Google Ads Low-Hanging Fruit: 25 Quick Wins You Can Implement Today

1. Add Negative Keywords You're Definitely Missing

Action: Add these universal negatives right now:

• free - Unless you offer something free
• jobs, careers, hiring, employment, salary, pay
• how to, tutorial, DIY
• download - If not offering downloads
• cheap - Unless that's your positioning
• reddit, quora, forum

Impact: Stop paying for clicks that never convert.

2. Check Location Targeting Mode

Action: Go to Campaign → Settings → Locations → Location options

Set to: "Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations"

NOT: "Presence or interest" (shows ads to anyone interested)

Impact: Stop showing ads to people not in your service area.

3. Enable All Relevant Ad Extensions

Action: Check you have ALL of these:

• Sitelinks (4 minimum)
• Callouts (4 minimum)
• Structured snippets
• Call extension (if phone leads matter)
• Location (if local business)
• Image extensions (newer, high impact)

Impact: Higher ad real estate = higher CTR = lower CPC.

4. Remove Display Network from Search Campaigns

Action: Campaign → Settings → Networks → Uncheck "Include Google Display Network"

Impact: Display clicks in Search campaigns rarely convert.

5. Exclude Low-Value Search Partners

Action: Review Search Partners performance. If CPA is 2x+ higher than Search: Uncheck "Include Google search partners"

Impact: Search Partners often deliver lower quality traffic.

6. Check for "Limited by Budget" Warnings

Action: Look at campaign status. If "Limited by budget": Either increase budget or tighten targeting.

Impact: Limited campaigns miss 20-40% of potential conversions.

7. Reallocate Budget from Losers to Winners

Action:

• Identify campaigns with highest ROAS
• Identify campaigns with lowest ROAS
• Shift 25% budget from worst to best

Impact: Same total spend, more conversions.

8. Pause Keywords with 100+ Clicks, 0 Conversions

Action: Filter keywords by clicks (100+), conversions (0). Pause these keywords.

Impact: Stop spending on proven non-converters.

9. Check Ad Schedule Performance

Action: Go to Ad schedule → Review by day and hour. If certain times have 0 conversions consistently: Consider excluding.

Impact: Stop spending during dead hours.

10. Review Device Performance

Action: Go to Devices → Review performance by device. If mobile CPA is 3x desktop: Add -30% mobile bid adjustment.

Impact: Shift spend to converting devices.

11. Add Numbers to Headlines

Action: Include specific numbers:

• "47% More Efficient"
• "10,000+ Customers"
• "Save $500/Month"
• "24/7 Support"

Impact: Numbers increase CTR by 15-20%.

12. Add Urgency Where Appropriate

Action: Add time-sensitive language:

• "Limited Time Offer"
• "This Week Only"
• "Book Today"
• "While Stock Lasts"

Impact: Urgency increases CTR and conversion rate.

13. Include Price If Competitive

Action: Add pricing to pre-qualify:

• "From $99/month"
• "Starting at $500"
• "Free Trial Available"

Impact: Pre-qualifies clicks, improves conversion rate.

14. Add Questions to Headlines

Action: Test question formats:

• "Need Project Management Software?"
• "Struggling with [Problem]?"
• "Looking for [Solution]?"

Impact: Questions increase engagement and CTR.

15. Pin Your Best Headline to Position 1

Action: In RSA, pin your highest-performing headline to Position 1. Only pin if you have strong data.

Impact: Ensures best performer always shows first.

16. Add Phrase Match for Top Exact Match Keywords

Action: Identify your best-performing exact match keywords. Add phrase match versions. Monitor search terms closely.

Impact: Discover new converting queries.

17. Mine Search Terms for New Keywords

Action: Go to Search terms report. Find queries converting at good CPA. Add them as exact match keywords.

Impact: Add proven winners to your keyword list.

18. Check for Keyword Conflicts

Action: Search for same keyword in multiple campaigns. If found: Consolidate to avoid self-competition.

Impact: Cleaner data, better optimization.

19. Add Competitor Brand Keywords

Action: Create ad group targeting competitor names:

• [competitor name]
• [competitor name] alternative
• [competitor name] vs [your brand]

Impact: Capture customers comparison shopping.

20. Add "Near Me" Variations (Local Only)

Action: For local businesses, add:

• [service] near me
• [service] [city name]
• [service] [neighborhood]

Impact: Capture high-intent local searches.

21. Add Trust Signals Above the Fold

Action: Add to top of landing page:

• Customer logos
• Review scores (4.8/5 stars)
• "Trusted by X customers"
• Security badges
• Industry certifications

Impact: Trust increases conversion rates 10-20%.

22. Simplify Your Form

Action: Reduce form fields to minimum:

• Name
• Email
• Phone (if needed)
• Remove everything else

Impact: Every removed field increases completion 5-10%.

23. Make CTA Button Obvious

Action: Ensure CTA button is:

• Contrasting color
• Large enough to click
• Action-oriented text ("Get Your Free Quote")
• Above the fold
• Repeated at page bottom

Impact: Clear CTAs significantly improve conversion.

24. Check Mobile Experience

Action: Test your landing page on mobile:

• Is the form easy to fill?
• Does CTA show above fold?
• Is text readable without zooming?
• Does it load in under 3 seconds?

Impact: 60%+ of traffic is mobile.

25. Add Live Chat or Click-to-Call

Action: Add instant contact options:

• Live chat widget
• Click-to-call button (mobile)
• WhatsApp integration

Impact: Reduces friction for ready-to-buy visitors.

Start Here: Highest Impact, Lowest Effort

Priority	Actions	Time	Expected Impact
1	Add universal negative keywords (#1)	5 min	Stop 10-20% wasted spend
2	Fix location targeting mode (#2)	5 min	Eliminate irrelevant traffic
3	Enable all ad extensions (#3)	15 min	Improve CTR 10-15%
4	Remove Display from Search (#4)	2 min	Stop low-quality clicks
5	Reallocate budget (#7)	10 min	More conversions, same spend

Total Effort vs. Expected Results

Section	Time Required	Expected Improvement
Immediate Wins (1-5)	25 minutes	15-25% waste reduction
Budget Wins (6-10)	50 minutes	10-20% efficiency gain
Ad Copy Wins (11-15)	75 minutes	15-30% CTR improvement
Keyword Wins (16-20)	75 minutes	10-20% more conversions
Landing Page Wins (21-25)	100 minutes	10-25% conversion lift

Total: 4-6 hours of work for 15-35% CPA reduction.