Why Your Google Ads Aren’t Hitting Your Goals (And How to Fix It)

The Real Problem with Most Google Ads Campaigns

To optimise Google Ads for business outcomes , you must shift focus from vanity metrics like clicks and impressions to what actually drives revenue. This means focusing on conversions, ROAS, and customer acquisition cost. Here's how to align your campaigns with real business goals:

• Track the right conversions : Set up tracking for purchases, qualified leads, and phone calls.
• Use value-based bidding : Focus on maximizing conversion value, not just volume.
• Analyze performance data : Review Search Terms Reports and audience segments to find high-value opportunities.
• Improve Quality Score : Better ad relevance and landing page experience lower costs.
• Test and optimise regularly : Run A/B tests and adjust bids based on performance.

Many businesses pour money into Google Ads, only to watch their budget disappear. In fact, the typical small business reportedly wastes 25% or more of its paid search spend.

The problem often lies in the disconnect between campaign metrics and what actually matters to your bottom line. Too many campaigns chase clicks while ignoring qualified leads, sales, and return on ad spend.

I'm Kerry Anderson, co-founder of RankingCo. For over 15 years, I've helped businesses in Brisbane and beyond transform their Google Ads from budget drains into profit engines. We do this by learning to optimise Google Ads for business outcomes that move the needle. Let's fix your campaigns together.

Optimise Google Ads for business outcomes definitions:

• Google Ads lead generation
• Google Ads shopping campaigns

How to Truly Optimise Google Ads for Business Outcomes

Managing Google Ads can feel like spinning plates. To ensure all that effort pays off, it must be connected to what actually matters for your business.

The real change happens when you start making every decision with a clear business goal in mind. Let's walk through exactly how to do it.

First, Define What Success Looks Like for Your Business

Before touching keywords or ad copy, you need clarity on your goals. Are you chasing sales, high-quality leads, or brand awareness? Without this, you're driving with your eyes closed.

To optimise Google Ads for business outcomes , shift your focus from vanity metrics like clicks to the metrics that truly impact your bottom line. Key metrics include:

• Return on Investment (ROI) : The ultimate measure of profit from your ad spend. Learn more about calculating ROI from Google.
• Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) : Focuses specifically on revenue generated from ad spend.
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) : Shows how much it costs to get a new customer or lead.
• Lead Quality : Not all leads are equal. We help define what a "high-quality" lead means for you.
• Sales Volume and Value : Tracks the number or monetary value of sales from your campaigns.

Once goals are set, map them to the right campaign type. For online sales, use Performance Max or Shopping campaigns. For lead generation, Search campaigns capture high-intent users. For brand recognition, Display or YouTube campaigns work well.

Choosing the wrong campaign type wastes your budget. We help set SMART targets (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound). Instead of a vague goal like "get more leads," we aim for something concrete, like "increase qualified leads by 20% in Brisbane within three months."

Build a Data-Driven Framework by Tracking What Matters

Once you know what success looks like, you must measure it. This is where conversion tracking is critical; without it, optimisation is just guesswork.

Conversion tracking shows how ad clicks lead to valuable actions like purchases, phone calls, or form submissions. We focus on tracking actions that align with your business outcomes, such as website, app, or phone conversions. You can set up conversion tracking for your website through Google Ads.

Robust tracking feeds Google's bidding strategies, which rely on this data to optimise for your desired outcome in real-time. To get the most from your data, link your Google Ads and Analytics accounts. This provides deeper insights into post-click user behaviour.

We also use value-based bidding strategies . By assigning different values to conversions (e.g., a product purchase is worth more than a sign-up), we tell Google's AI to focus on maximising total conversion value, rather than just volume. This helps our clients in Sydney and Melbourne achieve stronger ROAS. Learn more about our Google Ads services.

Use Analytics and Reports to Find Hidden Opportunities

With watertight tracking, you can dive into the data to find growth opportunities. The Search Terms Report is a goldmine, showing the actual queries that triggered your ads.

We use this report to find high-performing queries and add them as exact match keywords for efficient bidding. You can check out how different search terms triggered your ads to learn more. It's also crucial for identifying irrelevant terms to add as negative keywords , preventing wasted spend and improving ad relevance.

