The Paid Search Podcast | Episode 466: "9 Buttons You Should Never Click"

Release Date: June 9, 2025

Host: Chris Schaeffer, Certified Google Ads Specialist

In Episode 466 of The Paid Search Podcast, hosted by Google Ads expert Chris Schaeffer, listeners are treated to a deep dive into the pitfalls of managing Google Ads campaigns. Titled "9 Buttons You Should Never Click," this episode meticulously outlines nine specific actions within Google Ads that can be detrimental to campaign performance. Additionally, Chris addresses a listener's query and provides tailored advice for different segments of his audience, including e-commerce businesses and highly competitive B2B sectors.

Listener Question: Optimizing Geographic Targeting for Fishing Lodges

Timestamp: [03:30]

The episode kicks off with a question from Ben, who manages Google Ads for fishing lodges. Ben explains that targeting keywords like "fly fishing lodges in Montana" results in approximately 90% of clicks originating from Montana, even when targeting the entire United States. His attempts to balance this using a 75% negative bid adjustment in Montana are no longer effective.

Chris's Insight:

Chris interprets Ben's challenge as an issue of traffic prioritization by Google Ads, where cost-effective yet low-quality traffic from Montana overshadows more lucrative out-of-state prospects. He advises that instead of relying on bid adjustments, Ben should restructure his campaigns to create clear boundaries. This involves:

1. Creating Separate Campaigns:

   • Campaign 1: Exclusively targets Montana with a limited budget (e.g., 10%) to capture the necessary local interest.
   • Campaign 2: Targets the rest of the United States while explicitly excluding Montana, allocating the remaining 90% of the budget to attract high-value, out-of-state customers.

2. Adjusting Geographic Settings: Ensure that the geographic settings precisely target the desired regions, preventing inadvertent traffic from undesired areas.

Chris emphasizes the importance of budget allocation over bid adjustments in such scenarios, stating, "The only way to know if this is no longer working is to create a strong boundary between what you want and what you don't want." ([12:45])

Main Topic: 9 Buttons You Should Never Click in Google Ads

Timestamp: [15:00]

Chris transitions into his main subject, presenting nine specific actions (termed "buttons") that advertisers should avoid to maintain and enhance the effectiveness of their Google Ads campaigns. Below are the highlighted buttons along with Chris's insights:

1. Adding Search Partners to Search Campaigns

   • Explanation: Search partners often generate low-quality, spam traffic that can skew campaign metrics and waste budget.
   • Quote: "Despite what appears on screen, much of the traffic from search partners is not genuine, and you're better off disabling this feature entirely." ([18:20])

2. Adding Non-Value Converting Actions

   • Explanation: Including conversion actions that do not contribute meaningful value (e.g., time on site metrics) can distort performance data.
   • Quote: "It's like giving your daughter candy instead of teaching her to eat real food. These fake conversions lead to poor decision-making." ([23:10])

3. Switching Directly to Target CPA Bidding Without Testing

   • Explanation: Abruptly changing to a Target CPA strategy without proper testing can cause campaign performance to plummet.
   • Quote: "Setting an unrealistic Target CPA can starve your campaign of traffic, leading to a rapid decline in performance." ([27:50])

4. Running Ads on Competitors' Company Names

   • Explanation: Targeting competitors' branded keywords often results in low-quality traffic and increased costs without significant returns.
   • Quote: "Allocating budget to competitors' keywords is usually a poor investment that doesn't yield qualified leads." ([34:15])

5. Overemphasizing Search Over Shopping for E-commerce

   • Explanation: For e-commerce businesses, investing more in Shopping campaigns typically yields better ROI due to lower CPCs and higher conversion rates.
   • Quote: "Shopping campaigns are generally more efficient for product listings, offering a higher return on ad spend compared to traditional search ads." ([40:05])

6. Changing to Target ROAS Without Thorough Testing (E-commerce Specific)

   • Explanation: Similar to Target CPA, switching to Target ROAS without understanding historical performance can devastate campaign effectiveness.
   • Quote: "Doubling your target ROAS without data-driven insights can grind your campaigns to a halt." ([45:30])

7. Using Exact Match Keywords in E-commerce Search Campaigns

   • Explanation: Exact match keywords often incur higher CPCs and may not provide the desired traffic quality for e-commerce ventures.
   • Quote: "Exact match should only be used strategically after extensive testing, not as a default setting." ([50:00])

8. Running Performance Max Campaigns in Highly Competitive or Niche B2B Industries

   • Explanation: Performance Max campaigns can attract low-quality leads in specialized industries, wasting resources.
   • Quote: "In technical or highly competitive fields, Performance Max often generates spam leads that are not worth the investment." ([55:10])

9. Utilizing Broad Match Keywords in Niche or Technical Industries

   • Explanation: Broad match keywords can attract irrelevant traffic, diluting lead quality in specialized sectors.
   • Quote: "Broad match keywords are unsuitable for businesses with highly specific offerings, as they fail to capture the precise audience needed." ([58:45])

Tailored Advice for Specific Audiences

Timestamp: [60:00]

Recognizing the diverse nature of his listenership, Chris provides specialized advice for e-commerce businesses and those operating in niche or highly competitive B2B industries:

• E-commerce Businesses:

  • Prioritize Shopping campaigns over Search.
  • Exercise caution when adopting automated bidding strategies like Target ROAS, ensuring they align with historical performance data.

• Niche/B2B High-Tech Industries:

  • Avoid Performance Max and broad match keywords to maintain lead quality.
  • Focus on precise targeting and budget allocation to attract qualified traffic without overspending.

Conclusion

Throughout the episode, Chris underscores the importance of strategic decision-making in Google Ads management. By avoiding these nine critical "buttons," advertisers can safeguard their campaigns from common pitfalls, ensuring efficient budget utilization and high-quality traffic acquisition.

Final Quote: "Creating strong boundaries and making informed adjustments are key to sustaining successful Google Ads campaigns." ([1:05:30])

For more insights and personalized advice, listeners are encouraged to reach out to Chris Schaeffer at chris@schaefer.com or subscribe to the podcast on YouTube for additional content.

This comprehensive summary encapsulates the key discussions, actionable insights, and expert advice shared by Chris Schaeffer in Episode 466. Whether you're a business owner, a digital marketing professional, or a PPC freelancer, the strategies outlined provide valuable guidance to optimize your Google Ads campaigns effectively.