Start with conversion tracking
Optimising without accurate conversion data means optimising toward the wrong target. Confirm that each conversion action measures a real business outcome and that duplicate or micro-conversions are not set as primary.
Review the search terms report
The search terms report shows what people actually typed. Sort by cost and look for irrelevant terms with spend but no conversions. Add them as negatives at the appropriate level.
- Job seekers ("jobs", "salary", "careers")
- Free or DIY intent
- Competitor names you do not want to target
- Locations you do not serve
Check location and network settings
"Presence or interest" location targeting can show ads to people outside your service area. For most local businesses, "Presence" is safer. Also check whether Display Network expansion is enabled on Search campaigns.
Separate campaigns by intent and value
When high-value and low-value services share a budget, the cheaper clicks often win. Split campaigns so budget is allocated deliberately.
Align landing pages with ads
A strong ad sent to a generic homepage wastes the click. Each campaign should land on a page that matches the promise of the ad and makes the next step obvious.
Follow a repeatable weekly audit
Start with a date range that includes the normal buying cycle and conversion delay. Compare spend, qualified leads and cost per qualified lead by campaign before investigating individual keywords. A campaign with no recorded conversions may have a tracking problem, an unsuitable offer or a longer sales cycle; turning it off without investigation can hide the real issue.
Document changes to negative keywords, targeting, bidding and landing pages. Avoid making several unrelated changes at once, because you lose the ability to explain the outcome. When a search term is ambiguous, check the query in the context of the ad and destination page before excluding it. Broad exclusions can accidentally remove commercially relevant searches.
Bring lead quality back into the account
A submitted form is not automatically a valuable lead. Agree with sales which stages count as qualified, track duplicate and irrelevant enquiries, and connect reliable downstream outcomes where consent and platform requirements allow. If offline conversion imports are used, check identifier handling, upload timing and deduplication. A smaller number of good leads can be more valuable than a large number of low-intent submissions.
- Verify conversion actions and attribution settings
- Check query intent and geographic relevance
- Review landing-page clarity and mobile usability
- Reassess after enough data has accumulated
Muhammad Shaaban
Founder & Digital Marketing Specialist at DX Marketers. Muhammad focuses on connecting search, paid media, websites and measurement to practical business priorities.
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