Integrating Google Ads with Google Analytics provides a full view of the customer journey, helping us refine strategies. We consistently review key reports to make informed decisions:

• Weekly : Search Terms Report (to refine keywords) and Auction Insights (to monitor competitors).
• Fortnightly : Geographic Report (to adjust location bids).
• Monthly : Audience Reports (to understand converting customers).

Align Keywords, Ad Copy, and Targeting for Maximum Impact

Effective optimisation is about showing the right ad to the right person at the right time. This requires aligning your keywords, ad copy, and targeting.

We focus on long-tail and exact match keywords (e.g., "men's leather dress shoes Brisbane" instead of "shoes"). These have lower competition and allow for highly relevant ads, leading to better click-through rates and lower costs.

Ad assets (formerly extensions) are also crucial for making ads more informative and visible. Key assets include:

• Sitelink assets : Add links to specific pages like 'Services' or 'Contact'. Ensure these pages are optimised with good Onsite SEO.
• Call assets : Allow users to call you directly from the ad.
• Location assets : Display your business address for local customers.
• Price assets : Showcase products or services with their prices.

We also use Remarketing Lists for Search Ads (RLSAs) to tailor ads for previous website visitors. This tactic re-engages high-intent users and boosts conversion rates.

Finally, we fine-tune campaigns using demographics, geo-targeting, and ad scheduling. This ensures we reach the most qualified audience at the right time, which is vital for clients from Auckland to Wellington.

Improve Ad Quality and Account Health for Better Business Results

Google rewards relevance with Quality Score , its rating of your ad, keyword, and landing page quality. A higher score leads to lower costs and better ad positions. It's based on three factors:

• Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR) : The likelihood your ad will be clicked.
• Ad Relevance : How well your ad matches the user's search intent.
• Landing Page Experience : The quality and relevance of your landing page.

A strong Quality Score contributes to a higher Ad Rank , which determines your ad's position. A better rank means more visibility and better business outcomes. You can learn more about Ad Rank from Google.

Google's Optimization Score (0-100%) reflects how well your campaigns follow best practices. Improving your score can lower CPAs and boost ROAS, even if you don't reach a perfect 100%.

We help clients by selectively implementing recommendations that matter. This involves fixing performance gaps and A/B testing ads to improve relevance.

Manage Your Campaigns Effectively (Even on a Tight Budget)

For businesses in cities like Toronto or Perth, managing a tight Google Ads budget is common. Smart optimisation makes every dollar work harder.

We use a custom 'Impression to Conversion' (ITC) metric (Conversions/Impressions) to quickly identify top-performing ads, moving beyond vanity metrics to focus on what converts.

With limited funds, we prioritise high-impact areas:

• Aggressive negative keyword management to eliminate wasted spend.
• Hyper-focused targeting to reach only the most qualified prospects.
• Long-tail exact match keywords for lower competition and higher conversion rates.
• Purposeful A/B testing on high-impact elements like headlines.

Consistency is key for optimisation. Our recommended frequency is:

• Daily : Check budget pacing and performance alerts.
• Weekly : Review search terms, adjust bids, and check ad performance.
• Monthly : Conduct a full strategy review, analyse test results, and assess ROI/ROAS.

We are constantly adapting to the digital landscape, offering comprehensive digital marketing services in Brisbane and beyond to ensure clients get the best outcomes.

Take Control of Your Digital Future – Get Found Now

Let's bring it all together. The real takeaway is that your Google Ads should work for you, becoming a powerful tool for growth. When you define your goals, use a data-driven framework, and align every campaign element, you can truly optimise Google Ads for business outcomes .

It's about making every dollar count by focusing on tangible results, instead of chasing vanity metrics that don't pay the bills. At RankingCo, we help businesses in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, and beyond achieve this. As a Google Premier Partner, we use our expertise and AI technologies to turn Google Ads into a growth engine.

We like to think of ourselves as the world's best little digital agency, here to bridge the gap between ad spend and real business results. When your ads mirror your objectives, every dollar spent drives your business forward.

Ready to stop wasting ad spend and start seeing measurable results? Contact us for a free Google Ads checkup today. Let's make your advertising work as hard as you do.