Running ads on Google can be one of the fastest ways to drive traffic, generate leads, and grow your business. However, many advertisers unknowingly make mistakes when setting up ad sets (commonly known as ad groups in Google Ads), which can waste budget and reduce performance. At Achyutam Technology, we’ve seen these errors time and again when auditing campaigns for clients—and the good news is, they’re easy to fix once you know what to look out for.

1. Targeting Too Many Keywords in One Ad Set

One of the most common mistakes is cramming dozens of keywords into a single ad set. This makes it difficult for your ads to match user intent and lowers Quality Score. Instead, keep your ad sets tightly themed with closely related keywords.

Tip from Achyutam Technology: Group keywords by intent, not just by product or service category.

2. Writing Generic Ad Copy

If your ad copy doesn’t directly reflect the keywords in your ad set, Google won’t reward you with higher relevance. This leads to lower click-through rates and higher CPCs.

Pro Tip: Create ad copy that mirrors the keyword theme of each ad set and speaks to the user’s exact search intent.

3. Ignoring Negative Keywords

Without negative keywords, your ads may trigger for irrelevant searches, burning through your budget. Many advertisers overlook this when setting up new ad sets.

Tip from Achyutam Technology: Regularly review the search terms report and add negatives to keep your targeting sharp.

4. Not Testing Multiple Ads per Ad Set

Relying on a single ad variation is risky. You won’t know what messaging works best without testing.

Best Practice: Always run at least 2–3 ad variations per ad set to see what resonates with your audience.

5. Poor Audience Targeting

Even with strong keywords and ad copy, broad targeting can bring the wrong clicks. Skipping audience refinements is a costly mistake.

Achyutam Technology Insight: Use audience segments (in-market, remarketing, custom intent) to refine who sees your ads.

6. Forgetting to Align Landing Pages

Many campaigns send traffic to a homepage or a generic landing page, which doesn’t match the ad’s promise. This creates a disconnect and hurts conversions.

Pro Tip: Match each ad set with a dedicated, highly relevant landing page for maximum ROI.

7. Not Monitoring Performance Regularly

Some advertisers set up ad sets and forget to check performance until the budget is gone. Optimization is key to success.

Achyutam Technology Recommendation: Review performance at least weekly, focusing on CTR, conversion rate, and Quality Score.

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Final Thoughts

Setting up ad sets (ad groups) in Google Ads may seem simple, but the small mistakes add up and can drain your advertising budget. By avoiding these common pitfalls, you can build more effective campaigns that deliver results.

At Achyutam Technology, we specialize in Google Ads strategy, setup, and optimization. If you’re looking to maximize ROI and avoid costly mistakes, our team can help you create high-performing ad campaigns tailored to your business goals.