In the digital era we live in, managing your own ads is a reality for many entrepreneurs. With millions of people connected to the internet every day, the online environment offers unprecedented opportunities for promoting products and services.
However, correctly managing advertising campaigns is essential to achieving the desired results and avoiding potential pitfalls that can affect the image and success of a business.
From optimizing the advertising budget to creating attractive content and properly segmenting the audience, every aspect of ad management contributes to the overall success of a campaign. Therefore, when managing your own ads, be aware of the most common mistakes we can make in this process and to seek solutions to avoid them.
Account Without Structure
One of the most common mistakes in managing your own ads is creating an account without a proper structure. This approach can have negative consequences for the performance of your advertising campaigns. It’s essential to organize your Google Ads account in a way that reflects the structure of your website.
The approach with a single campaign and a single ad group can be tempting, but it’s not the most effective. Without proper structure, you will have difficulties managing and optimizing your campaigns. For example, you will not be able to adjust bids or advertising messages based on the different products or services promoted on your site.
Instead of limiting yourself to a single campaign and a single ad group, you should organize your Google Ads account to reflect the structure of your website. If your site has multiple product or service categories, create an ad group for each category. This will allow you to customize the advertising messages and optimize bids according to the needs of each category.
If you operate in multiple countries, it’s recommended to create separate campaigns for each language. For example, if you want to advertise in Romanian and English, create a campaign for each language. This way, you can customize the advertising messages and bidding strategies according to the cultural and linguistic specifics of each target market.
By properly organizing your Google Ads account, you will have more control over your campaigns. You will be able to more efficiently optimize bids, keywords, and advertising messages to achieve the desired results. Additionally, you will be able to monitor and evaluate the performance of each component of your campaigns and make informed decisions for the future of your online advertising.
Adding General Keywords
Let’s take, for example, an online store selling a variety of goods, including cameras. A beginner Google Ads specialist might be tempted to use a keyword like “camera” for their campaigns. This term is considered general by Google because it does not provide details about a specific model or other specific features. Moreover, it does not indicate clear intentions such as “purchase,” “sale,” “order,” etc.
When a user enters such a general term into the search engine, it’s not clear whether they intend to buy a camera, research it, or seek other information.
As a result, exclusively using general keywords can lead to attracting inadequate or less relevant traffic for your business. It can also lead to a higher cost-per-click (CPC) and lower conversion rates.
Approach the development of your keyword list with care and strategy before launching your Google Ads campaigns.
Here are some recommendations to avoid this common mistake when managing your own ads:
- Focus on specifics: Instead of using general terms, try to be as specific as possible. For example, instead of using “camera”, you can opt for keywords like “Canon DSLR camera”, “Nikon compact camera”, etc.
- Include search intentions: Add keywords that reflect user intentions, such as “purchase”, “sale”, “order”, etc. This way, you will attract more relevant traffic interested in taking concrete action.
- Constantly monitor and adjust: Analyze the performance of your keywords and adjust the list based on the results obtained. Remove keywords that do not yield results and add or adjust those that prove to be more effective.
Lack of Negative Keywords
Negative keywords serve to prevent ads from being displayed for terms that are not relevant or do not match the services or products of your company. They ensure that your ads are shown only to users who are potential customers and are interested in what you offer.
Before setting up an advertising campaign and grouping keywords, identify and collect the main relevant negative keywords for your business. This can be achieved through careful analysis of your products or services and identifying terms that could attract irrelevant or uninterested traffic.
You can compile a single list of negative keywords for the entire account, but a more efficient approach is to set up separate lists of negative keywords for each campaign and ad group.
However, even after launching the campaign, constantly monitor and adjust negative keywords. Sometimes, certain irrelevant searches may go unnoticed during the campaign setup phase, and this can lead to unnecessary spending and decreased efficiency in your advertising campaign.
Copying Competitors’ Ads
When your ad is almost identical to that of your competitors, you can get lost in the crowd and fail to differentiate yourself significantly. Even if you manage to rank at the top of search pages, the lack of uniqueness in your advertising message can lead to a decrease in click-through rates and, consequently, conversions.
To avoid this common mistake, carefully analyze what your competitors are offering and create unique ads that address your target audience. Try to differentiate yourself through the price of the product or service, offering a unique deal or freebies, or highlighting other benefits of your business.
Additionally, avoid using special characters, grammatical, or spelling errors in your ads, as these can affect the quality and credibility of the ad in the eyes of users. The keyword should be strategically mentioned in the title, description, and URL of the ad to maximize its relevance and impact in search results.
Choosing an Unfit Landing Page
Every advertisement should provide users with a smooth and relevant experience, leading them to a landing page that perfectly matches the promises and intentions of the ad. Ideally, the landing page should align with the message of the ad and provide the information, products, or services sought by users.
For example, if your ad promotes “the cheapest flowers in the region”, direct potential customers to a page that showcases and offers those flowers at affordable prices. It’s a mistake to send users to an “About Us” page or a contact page because these do not meet the expectations set by the ad and do not provide users with the opportunity to purchase the desired product or service.
