Running Google Ads as a small or medium-sized business can feel overwhelming. You set up a campaign, choose a few keywords, maybe even boost a post, and then… nothing. The phone doesn’t ring, sales don’t come in, and it feels like you’re just paying Google for clicks that never turn into customers.

The truth is, most businesses don’t fail at Google Ads because the platform doesn’t work. They fail because a few critical pieces are missing: proper tracking, clean data, the right keywords, and focused campaigns. Without those foundations, you’re flying blind and wasting money.

The good news? Fixing these issues doesn’t require a massive budget or a marketing degree. In this guide, we’ll walk through five proven Google Ads fixes that can transform your campaigns from money pits into customer generators. Each one is straightforward, practical, and designed for businesses that need leads and sales, not just clicks.

By the end, you’ll know exactly where to start, what to fix, and how to make Google Ads finally work for your business.

‍

Fix #1: Set Up Conversion Tracking in Google Tag Manager

If you aren’t tracking conversions in Google Ads, you’re essentially flying blind. You might see clicks and impressions in your reports, but none of that matters if you don’t know which ads actually lead to calls, form fills, or purchases.

Conversion tracking is what separates ads that grow your business from ads that waste your budget. The fix starts with Google Tag Manager. By installing its container code on your site and setting up conversion tags, you’ll have the ability to measure the actions that matter. Google even provides a step-by-step guide for conversion tracking setup.

For many of our clients at Snack Club Marketing, simply cleaning up conversion tracking was enough to cut wasted spend and instantly see which campaigns were worth keeping.

‍

Fix #2: Get Google Analytics 4 Tracking the Right Data

Google Ads tells you what happens after someone clicks, but it doesn’t give the full picture. That’s where Google Analytics 4 (GA4) comes in. GA4 shows you how people interact with your site, where they came from, and what actions they take after the click.

The problem? Many businesses still have old Universal Analytics tags running, which no longer track properly. If your GA4 isn’t connected to Google Ads, you’re making decisions with only half the story.

By linking GA4 and Ads, you can share audiences, pass conversions back into campaigns, and finally see which clicks drive revenue. At Snack Club, we often find that once GA4 is set up correctly, clients discover insights they’ve been missing for months — like which keywords actually bring in phone calls versus which just drive traffic.

‍

Fix #3: Choose Keywords That Bring in Buyers

Keywords make or break a campaign. Too many small businesses waste money bidding on broad terms like “plumber” or “roofing,” only to show up for irrelevant searches like “how to become a plumber.” (Google’s breakdown of keyword match types is worth reviewing if this feels fuzzy.)

Instead, focus on high-intent searches: “roof repair Minneapolis,” “emergency plumber near me,” or “best HVAC installation.” These are buyer-ready keywords. Start with phrase match and exact match, then use your Search Terms Report to refine.

This is where paid search and SEO strategy overlap. Both rely on understanding search intent. A short list of 10–20 high-intent keywords will outperform a messy list of hundreds every single time.

‍

Fix #4: Retarget Website Visitors With YouTube Ads

Most people don’t become customers the first time they land on your site. They get distracted, shop around, or decide to “think about it.” Without retargeting, those visitors are gone for good.

YouTube retargeting is one of the most affordable ways to bring them back. By creating an audience in GA4 (all visitors who didn’t convert) and sharing it to Google Ads, you can run short video ads that keep your brand top-of-mind. (Google’s ad format guide has the technical details.)

We’ve run these campaigns at Snack Club for as little as $15/day and consistently seen warm leads return and convert. Even a simple 30-second video shot on your phone can work if it explains who you are, what problem you solve, and how to contact you.

‍

Fix #5: Use a Landing Page Built for Conversions

One of the fastest ways to waste money on Google Ads is sending traffic to your homepage. Homepages are often cluttered and distract visitors with too many options. A landing page, on the other hand, is built with one goal in mind — and that clarity dramatically boosts conversion rates.

The best landing pages have a clear headline, a few quick benefits, social proof like reviews, and an easy-to-find call to action. They remove navigation, keep copy short, and use a single image or video tied directly to the ad campaign.

Tools like Unbounce or even Wix can help you spin up dedicated pages quickly. And if you want pages custom-built for performance, that’s part of what we handle at Snack Club Marketing.

‍

Conclusion

Getting results from Google Ads isn’t about outspending your competitors. It’s about getting the fundamentals right: conversion tracking, GA4, buyer keywords, retargeting, and landing pages.

Even fixing just one or two of these areas can make a noticeable difference. Implement all five and you’ll have a system designed to turn ad spend into real customers.

If you’d like help putting these fixes in place, Snack Club Marketing is here to make digital advertising easier and more approachable for small and medium-sized businesses.

‍

FAQs

How much should a small business spend on Google Ads?

‍
Staring small is okay. $1,500 -$2,000 per month is usually enough to test. Scale up only once you see positive ROI.

What’s the difference between GA4 and Universal Analytics?

‍
Universal Analytics stopped processing new data in July 2023. GA4 is Google’s new event-based platform that provides deeper insights and is required moving forward.

Do YouTube ads actually work for small businesses?
‍

Yes. YouTube/Display retargeting is one of the cheapest ways to stay in front of warm leads, often costing just a few cents per view.

‍