aren’t my Google Ads converting? 10 Reasons and Solutions //

Your suitcase is packed and your snacks are ready. You have the directions on your phone. You’re ready to go. You have a full tank. The car won’t start when you get in it to go.

This is how it feels to have a Google Ads campaign go live and not see any conversions.

Don’t worry. You can continue your journey! This article will help you get your PPC engine back up and running so that you can finally hit the road to reach your destination.

Ten reasons Google Ads are not converting (and how to fix it)

There are many reasons why your Google Ads don’t convert. These can be technical or strategic errors, and everything in between. These are the 10 most common reasons Google Ads don’t convert and how you can fix them.

1. It is too soon

It is important to understand machine learning if you are just getting started in online advertising. Ad platforms allow you to display your ads according to the conditions that you choose. Then, as users interact with the campaign they use this data to identify patterns and optimize further.

It needs to have a certain amount data to be able to determine how to best serve your ads. This threshold is also known as the algorithmic learning time. It is dependent on how often your ad gets served.

Google might still be learning if your ads don’t convert immediately. Google may require more time for your campaign to learn. You might also need to increase your budget or expand your targeting to make it reach that threshold quicker.

2. Your expectations are unreasonable

Are your Google Adsn not converting enough or are they not converting at all? You may need to troubleshoot if you aren’t getting any conversions ( We cover many conversion tracking issues here). Double-check your expectations if you are getting less conversions than you thought.

Our latest search advertisement benchmarks analysis (as at writing this post) revealed that the average conversion rate across 23 industries was 7.26%. However, this is not the standard to measure your conversion rates. Instead, look at the average industry conversion rate. The average furniture conversion rate is 2.21%, while it’s 13.94% for Physicians and Surgeons.

You can find our online advertising benchmarks that are always up-to-date here.

Because some conversion actions are more straightforward for customers (like booking an appointment or calling), than others (like buying or signing up to a free trial). You’ll see more commitment conversion actions within your account than in others.

3. Your conversion tracking is broken

Your conversion tracking might be flawed or not properly set up if you aren’t seeing any conversions from your Google Ads campaign. You may have been seeing conversions, but not anymore. Check your change history to determine if any changes were made that might have led to the problem.

To ensure you get the right steps, if you don’t see any conversions, check out our guide on how to set-up Google Ads conversion tracking.

4. You can target your location from anywhere

You will be asked to choose the location you want to target when you create a Google Ads campaign. Local businesses should only target their local area, while national businesses might want to stick with the major cities. The presence/interest settings could have an impact on your conversion rates.

There are three choices:

• Interest: Persons who are regularly in the area or show interest in it.
• Presence: A person who is regularly or frequently in this location.
• People who are interested in that area.

Google defaults to the first option, which can be problematic for some businesses. A person searching for veterinary services in an area is unlikely to be interested in it. You need to choose the right location for your business.

5. It’s a seasonal dip

You will need to learn about your audience and campaigns if you are new to Google Ads. Your ads will experience spikes or dips in conversions at certain times. Your conversion rates could return to normal if you give it more time. These patterns should be noted and adjusted your bids, or ad scheduling as appropriate.

(Note that conversion rates in all industries are currently at a decline due to the economy. On average, we have seen a 19% decrease in the conversion rate.

6. Your budget is too small

Although the Google Ads auction is about getting clicks at low costs it’s still highly competitive and you must bid high enough to keep up. Google might not be able to find you the auctions that you are looking for if your bids exceed their limits.

Google will not show your ad if your budget is too low or your bids are too high. This scenario will show up in the status column as “limited by budget”.

To get an idea of what you should bid for to appear on the page, use top-of-page bidding.

7. Your landing pages aren’t optimized

Conversion rate optimization can be applied to many strategies but the base is an optimized landing web page.

It is:

• Fast-loading and responsive
• Unique to your offer and the audience that you are targeting
• It is closely associated with the ad which preceded it

It has.

• A powerful headline
• A prominent CTA
• Concise and benefit-focused copy
• High-quality images and a clean design
• Simple, accessible and easy to use
• Trust signals such as testimonials, reviews and badges for partners are a sign of trust

These are the essential elements that will help you get a solid base of conversions. You can then A/B-test different elements to determine how to optimize.

For inspiration, see more landing pages examples.

8. You need to improve your ad copy

This can lead in many directions. You might have a high click-through rate, but your audience is too large which can lower your conversion rates. You might consider prequalifying clickers with more specific copy, including pricing, personas or other criteria.

Your ad copy might not be getting enough clicks if you aren’t getting enough. It should contain the keywords that you are targeting, as well as the value proposition or differentiators. Also, it should use the language appropriate to the region.

These eye-catching Google Ads examples will help you to create your ad copy model.

Great ad copy…

Get the guide for free! >> 10 Tips to Get the Click: How To Write Outstanding PPC Ad Copy (With Exemples! )

9. Misaligned keyword intent

Your landing pages and ads may not be relevant to keywords that you have chosen . These are some things you should check:

• Target commercial intent Make sure that you are bidding on keywords that have both commercial and transactional intent. These keywords can include words such as “buy”, “cheap”, “compare,” etc.
• Be specific Long-tail keyword are more precise and may be more cost-effective and relevant to your audience.
• You can refine your match types. Google is all for broad match lately. But that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t get on board. Stay with exact or phrase.
• Add negative keywords Monitor your search term report to exclude terms from your ads.

10. Too little brand awareness

Last, but not least: Your Google Ads might not convert because your brand awareness is not sufficient. Although intent to purchase is the highest search engine result, users are unlikely to click on your ads if they have never heard of your company before. They won’t click on your advertisement if it appears alongside an ad for a brand they are familiar with.

It is important to have a multichannel marketing strategy to allow you to expose your audience to your brand on the internet. This means you need to run ads across social media and the Google Display Network – in addition to email and SEO.

Data shows that search ads indirectly increase conversion rates. So get started with your first campaign!

It’s time to convert your Google Ads

There are many reasons your Google Ads don’t convert, as you can see. They all offer solutions that are simple enough to implement. Here’s a summary.

1. It is too soon
2. Your expectations are unreasonable
3. Your conversion tracking is broken
4. You can target your location from anywhere
5. It’s a seasonal dip
6. Your budget is too small
7. Your landing pages aren’t optimized
8. You need to improve your ad copy
9. Misaligned keyword intent
10. Too little brand awareness

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