The consequences of choosing an inappropriate landing page can be significant. Users may be disappointed and frustrated when they arrive at a page that does not meet their expectations, leading to page abandonment and the loss of potential customers. Additionally, this can also affect the conversion rate and overall performance of your advertising campaign.
Misinterpreting Quality Score Indicators
In particular, a lot of newcomers to online advertising think that the amount bid is the only factor in determining where an ad appears on the search results page. In other words, there is this misconception that the more you bid, the higher your ad will appear. But, in reality, the position of your ad on the search results page is largely influenced by the Quality Score.
Quality Score is an important indicator in Google advertising, and, while managing your own ads, you have to understand what it represents and how to improve it to manage your advertising budget as efficiently as possible.
The formula is simple: a higher Quality Score means a lower cost per click. Therefore, a higher Quality Score can not only help you save money but can also improve the position and visibility of your ad on the search results page.
To monitor and better understand the Quality Score of the keywords in your campaigns, you can add the “Quality Score” column in your Google Ads account management interface. This will give you a clear picture of the performance of each keyword and allow you to make more informed decisions regarding the optimization and management of your advertising campaigns.
Absence of Extensions
Extensions are a valuable and free tool that many Google Ads specialists underestimate or completely ignore. These extensions provide the opportunity to gain more space in search results and attract the attention of potential customers by displaying relevant and useful information right below your ad.
By adding the right extensions, you can provide users with more details about your business, products, and services, which can positively influence their decision to click on your ad. Moreover, extensions can visually shrink your competitors on the search results page and increase the chances of achieving a higher Click-Through Rate (CTR).
In practice, there are a variety of extensions available in Google Ads, such as sitelink extensions, call extensions, location extensions, price extensions, and many more. It’s recommended to use all possible and relevant extensions for your business, adapting them according to the goals and characteristics of your campaigns.
Lack of Analysis and Target Goals
If you’re not tracking and analyzing user behavior on your website, then you can’t understand the effectiveness of your advertising campaigns and make informed decisions for their improvement in the future.
Using a tool like Google Analytics is essential even when you’re not using paid traffic channels. This tool provides you with a variety of valuable data that can help you better understand user behavior and optimize their experience on your site.
Here are some of these:
- Session Duration and Page Depth: These metrics show you how much time users spend on your site and how many pages they visit on average during a session. A high session duration and increased page depth may indicate relevant content and a pleasant user experience.
- Bounce Rate: The bounce rate reflects the percentage of visitors who leave your site without interacting with other pages. A high bounce rate may indicate a mismatch between the ad content and the landing page content or a poor user experience.
- Conversion Tracking: By setting goals and conversion tracking in Google Analytics, you can track the actions users take on your site, such as completing a form, purchasing a product, or requesting a quote. This data allows you to measure the performance of your campaigns. Also, you can identify the sources of traffic and ads that generate the most conversions.
- Sales Channels Analysis: Google Analytics provides you with information about the marketing channels that contribute to sales and revenue generation. This helps you evaluate the effectiveness of different promotion channels and allocate your budget wisely to maximize ROI.
Ignoring the Mobile Version of the Website
Pay special attention to the user experience on mobile devices and ensure that your website is properly optimized. Here are some important aspects to consider:
- Correct Display on All Devices: Check how your website looks on different mobile devices and make sure it’s displayed correctly, with all elements functioning properly on screens of various sizes. A smooth and seamless user experience means better user retention and higher conversions.
- User-Friendly Design: Your website’s mobile version should be easy to navigate and intuitive for users. Remove any elements or functionalities that could hinder the user experience or slow down page loading.
- Fixing Errors and Deficiencies: Identify and correct any errors or deficiencies in your website’s mobile version. These may include design issues, functionalities, or performance problems that affect page loading speed.
- Budget Optimization for Mobile Devices: During the optimization of your advertising campaigns, don’t forget to adjust budgets for mobile devices based on their performance. You can allocate more or less budget for mobile devices depending on campaign results and your marketing objectives.
Using False or Deceptive Information
The most evident impact of using false or deceptive information in advertisements is the loss of trust from the public. When consumers discover they have been misled or provided with false information, they can lose trust in that particular business. They may choose not to purchase its products or services in the future. This can lead to decreased sales, reputation damage, and ultimately, loss of customers and revenue.
In addition to the impact on public trust, using false or deceptive information in advertisements can also have serious legal consequences. Companies found guilty of false advertising can face substantial fines and may be sued by consumers or regulatory authorities.
To avoid using false or deceptive information in advertisements, businesses should verify and authenticate all information before using it in campaigns. This may include researching and verifying all claims and promises made in advertisements, ensuring they are supported by solid evidence and relevant data.
Additionally, businesses should be transparent and honest in their advertising communication. It’s better to provide accurate and realistic information about your products or services than to exaggerate or make false promises.
