How to Improve Your Google Ads Conversion Rate

Ever feel like you’re just donating money to Google instead of actually making sales? Yeah, you’re not alone. Running Google Ads can be frustrating if your conversion rate is low. But don’t worry—I’ve got your back. Let’s break down five easy (and not-so-boring) ways to boost your Google Ads conversion rate and actually get some ROI.

1. Make Your Landing Page Actually Work

Imagine clicking on an ad for an amazing deal, only to land on a website that looks like it was built in 1999 or talking about a totally different subject than the ad you actually clicked on? Yikes. Your landing page has one job—convert visitors. Here’s how to make that happen:

• Keep it simple. No one wants to read an essay. Get to the point, talk about your offer, your solution.
• Match your ad. If your ad says “50% off running shoes,” your landing page better be about running shoes on sale. Relevancy is key.
• Speed matters. If your page takes longer to load than a microwave burrito, people will bounce. Now, loading your page in 2s or 3s is not a big difference, don’t over spend time on that once you achieve a good loading time.
• Clear CTA (Call to Action). Make your “Buy Now” or “Sign Up” button impossible to miss. Again, we are talking about your offer or solution, get people to act on it.

Basically you want a quick, clearly structured, concise landing page that is actually relevant to the search of the user and the ad you presented to them after their search.

Pro tip: Test different versions of your landing page to see which one gets the most conversions. Even tiny changes, like button color or headline tweaks, can make a big difference, this is called A/B testing.

2. Stop Wasting Money on the Wrong Keywords

If you’re targeting too broad, vague keywords, you’re basically throwing money into a black hole. Instead, focus on high-intent keywords—the ones that signal people are ready to take action. Put yourself in your customers’ shoes, what would they be searching for online that would match your business, your products or services?

• Use long-tail keywords. “Best running shoes for flat feet” beats “running shoes” every time.
• Negative keywords are your BFF. Stop showing ads to people looking for free stuff or jobs at your company (unless you’re hiring, of course).
• Check search terms. Regularly review what people are actually typing in before clicking your ad. You’d be surprised.

If you are targeting a bunch of broad keywords, you will be bidding on them and can actually generate clicks and therefore spend money on those broad, non focused keywords that don’t reflect your offer. Make sure you are precise with the keywords you focus and make sure you exclude those you don’t want. This will also help you lower your CPC (Cost Per Click) and increase your CTR (Click Through Rate).

3. Write Ads That Don’t Suck

Your ad needs to grab attention and make people want to click—without being clickbait-y. Here’s how:

• Highlight benefits, not just features. Instead of “Waterproof hiking boots,” try “Stay dry on any trail with our waterproof hiking boots.”
• Use numbers & power words. “Save 30% today!” works better than “Big discount available.” That way you actually make it clear what you have to offer.
• Make it personal. Speak directly to your audience: “Tired of bad WiFi? Get lightning-fast internet today.”

I know, making ads that don’t suck seems easier said than done, but with some practice, you will improve your ads and see big changes. Make sure you are talking to your audience, to your core customer; what do they want to hear, what are they expecting, what can you offer them? Start there.

4. Use Smart Bidding

Manually adjusting bids is exhausting, it takes time and a lot of experience to master it. Instead, let Google do some of the heavy lifting with smart bidding strategies:

• Maximize Conversions: Google optimizes bids to get the most conversions for your budget.
• Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Perfect if you want to hit specific revenue goals.
• Maximize Clicks: Focuses on getting the most clicks possible. Good to start a campaign or when you don’t have a lot of historical conversion data.

Pro tip: Don’t just set it and forget it. Keep an eye on performance and tweak as needed. This is what makes the difference between a successful campaign and a “end in a tragic way” campaign. You need to stay on top of things.

5. Retarget Like a Pro

Ever notice how that pair of shoes you looked at online follows you around the internet? That’s retargeting, and it’s crazy effective.

• Show ads to past visitors. Bring back people who checked out your site but didn’t buy.
• Use dynamic retargeting. Show people the exact products they viewed.
• Don’t be creepy. Nobody wants to see the same ad 50 times a day. Set frequency caps.

To use retargeting (or remarketing) you can use the Google Display Network with the Display Campaigns. This type of campaigns allows you to show your ads in a very visual way on partner websites, to people who have interacted with your website but not necessarily converted. Learn how to use Google Ads Display campaigns.

Conclusion

Improving your Google Ads conversion rate doesn’t have to feel like rocket science. Focus on a killer landing page, smart keyword strategy, engaging ads, and the power of automation. And if all else fails, maybe it’s time to get a Google Ads agency to do the heavy lifting.

Now go forth and make your ads actually work! 🚀

FAQ – How to Improve Your Google Ads Conversion