[Caitlyn Garner]

Hai all, I’m currently looking at a Google Ads PPC campaign that is getting a decent number of clicks, but the conversions are much lower than expected. The traffic is coming in, but it doesn’t seem to be turning into leads or customers.

I’d like to understand where the problem could be before making major changes to the campaign or increasing the ad budget.

1. Check Keyword Intent​

The first thing I’m considering is whether the keywords are attracting people who actually have buying or enquiry intent. Some keywords can generate plenty of traffic but bring visitors who are only looking for general information.

I’d also like to know how important it is to review the actual search terms and add irrelevant queries as negative keywords.

2. Review the Ad Copy​

Could the problem be with the messaging in the ads?

If the ad promises something that the landing page doesn’t clearly provide, users may click but leave quickly. I’m wondering how much the headline, offer, call-to-action, and overall relevance affect conversion rates.

3. Analyze the Landing Page​

The landing page seems like another important area to investigate.

Things such as page speed, mobile responsiveness, confusing navigation, weak CTAs, too much information, or a complicated enquiry form could potentially cause visitors to leave without converting.

4. Verify Conversion Tracking​

Before changing the campaign itself, should conversion tracking be checked?

If Google Ads, Google Analytics, or Google Tag Manager isn’t recording conversions correctly, the campaign may actually be performing better than the data suggests.

5. Look at Device and Audience Performance​

I’d also like to compare performance across mobile and desktop users, locations, audiences, and different times of the day.

Sometimes the overall campaign looks fine, while one particular device, location, or audience segment is responsible for most of the wasted spend.

6. Review Bidding and Search Terms​

Finally, I’m wondering whether the bidding strategy could be contributing to the issue. If Google is optimizing toward clicks rather than meaningful conversions, the campaign may bring in traffic without necessarily bringing qualified prospects.

What Would You Check First?​

For those who have managed Google Ads campaigns, what is your usual troubleshooting process when you see high clicks but low conversions?

Would you start with conversion tracking, search terms, keywords, landing page experience, ad copy, or bidding settings?

I’d especially appreciate practical experiences or examples of what turned out to be the actual problem and what changes helped improve conversions.

 

[Erinkelly]

I’d personally check conversion tracking first before changing anything else. If the tracking is incorrect, you could end up optimizing a campaign based on bad data. Once tracking is confirmed, I’d move on to search terms and landing page performance.