Top 11 Common PPC Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

As I delve deeper into the world of ad platforms, it’s fascinating to see how algorithms are transforming the landscape—putting a spotlight on marketers and their expertise.

Managing ad accounts today is a whole new ball game compared to just a few years back. With automation taking center stage through tools like Meta’s Advantage+ and Google’s Performance Max, the skills needed for effective account management have evolved significantly.

Recently, I’ve conducted numerous B2B account audits, for companies both in-house and those transitioning from agencies. It’s striking how rare it is to find operators who truly grasp these systems.

Even with advanced technology at our fingertips, many proficient B2B marketers continue to make costly errors. Here are the frequent mistakes I’ve identified recently on LinkedIn and Google.

Mistakes Advertisers Are Still Making on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is indispensable for B2B outreach, yet some advertisers persist with avoidable blunders like these.

1. Ignoring Audience Targeting

Shockingly, I still see this rookie error. Ads end up targeting entry-level individuals, students, and irrelevant businesses instead of the intended audience.

2. Neglecting to Adjust Targeting Over Time

LinkedIn’s professional targeting can be excellent, but not infallible. It often lets unrelated roles and titles slip through, wasting budget on irrelevant audiences.

3. Over-relying on Automated Settings

This is more common than a mere oversight. Keeping options like audience expansion active leads to ads appearing in less relevant, low-quality spots.

4. Stagnating Creative Content

Veteran LinkedIn marketers know that LinkedIn’s ad structure complicates creative testing, emphasizing the need for creative refreshes and theme variations.

Mistakes Advertisers Still Making on Google

Here are the top pitfalls I’ve discovered in Google Ads accounts recently.

5. Using Conversion Strategies Without Adequate Data

Ad accounts employing conversion-based strategies without any conversion data often mislead algorithms, targeting the cheapest and least effective actions.

6. Defaulting to Display and Search Partners

This blunder reallocates budget from high-intent searches to less effective, lower-quality placements, wasting resources.

7. Forgetting Sitelinks

Omitting sitelinks diminishes the potential to occupy more space in search results, reducing appeal to potential customers.

8. Ignoring Non-Converting Keywords

Failure to scrutinize and modify ads for non-converting keywords results in wasted investment.

9. Overusing Broad Match

Exclusively using broad match without employing phrase or exact match can lead to unnecessary expenditure.

10. Unrestricted PMax Utilization

While PMax for B2B has evolved, neglecting enhanced conversions and educational setup is a recipe for low-quality leads.

11. Discounting AI Max Testing

With Google constantly innovating ad serving and optimization through AI, early adoption can offer a competitive advantage.

Automation Still Needs Skilled Oversight

Critical gaps often occur post-data collection, where follow-up sequences and accurate data linking are necessary to optimize Return on Ad Spend (ROAS).

Focusing solely on past practices like granular negative keywords without adapting to newer automation capabilities highlights inefficiencies.

Mistakes might appear minor, but they signal deeper mismanagement when left unattended, stressing the need for skilled supervision even in an automated environment.

Remember, effective ad management still necessitates quality inputs, accurate measurement, and vigilant oversight.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.