Building a solid reputation and a trustworthy brand can take years. But it can be destroyed in just moments by using false or deceptive information in advertisements.
Neglecting Copyright and Intellectual Property Rights
Copyright and intellectual property rights infringement in the context of online advertising refers to the use of protected materials. These can be images, texts, or other creative elements, without proper permission from the rights holders.
This includes using photographs or illustrations without a license, quoting or copying texts without the author’s permission, or using other protected materials in advertisements without respecting copyright laws.
Using protected materials without permission can result in substantial fines and costly litigation. Copyright holders have the right to protect their works and take legal action against those who infringe upon their rights.
Moreover, businesses found guilty of copyright infringement may bear the costs of legal proceedings as well as pay substantial damages, depending on the severity of the infringement and the harm caused by it.
To avoid copyright and intellectual property rights infringements in online advertising campaigns, businesses should obtain proper permission before using protected materials. This may include purchasing licenses for images or texts from legitimate sources, such as image banks or copyright agencies. Additionally, businesses should be careful when citing and properly using protected materials, respecting copyright laws.
Unauthorized Personal Data Collection
This practice may violate data protection laws. Also, it can impact the trust and reputation of the business in the eyes of users.
Personal data protection is a major concern for both users and governments alike. In the European Union, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) sets strict rules for the collection, storage, and processing of users’ personal data.
Unauthorized collection and use of users’ personal data can have serious consequences for a business. These include:
- substantial fines of up to €20,000,000 or up to 4% of the total annual worldwide turnover of the preceding financial year, whichever is higher;
- loss of trust and reputation;
- potential legal disputes from affected users.
To avoid these risks, companies must strictly adhere to data protection rules and regulations. These may include obtaining proper user consent before collecting their personal data, employing appropriate security practices to protect this data, and respecting users’ individual rights, such as the right to access and delete their personal data.
Discrimination or Stereotypes in Advertising
Messages or images that perpetuate negative stereotypes or discrimination can elicit negative reactions from the public. Consumers may perceive such campaigns as insensitive or offensive, which can harm the brand’s reputation and customer loyalty.
Campaigns that perpetuate stereotypes or discrimination can attract the attention of human rights organizations and face intense criticism from them. Such campaigns can lead to social pressure and damage the company’s reputation in the eyes of the public.
Avoid stereotypes and create advertising content that reflects diversity and inclusion. Using images and messages that authentically represent various demographic groups can help engage and connect with a broader audience.
Before launching an advertising campaign, test the messages and images to assess the audience’s reaction. Feedback and analysis of results can help identify any stereotypes or discriminatory elements and adjust them accordingly.
Violation of Advertising Platform Rules
Online advertising platforms like Google Ads, Facebook Ads, or LinkedIn Ads have strict policies and rules that marketers must adhere to. These rules are designed to ensure a safe and trustworthy experience for users. Also, they maintain the integrity of the platform.
Adhering to platform rules helps build users’ trust in your brand. Users will trust that the ads they see comply with the platform’s standards and policies. This can increase the likelihood of interacting with your ads.
Ignoring platform rules can result in sanctions or even the blocking of the advertising account. This can negatively impact campaign performance and create difficulties in resuming online advertising activities in the future.
Online advertising platforms may suspend or ban accounts that violate their rules. This action can lead to the loss of access to existing campaigns and the inability to create new campaigns in the future.
Before creating advertising campaigns, when you’re managing your own ads, study and understand the advertising platform policies you are using. Ensure that all members of your marketing team are aware of these policies and adhere to them properly.
Constantly monitor advertising campaigns to ensure compliance with platform policies. Update campaigns in real-time to avoid any accidental rule violations.
Are you unsure about complying with platform policies or interpreting them? Consult online advertising experts or platform representatives for further clarification.
Invasive or Annoying Advertising
Avoid practices that can disturb and annoy the audience. Aggressive pop-ups or ads that play sound without permission can disrupt and irritate users while they browse online. These practices can lead users to leave the site or avoid interacting with the ads.
Invasive advertising can negatively affect the credibility and trust of users in a brand. Users may perceive the brand as unprofessional or aggressive. This can negatively impact the relationship with them and the brand’s reputation in the long run.
Choose non-invasive advertising methods, such as displaying ads discreetly within content or using static banners instead of aggressive pop-ups.
Focus on creating relevant and valuable advertising content that provides users with useful information or addresses their needs and interests.
Test different types of advertising to identify the most effective and least invasive methods. Monitor user feedback and adjust advertising strategies based on the results obtained.
Conclusion
When managing your own ads, you must be aware of the risks associated with certain practices. Ignoring these aspects can lead not only to failures in advertising campaigns but also to legal and reputational repercussions.
By implementing the solutions and recommendations presented in this article, we can significantly improve the results of our campaigns.
Do you have difficulties managing your own ads or want to receive a professional evaluation of your advertising accounts? Use our services. Our team of experts at Helios Live is ready to provide a free audit. We’ll help you improve your online advertising strategies.
