google Ads best practices.
- Proactive campaign monitoring and optimization.
Spotting these Google Ad red flags is just the beginning. We’re here not just to solve problems – but to build strategies that drive real ROI.
A previous episode of The Digital Marketing Mentor podcast shares that a key differentiator in our approach to campaigns is knowing how to FIX campaigns and optimize based on lead quality.
Stop wasting ad spend and get a Google Ads strategy that actually works. Book a discovery call today to experience the Optidge difference firsthand!