You've set up your Google Ads campaign. You're spending money every month. But when you look at your results, something feels off. The clicks are there, but the phone isn't ringing. The traffic shows up in your reports, but your inbox stays quiet.
Sound familiar?
Paid advertising is one of the most powerful tools available to small businesses today. When it works, it can deliver instant visibility and real revenue-generating leads. But when it doesn't, it's just money disappearing into the void. After managing campaigns for hundreds of businesses, I've seen the same mistakes repeated over and over. The good news is that they're fixable.
The "Set It and Forget It" Trap
Many business owners think the initial setup is where they’ll make their biggest mistakes. It’s not. It's what happens afterwards. You get excited, launch your campaign, and then... nothing. You let it run on autopilot, assuming the platform knows what it's doing.
But here's what happens: Google and Facebook want you to spend more money. That's their business model. Their automated recommendations will always push you toward higher budgets and broader targeting. Without active management, you're just optimizing for their goals instead of your own. As someone who has seen this time and time again, please turn off the autopilot!
We've taken over accounts where businesses were spending $2,000 a month with almost nothing to show for it. After a few weeks of hands-on management—adjusting keywords, refining targeting, improving landing pages—they started seeing real results at half the cost.
The paid ad platforms change constantly. What worked two months ago might not work today. User behaviour shifts. New targeting options appear. If you're not paying attention, you’ll find that your ads are no longer targeting your desired audience.
You're Targeting the Wrong People (or Everyone)
When you first set up a campaign, it's tempting to cast a wide net. You want to reach as many people as possible, but more reach doesn't mean more results.
Poor targeting is like shouting into a crowded room and hoping the right person hears you. Instead, walk up to the people who actually need what you offer and start a conversation.
This means regularly refining your keywords, adjusting your audience segments, and paying attention to which searches actually convert. An on-call plumber in Red Deer doesn't need to show up for every plumbing-related search in Alberta. They need to show up for "24-hour plumber Red Deer" when someone's basement floods at midnight.
You're Not Tracking What Actually Matters
Do you know how many actual leads your ads generated last month?
Not clicks. Not impressions. Not website visits. Leads. Real people who filled out a form, called your number, or took a specific action that moves them closer to becoming a customer.
Most businesses can't answer that question. They look at vanity metrics—clicks and reach—and assume things are working. But clicks don't pay the bills. Customers do.
Proper tracking means setting up conversion goals, monitoring form submissions, and tracking phone calls. It means knowing exactly which ads generated which leads, and being able to put names, timestamps, and contact information to those conversions.
When you have that level of transparency, you can make informed decisions. You can see, for example, that five out of 20 inquiries turned into paying customers, and that your return on investment is positive. Or you can see that you're getting lots of clicks but no conversions, which tells you the problem isn't your ads, it's your landing page or your follow-up process.
You're on the Wrong Platform
Not all advertising platforms are created equal. Google Ads works brilliantly for high-intent searches—people actively looking for a solution right now. Facebook and Instagram work better for visual products and building awareness. LinkedIn is ideal for business-to-business services.
If you're a plumber advertising on LinkedIn, you're probably wasting money. If you're a B2B consultant relying solely on Facebook, you're missing your audience.
Start with strategy first. Where does your ideal customer spend their time online? Where do they go when they need what you offer? That's where your ad budget should go.
Once you've found traction on one platform and you're seeing consistent results, then you can expand. But trying to be everywhere at once usually means you're effective nowhere.
How to Fix Your Paid Ads
Start simple. If you're just getting into paid advertising, a $500 monthly budget is a solid starting point for most small local businesses. Pick one platform and focus there. I usually recommend Google for high-intent searches.
Manage actively. Check your campaigns at least weekly. Look at which keywords are performing, which ads are getting clicks, and which ones are actually generating leads. Then adjust as you go.
Track everything. Set up proper conversion tracking so you know exactly what's working. If you can't measure it, you can't improve it.
Get help if you need it. Your time is valuable. If managing ads yourself means taking time away from running your business, it's worth having professionals handle it. A good agency will save you money by optimizing your spend and give you back hours of your week.
If you're looking for help in building and implementing a pay-per-click advertising system that drives results, reach out to EDGE Marketing & Design. We have the tools and expertise to help you make data-driven decisions that grow your advertising ROI.
December 23, 2025
Posted By Robert van Ginkel
Project Manager
Robert specializes in developing targeted marketing strategies that deliver measurable results while staying on schedule and within budget. A graduate of the Donald School of Business, he stays current with the latest digital marketing trends and brings a passion for creative problem-solving and clean design to every project.
Share This Article
