We audit dozens of Google Ads accounts every year for businesses across Kenya. The pattern is almost always the same — money is being spent, clicks are coming in, but leads and sales are frustratingly low. After hundreds of audits, we have identified the 7 mistakes that account for 80% of wasted Google Ads spend. Here they are, with the exact fixes.
Mistake 1: Using Broad Match Keywords
Broad Match is the default keyword match type in Google Ads, and it is the biggest budget killer we see. When you use Broad Match, Google shows your ad for searches it considers "related" — which can mean almost anything.
We have seen a Nairobi law firm's ads appear for searches like "how to write a letter" and "what is a contract" because they were broadly matching on "legal services Nairobi." They were paying for clicks from students doing homework, not people looking for a lawyer.
The Fix
Audit your Search Terms Report (under Reports > Search Terms) right now. You will likely be horrified. Switch all your keywords to Phrase Match or Exact Match immediately. Add irrelevant terms as negative keywords.
Mistake 2: Sending Traffic to Your Homepage
Your homepage is designed to introduce your entire business to everyone. It is not designed to convert someone searching for a specific product or service. Sending ad traffic to your homepage is like inviting someone to a specific party and dropping them off in the wrong neighbourhood.
The Fix
Create dedicated landing pages for each ad group. The landing page should match the ad exactly — same headline, same offer, same keyword. If your ad says "Emergency Plumber Nairobi — Available 24/7", the landing page should say exactly that, with a phone number prominently displayed above the fold.
Mistake 3: No Conversion Tracking
This is shockingly common. We regularly audit accounts spending KES 50,000+ per month with zero conversion tracking set up. Without tracking, you cannot tell which keywords, ads or campaigns are generating actual enquiries and which are burning budget.
The Fix
Set up Google Ads conversion tracking immediately. Track: form submissions (thank you page), phone calls (use Google call extensions), WhatsApp button clicks, and e-commerce purchases. Once you have 30+ conversions tracked, switch your bidding to Target CPA and let Google's algorithm optimise for results.
Mistake 4: Ignoring the Search Terms Report
The Search Terms Report shows you the actual searches that triggered your ads and generated clicks. Most advertisers never look at it. Those who do find that 30–50% of their budget is being spent on completely irrelevant searches.
The Fix
Review your Search Terms Report every single week. Any search that is not relevant to your business should be added as a negative keyword immediately. Build your negative keyword list aggressively — this is one of the highest-ROI tasks in PPC management.
Mistake 5: Running Ads 24/7 Without Ad Scheduling
Not all hours are equal. For most Kenyan B2B businesses, leads that come in overnight or on Sunday mornings have very low conversion rates — people are browsing, not buying. Yet many accounts spend significant budget during these low-intent periods.
The Fix
Check your Conversion data by time of day and day of week (under Segment > Time). Identify your highest-converting hours and days. Use Ad Scheduling to increase bids during peak times and reduce or pause ads during low-performing periods.
Mistake 6: Weak Ad Copy With No Clear CTA
Generic ad copy is expensive because it has low Click-Through Rates (CTR), which reduces your Quality Score, which increases your cost per click. We routinely see ads that say nothing more than "Best [Service] in Nairobi. Contact Us Today." There is no compelling reason to click.
The Fix
Your ad needs to answer these three questions immediately: What do you offer? Why are you better than the alternatives? What should I do right now? Include specific numbers where possible: "39 Clients Served", "Free 30-Min Strategy Call", "Results in 90 Days or Money Back". Specificity beats generality every time.
Mistake 7: Set and Forget Mentality
Google Ads is not a one-time setup. Algorithms change, competition changes, seasonality shifts, and campaigns that worked brilliantly in January may be burning money by July. We regularly take over accounts where the owner "set it up last year and hasn't touched it since."
The Fix
Schedule a weekly 30-minute Google Ads review. Check: Search Terms Report, Keyword performance, Ad performance (pause underperformers, duplicate and test winners), Budget pacing, Quality Scores, and Landing page conversion rate. Monthly, review your overall campaign structure and consider whether to add new keywords or pause underperforming ones.
The Quick Audit Checklist
✅ No Broad Match keywords (or all heavily negatived)
✅ Dedicated landing pages for each ad group
✅ Conversion tracking fully set up and tested
✅ Search Terms Report reviewed this week
✅ Negative keyword list has 50+ entries
✅ Ad scheduling based on conversion data
✅ Each ad has specific numbers and a clear CTA
✅ Account reviewed and optimised in the last 7 days
If you cannot tick all of these boxes for your current campaign, you are leaving money on the table every single day. The good news is that fixing these issues typically reduces wasted spend by 40–60% and improves lead volume significantly — often within the first month of implementing the changes.
Ready to apply this to your business?
Let our team do the heavy lifting. Book a free strategy session.