Common Mistakes eCommerce Brands Make With Google Ads

Google Ads is one of the most powerful tools for eCommerce businesses. It can drive thousands of visitors to your online store, increase sales, and help you reach new audiences. But managing Google Ads effectively isn’t as simple as throwing a few keywords into a campaign and watching the sales roll in.

Without a strategic approach, your ad spend can quickly go to waste, and instead of conversions, you’re left with frustration and little to show for your efforts. Many eCommerce brands make common, avoidable mistakes in their Google Ads campaigns that cost them valuable time and money. 

If you’re an eCommerce brand or marketing manager, or collaborating with an eCommerce PPC agency, this blog will help you identify key missteps and offer actionable solutions to make your campaigns more effective.

Why Getting Google Ads Right Matters for eCommerce 

Google Ads is often a game-changer for eCommerce brands, but only when used correctly. Did you know – Google Ads can waste up to 25% of ad spend on irrelevant audiences and clicks? Or that 50% of paid search clicks go to the top four results?

These facts underscore how important it is to avoid common pitfalls and optimize every cent you’re investing. But the good news is that by identifying these common mistakes in eCommerce advertising campaigns, you can reduce ad spend wastage, increase conversions, and ultimately maximize your ROI.

• Poor Keyword Targeting 

What Goes Wrong

Many eCommerce brands target overly broad or overly generic keywords that attract irrelevant clicks. For instance, bidding on “shoes” instead of “women’s hiking shoes” leads to wasted clicks from people who aren’t your ideal customers.

How to Fix It 

• Focus on long-tail keywords that demonstrate purchase intent, such as “affordable vegan leather backpacks” instead of generic terms like “backpacks.” 

• Use tools like Google Keyword Planner, SEMrush, or Ahrefs to uncover high-intent keywords. 

• Continuously review your search terms report to identify irrelevant queries, and add them as negative keywords to prevent waste. 

Pro Tip: Partnering with an eCommerce PPC agency can help refine your keyword strategy and ensure you’re targeting the right audience.

• Inefficient Audience Targeting 

What Goes Wrong 

Even with perfect keywords, targeting the wrong audience can undermine your campaigns. A shoe store that targets ads for high-end running shoes to budget-conscious shoppers, for example, might see high traffic but low sales.

How to Fix It 

• Take benefit of demographic targeting to tailor your campaigns to specific age groups, income levels, genders, and locations. 

• Utilize lookalike audiences to target users resembling your best customers. 

• For repeat customers, use customer matching to serve personalized content, such as retargeting ads for cart abandoners. 

• Ignoring Negative Keywords 

What Goes Wrong 

Brands often forget to include negative keywords in their campaigns, which results in ad spend being wasted on irrelevant searches.

How to Fix It 

Negative keywords ensure your ads don’t show up for low-value queries. For example, if you sell premium coffee beans, add “cheap” or “instant” as negative keywords. This filters out searches like “cheap coffee” or “instant coffee deals,” keeping your campaigns aligned with your audience.

• Skipping Landing Page Optimization 

What Goes Wrong 

Sending users to poorly designed or generalized landing pages is one of the fastest ways to lose conversions. Imagine clicking an ad for “organic green tea” and landing on a homepage with no mention of green tea at all. That’s a missed opportunity.

How to Fix It 

• Ensure your landing page mirrors ad messaging. If your ad promotes organic green tea, the landing page must talk exclusively about it. 

• Improve load speeds; a 1-second page loading delay can reduce conversions by 7%. 

• Make sure your page is mobile-friendly; over 60% of Google searches are now performed on mobile devices.

• Overlooking Ad Copy Quality 

What Goes Wrong 

Ads with vague or boring copy often fail to attract clicks, wasting impressions and tanking your Quality Score.

How to Fix It 

• Write ad copy that clearly reflects search intent and includes your key selling points (e.g., “Free Shipping” or “Limited Stock Available!”). 

• Use action-driven headlines that prompt clicks, such as “Find Your Perfect Winter Jacket in Seconds.” 

• A/B test headlines and descriptions to see which variants drive the best results. 

Engaging ad copy not only attracts clicks but also improves your CTR, which in turn drives up your Quality Score and reduces CPC.

• Not Setting an Effective Ad Schedule 

What Goes Wrong 

Running your ads 24/7 can lead to wasted spend if your customers aren’t online during certain hours. 

How to Fix It 

• Use historic campaign performance data to understand when conversions are highest, and adjust ad schedules accordingly. 

• For seasonal businesses, increase bids during peak months or holidays while scaling back during the off-season. 

• Failing to Monitor Campaigns Regularly 

What Goes Wrong 

Google Ads is NOT a “set-it-and-forget-it” strategy. Neglecting campaigns leads to inefficiencies and poor results over time.

How to Fix It 

• Monitor underperforming keywords and ads weekly. Pause or revise elements of your campaign with low CTRs and conversion rates. 

• Track your conversions closely by setting up Google Ads conversion tracking. 

• Shift budgets from underperforming campaigns to higher-performing ones to maximize ROI. 

Retargeting for Maximum Impact 

Retargeting ensures that users who didn’t convert the first time continue to engage with your brand. This could be via cart abandonment reminders or ads for recently viewed products.

For instance, a user who browsed your collection of fitness equipment but didn’t make a purchase can be reminded with a retargeting ad showcasing the same products alongside some special offers.

Take Control of Your PPC Campaigns 

When used effectively, Google Ads can be one of your eCommerce brand’s most profitable customer acquisition tools. By avoiding these common mistakes, you can reduce wasted ad spend, drive more qualified traffic, and build a consistent revenue flow.

If managing your campaigns still feels overwhelming, why not bring in a Google Ads Specialist? With expert help by your side, you can refine every aspect of your PPC campaigns and make your advertising budget work harder for you.

Start minimizing your wasted ad spend today and turn your campaigns into ROI-generating machines.

Author Bio

Ishant is a certified Google Ads expert and eCommerce PPC specialist with over 10 years of experience helping 400+ online brands grow through smart and profitable ad strategies. From Google Ads and Meta Ads to Bing Ads, he helps businesses avoid costly mistakes, optimize their ad spend, and turn clicks into conversions. Trusted by brands across industries like marketing agencies, sports websites, pet shops, and others, and rated highly on platforms like Clutch, Trustpilot, Medium and G2, Ishant is known for delivering real results, not just traffic.