MARKETING
9 signs you’re wasting Google Ads budget (and how to fix them)
Common Google Ads leaks — broad match without negatives, poor tracking, Display placements and more — plus a calculator to size the waste.
By VISIBI Marketing team·Reviewed by Adnan Khan, Co-founder & CEO·Updated 29 September 2026·7 min read
QUICK ANSWER
Common Google Ads leaks — broad match without negatives, poor tracking, Display placements and more — plus a calculator to size the waste.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
✓Most accounts leak 10–30% of spend on irrelevant clicks or poor placements.
✓Broken conversion tracking makes automated bidding optimise for the wrong thing.
✓A monthly search-term review pays for itself.
FREE CALCULATOR
How much ad spend could you be wasting?
Wasted ad spend per year£24,000
Get a free Google Ads audit →Enter your own figures. A free audit shows your real number.
The 9 warning signs
- Broad match keywords with few negatives
- Conversions tracked on page views, not purchases or leads
- Search Partners and Display enabled on Search campaigns
- No location or schedule adjustments
- Paying for brand clicks you would get free
- PMax without brand exclusions
- Landing pages that load slowly on mobile
- No audience exclusions for existing customers
- Ignoring invalid click and bot traffic
Quick fixes
Review search terms and add negatives weekly, verify conversion tracking with real test orders, separate Search from Display, and set up enhanced conversions.
Common mistakes to avoid
✕Optimising for clicks or rankings instead of revenue
✕Running campaigns on broken or incomplete tracking
✕Changing too many things at once, so nothing can be measured
✕Ignoring mobile speed on landing pages
HOW VISIBI CAN HELP
How we help with marketing
01AuditWe find wasted spend, missed demand and broken tracking first.
02PrioritiseA roadmap ranked by revenue impact — quick wins first.
03ExecuteMarketers and developers working together, so fixes ship in days.
04Report on revenueMonthly reporting tied to orders and profit, not vanity metrics.
Get a free Google Ads audit →Free · No obligation · Reply within 24 hours
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of spend is typically wasted?
It varies widely; audits often find 10–30% going to low-value clicks.
Is broad match bad?
Not with strong negatives and value-based bidding — but it needs monitoring.
How often should I audit?
A deep audit every quarter and search-term reviews weekly.
AK
Reviewed by Adnan Khan · Co-founder & CEO25 years growing digital businesses across search, AI visibility and ecommerce. Written by the VISIBI Marketing team.Meet the team →
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