Week of 6/24/26

We saw another paid search issue this week where the campaigns were working against each other.

The same keywords were showing up in multiple campaigns at the same time, including the brand name. That can create confusion inside the account. Instead of having a clear structure, the campaigns may end up competing for the same searches, which can push costs up and make performance harder to read.

A Google Ads account should make it easier to understand what is driving results, not harder. When campaigns overlap too much, the first step is usually cleaning up the structure before making bigger decisions. ●

Week of 6/10/26

Another Google Ads observation this week. We see a lot of different issues with paid search, and one of the simplest ones is easy to overlook.

Google Ads is often talked about in terms of budgets, bids, and settings. Those things matter, but they are not what a customer sees first. A search ad still has to earn the click, and that usually starts with making the right keywords visible in the ad copy.

If someone searches for a specific service, product, or problem, the ad should make it clear that the business is relevant to that search. Good ad copy does not need to be clever or lead with broad claims like satisfaction guaranteed. It needs to be clear, specific, and connected to what the customer is already looking for. ●

Week of 6/3/26

We’ve seen Google Ads accounts where the first move is to turn on every automation and accept whatever recommendations Google puts in front of the advertiser.

That should raise a flag. Automation can be useful, but it still needs context. A good Google Ads conversation should include questions about goals, average order value, revenue, margins, daily budget, conversion tracking, and what actually counts as a good lead or sale.

If someone is only clicking through recommendations without asking how the business works, that is not strategy. It is account management without enough information. ●

Week of 5/20/26

A common pattern we see is a business owner trying to manage Google Ads on their own. Sometimes they have enough knowledge to get started, but not enough time to keep checking the account, questioning the recommendations, or knowing which changes are worth making.

The harder cases are the accounts that have been left on autopilot. A few broad recommendations get applied, automation takes over, and the spend keeps moving without much thought behind it. That does not always mean the account is broken, but it usually means someone needs to slow down and look at what is actually happening.

You do not always need a full agency setup and management. For many small business owners, a few hours of practical advice can help bring clarity to your Google Ads account and spend. From there, you can make the decision to manage yourself with guidance or hand it off to an expert. ●