10 Common PPC Mistakes That Waste Your Budget
Running PPC (Pay-Per-Click) ads is one of the fastest ways to bring traffic and leads. But if not handled properly, PPC can drain your budget without delivering results. According to Manthan Bhatia, PPC Expert at SERP AI Stream, most businesses lose money because they repeat the same mistakes again and again.
In this guide, we’ll break down the 10 most common PPC mistakes and show you how to fix them so your ad spend actually delivers ROI.
1. Not Defining Clear Goals
Running ads without a goal is like driving without a map. Do you want leads, website traffic, or sales? Define this first to structure your campaigns correctly.
Fix: Set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound).
2. Targeting the Wrong Audience
Many advertisers waste money by showing ads to everyone. If your product is for small businesses in the US, don’t target worldwide.
Fix: Use detailed audience targeting – demographics, interests, geolocation, and custom intent audiences.
3. Ignoring Negative Keywords
Not using negative keywords leads to irrelevant clicks. Example: If you sell “paid SEO tools,” without negatives, you’ll get clicks for “free SEO tools.”
Fix: Build a strong negative keyword list and keep updating it weekly.
4. Poor Ad Copywriting
Generic ad copy like “Buy Now” or “Best Services” doesn’t stand out. Users click ads that solve problems.
Fix: Write engaging, benefit-driven copy. Example: “Cut Your PPC Costs by 40% with Expert Campaign Setup.”
5. Not Using Ad Extensions
Ad extensions (sitelinks, call, location, price) boost CTR but many businesses ignore them.
Fix: Add relevant extensions to every ad group. Google rewards ads that use them.
6. Sending Traffic to the Homepage
Sending PPC traffic to your homepage instead of a landing page lowers conversions.
Fix: Create specific landing pages for each ad group with a clear CTA.
7. Not Tracking Conversions
If you don’t track conversions, you’ll never know which ad is working.
Fix: Install Google Ads conversion tracking or link with Google Analytics 4 (GA4).
8. Bidding on Broad Match Only
Broad match keywords drain budgets because they trigger irrelevant queries.
Fix: Use a mix of phrase match, exact match, and modified broad match.
9. Ignoring Quality Score
A low Quality Score means higher CPC (cost per click).
Fix: Improve ad relevance, CTR, and landing page experience.
10. Not Testing & Optimizing
Running the same ad forever is a common mistake.
Fix: A/B test ad copy, targeting, and landing pages regularly.
Conclusion
Avoiding these PPC mistakes can save you thousands in ad spend. As Manthan Bhatia from SERP AI Stream explains, “The secret to profitable PPC is not spending more – it’s spending smarter.”
If you’re struggling with wasted ad budgets, start fixing these mistakes today.
