Google Ads Don’t Work
“I tried Google Ads once, and it didn’t work.”
If you've ever said that — or heard it from another business owner — this guide is for you. Most of the time, when people say Google Ads “don’t work,” what they really mean is: *something wasn’t set up right, they didn’t have the right info, or the person running their ads didn’t know what they were doing.*
These are the most common excuses and misconceptions I hear from frustrated business owners — and the real reasons behind them.
"We Didn’t Have a Big Budget, So It Wasn’t Worth It"
Google Ads doesn’t need a massive budget — but it *does* need a realistic one. If you went in hoping to spend the bare minimum, the results probably reflected that. When there's no discussion about what a lead typically costs in your industry and how much you're willing to invest to get one, you're just guessing — and guessing gets expensive fast.
“We Didn’t Make Enough Money from It"
This usually means there wasn’t a clear understanding of your numbers before launching. If your ads didn’t lead to profits, it might be because no one calculated what a customer was worth to begin with. Knowing your margins, average sale value, and customer lifetime value is the foundation for profitable advertising. Without that, you’re building on sand.
"They Promised It Would Work"
Big promises without context sound great — until nothing happens. If someone guaranteed a flood of leads without learning about your business, that’s a red flag. No one can promise success before they’ve done the research and testing. Google Ads is powerful, but it’s not magic.
"We Tried to Do It as Cheap as Possible"
Trying to cut every corner usually leads to campaigns that go nowhere. You don’t need to spend a fortune, but if you nickel-and-dime the process, results will suffer. Getting real results takes a combination of strategy, experience, and a budget that allows for learning. You can’t cheap your way into success.
"We Told Them What to Do, and They Did It"
You hired an expert — but if you ended up dictating the strategy yourself, were you really getting expert help? If your ad person never pushed back, never brought new ideas, and just built what you asked for, they weren’t leading — they were just along for the ride.
"We Just Wanted More Leads"
“More leads” is everyone’s goal — but it’s not a strategy. Without clear success metrics, like cost per lead or number of qualified leads per month, how do you know it worked? A campaign without targets is just a guessing game.
"It Didn’t Work After the First Week"
If you expected results in seven days, you were always going to be disappointed. Ads need time to gather data, go through Google’s learning phase, and get optimized. Great campaigns are built over weeks and months — not overnight.
"I Don’t Even Know What Happened to Our Account"
This one is all too common. If you weren’t given access to your own ad account, you had no visibility — and no ownership. Your business should always control your account. If you can’t see what’s going on, how can you trust the process?
"We Just Sent People to Our Website"
Your homepage probably wasn’t designed to convert paid traffic. It’s too general, too broad, and has too many distractions. Effective ad campaigns need dedicated landing pages that guide users to take one specific action.
"We Got a Lot of Clicks, But No Customers"
If your reports focused only on clicks and impressions, it’s no wonder you felt frustrated. Clicks are not the end goal — customers are. If there was no focus on conversions, lead quality, or actual results, you weren’t running a real campaign.
"We Didn’t Track Any Results"
Running ads without tracking is like driving with your eyes closed. If you couldn’t tell how many leads came from the campaign, you had no way to improve it. Every ad strategy should track meaningful actions like calls, forms, and purchases — not just traffic.
"We Didn’t Know What a Lead Was Costing Us"
Cost per lead (CPL) is the key metric for every service-based business. If you weren’t tracking it, you were flying blind. Without this number, you can’t tell whether the campaign is working or what to adjust.
"We Set It Up and Just Let It Run"
Google Ads is not a slow cooker. If your campaign was launched and never touched again, no wonder the results fell flat. Campaigns need ongoing management — adjusting bids, testing new ideas, and learning from the data.
"The Reports Were Useless"
If your monthly updates didn’t explain anything clearly or didn’t tie back to your business goals, they weren’t doing their job. Reports should tell a story — where the money went, what worked, and what’s changing next.
"The Ads Felt Generic"
If the messaging didn’t sound like you or didn’t connect with your local audience, that’s a problem. Your campaigns should feel like they were built *for* your business — not copied from someone else’s.
"I Never Really Understood What Was Going On"
When your marketer throws jargon at you instead of real answers, that’s a communication breakdown. You should never feel in the dark about where your money’s going or what it’s doing.
"We Just Used One Ad the Whole Time"
If the same ad ran for months without testing new headlines, offers, or designs — that’s a huge miss. The only way to improve performance is to try new things, measure, and adjust. No testing = no growth.
"We Didn’t Track Phone Calls"
If you rely on phone calls for business and didn’t track them, you missed the most important part. Most local service businesses live and die by the phone. Call tracking should be built into every campaign.
“We Got Leads, But They Were Junk"
Bad leads are frustrating — but they’re also a clue. If no one adjusted your targeting or ad copy based on lead quality, that’s a problem. Quantity is easy. Quality takes effort — and the right strategy.
If Things Didn’t Work Before, That Doesn’t Mean They Can’t
If you’ve ever said Google Ads didn’t work, chances are it wasn’t the platform — it was the way things were set up, managed, or measured. When done right, with the right goals and commitment, Google Ads can be one of the most powerful growth tools a business can use.
Whether you’re ready to give Google Ads another shot, trying it for the first time, or just want a second opinion on your current setup — I’d be happy to help. No pressure. No hard sell. Just honest advice to make sure your money is working as hard as you are.
