Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising can be a game changer—or a money pit. Small businesses often dive into Google Ads or social media campaigns expecting quick wins, only to end up confused, frustrated, and out of budget. The problem usually isn’t the platform. It’s how the campaign is run.
Here are five common PPC mistakes small businesses make—and how to avoid them.
1. Not Defining Clear Goals
Most small businesses jump into PPC with a vague goal like “get more customers.” That’s not a strategy. Are you trying to drive traffic? Generate leads? Sell a product? Build brand awareness?
Without a clear objective, your campaign will lack direction. Set measurable goals (e.g., 100 email sign-ups in 30 days, $5 cost per lead) so you know what success looks like—and when it’s time to pivot.
2. Targeting Too Broad an Audience
Casting a wide net might seem like a good idea, but it usually burns through your budget fast with little return. Generic targeting = generic results.
Instead, define your audience tightly. Use geo-targeting, interest-based filters, and keyword intent to focus your ads on people who are most likely to buy, not just click.
3. Sending Traffic to a Weak Landing Page
You can have the perfect ad, but if your landing page sucks, it won’t convert. Too many businesses link PPC ads to their homepage or a cluttered, slow-loading page.
Every ad should lead to a tailored landing page that matches the message, answers objections, and makes it dead simple to take the next step—whether that’s filling out a form or making a purchase.
4. Ignoring Negative Keywords
This one’s a budget killer. If you’re not using negative keywords, you’re letting your ads show up for irrelevant searches—and paying for useless clicks.
Example: If you sell premium fitness equipment, you don’t want your ad showing up for “cheap workout gear.” Adding “cheap” as a negative keyword keeps your spend focused on the right audience.
5. Set It and Forget It
PPC isn’t a crockpot. You can’t “set it and forget it.” Many small businesses launch a campaign and walk away, expecting results to roll in. Meanwhile, their ads are underperforming or bleeding cash.
You need to monitor and tweak regularly—test headlines, switch up copy, adjust bids, pause underperforming keywords. The winners aren’t always obvious until the data shows it.
PPC works when you work it. Clear goals, sharp targeting, solid landing pages, and constant optimization—that’s the formula. Avoid these common mistakes, and your PPC spend won’t just get clicks, it’ll get results.