By Henry Bell – Google Ads Specialist
Struggling to get clicks on your Google Ads campaign? You’re not alone.
It’s frustrating to pour time and money into ads, only to see little or no traffic. For many businesses, it feels like shouting into the void. Here’s the truth: low performance doesn’t always mean your product or offer is bad. It usually means something small, but critical, is broken in your setup.
The good news? Most click issues are fixable
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the 11 most common reasons your Google Ads aren’t getting clicks and what you can do today to turn things around. Whether you’re managing your account or running ads for clients, these insights will help you save budget, gain traction, and get the leads you want.
1. Low Bids = No Auction Wins
Your bids are too low to compete in the auction. In Google Ads, brands are competing against each other in an auction. Because you’re in an auction, you must compete. If your account spend is too low to compete, your ads will not show.
Solution: Make your daily spend high enough to compete at auction time. Increase your max CPC, or switch to an automated bid strategy like Maximize Clicks to get started. Once data starts rolling in, you can pivot to another strategy later.
2. Keywords Have Low Search Volume
You’re targeting keywords with little to no demand. If people aren’t searching for the keywords you’ve selected, you won’t get clicks no matter how good your ads are.
Solution: Use Google Ads Keyword Planner or another keyword tool to find higher-volume, more relevant alternatives. Focus on intent-based keywords. The kind that aligns with your business goals and converts browsers into buyers.
3. Ads Are Not Eligible (Disapproved or Limited)
Your ads may be disapproved or limited by policy. I’ve seen ads get flagged for a range of reasons: copy violations, asset issues, landing page errors, or even sensitive political topics. Limited ads don’t show as often. Disapproved ads don’t show at all.
Solution: Check the Policy Manager in Google Ads. Fix the violations and request a review. Ensure your ad copy, landing page, and creative assets follow Google’s policies.
4. Poor Ad Copy That Doesn’t Attract Clicks
Your headlines and descriptions aren’t compelling or relevant. This is the first thing users see, so no matter how much effort you’ve put into your campaign. If your message doesn’t speak to their needs, they’ll scroll past.
Solution: Test a new copy that uses emotional triggers, clear benefits, and strong calls to action (e.g., “Book Your Free Estimate Today”). A/B test different versions to find top performers.
5. Wrong or Exact Match Types
Using broad match often leads to poor targeting, while exact match can limit your reach, especially if you’re not getting any traction.
Solution: Take a curious, test-first approach. If exact match doesn’t produce action, experiment with other match types. Regularly review your Search Terms Report to refine and improve your keyword strategy.
6. Low Quality Score
A low Quality Score reduces your ad rank and impressions. This score is Google’s way of ranking how well your ads perform during the auction. I still believe it’s worth the effort to improve it.
Solution: Boost your ad relevance, click-through rate (CTR), and landing page experience. Align your keyword → ad copy → landing page flow to create a seamless and relevant experience.
7. Your Budget Is Too Low for Your Market
Your daily budget is too small to compete, especially in high-cost industries. If your daily budget is $15, but the average cost per click is $20 (or even $12), you’re already behind.
Solution: Increase your budget during peak hours or top-performing days. Alternatively, narrow your targeting (location, time, etc.) to stretch your budget further. Make sure your budget supports your auction goals.
8. Ad Schedule Is Too Limited
Your ads aren’t running when users are searching. From experience, I don’t set ad schedules right away. I let the data tell me when users engage. This usually happens in the first few weeks. Then I go ahead and apply it.
Solution: Once you have enough data, check your ad schedule settings. Look for opportunities to expand and include the hours or days when your audience is most active.
9. Targeting Narrowly
Targeting too wide an area wastes budget. Too narrow limits your reach and potential conversions.
Refine your geo-targeting based on performance. Focus your spend on top-converting service areas where leads are more likely to turn into paying customers.
10. Negative Keywords Are Blocking Good Traffic
Over-aggressive or overly broad negative keywords may filter out qualified traffic. It’s good to protect your account, but don’t let solid opportunities slip through.
Solution: Regularly review your negative keyword list and remove anything that might be conflicting with your top-performing search terms.
11. You’re Too Early – Google Needs Time to Learn
Google Ads needs time to exit the learning phase and optimize for better delivery. If you panic and make too many changes too early, you could hurt performance.
Solution: Be patient. Let your campaign run for at least two weeks before making major changes. Monitor trends and make decisions based on patterns, not daily fluctuations.
Fixing the Google Ads not getting clicks issue usually means going back to the foundation: the right keywords, bids, ad copy, and targeting, all perfectly aligned with user intent. Google Ads isn’t magic, and it’s not always instant. However, with the right tweaks and patience, it works.
💼 I work with service businesses and ad agencies to increase lead volume and quality.
If you’re looking for a no-BS ad audit, Contact me.
