5 Common Google Ads Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Running Google Ads can be a money pit if you don’t know what you’re doing. You log in, set your budget, write something that sounds okay, hit launch… and then just wait. The clicks come in, your bank balance drops, and… crickets. No calls. No leads. No sales. Just regret. Sound familiar? Yeah, we’ve been there. So have most small businesses. As a straight-talking digital marketing company in Kolkata, we’re not here to sell dreams—we’re here to keep it real. Let’s talk about 5 super common (and painful) Google Ads mistakes people make, and how to stop burning your money on fire.

1. No Actual Goal — Just Hope

Hope is not a strategy. You’d be surprised how many businesses run ads without actually knowing what they want from them. Are you trying to get phone calls? Website visits? Sales? Email sign-ups? If you don’t know your end goal, Google sure as hell won’t. How to avoid it: Pick one goal and build your campaign around it. Be specific. You can’t target “everyone” and get results.

2. Trying to Talk to Everyone (So You End Up Talking to No One)

Here’s the brutal truth: if your ad is trying to appeal to “anyone who might be interested,” it’s probably reaching the wrong people. Or people who don’t give a crap. We've seen local businesses wasting money showing ads across the entire country. No joke. If you're a bakery in Salt Lake, your ad doesn’t need to show up in Bangalore. How to avoid it: A digital marketing company in Kolkata should be ruthless with targeting. Location. Age. Interests. Get super clear on who you actually want — and cut the rest out.

3. Ad Copy That Sounds Like a Robot Wrote It

“Best service in town.” “Affordable rates.” “We care about our customers.” Cool. So does literally everyone else. Your ad needs to stand out, not blend into the background like elevator music. How to avoid it: Write like a human. Be real. Call out the problem. Show the value. And don’t forget to tell people what to do next — click, call, buy, whatever. If you don’t ask, they won’t act.

4. Sending People to the Wrong Page

Big mistake? Sending people to your homepage and hoping they figure it out. That’s like inviting someone over and not opening the door. How to avoid it: Every ad should send people to a specific landing page that speaks directly to what the ad promised. Clean, fast, mobile-friendly. If your page is slow or confusing, people will bounce — and you’ll pay for it, literally.

5. Zero Tracking = Blind Spending

You can’t improve what you’re not tracking. But most people have no idea what part of their campaign is actually working. They just keep spending and “checking in” once in a while. How to avoid it: Set up conversion tracking. Use UTM tags. Monitor what’s actually happening. Google gives you the tools — you just need to use them.

Final Thoughts (Real Talk)

Running Google Ads isn’t about luck. It’s about strategy. And yes, mistakes are part of the learning curve — but if you keep making the same ones, you’re just giving Google your money and getting nothing in return. We’ve worked with frustrated clients who were ready to give up — but after fixing these basic issues? Things turned around. Leads started coming in. Sales followed. Hope came back. If you’re tired of wasting money, guessing your way through campaigns, or just need someone to finally make it work, we’re here for that. We’re a no-nonsense digital marketing company in Kolkata that actually gives a damn about results. Contact Us for more information.