Common Google Ads Mistakes Green Industry Businesses Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Google Ads can be a powerful tool for lead generation, providing immediate visibility and driving qualified traffic right to your website. But for lawn care, landscaping, and arborist business owners, it often feels like a money pit, draining your budget without delivering the expected results. The problem usually isn’t with Google Ads itself, but with common, costly Google Ads mistakes in setup and management. Google ads can be a powerful tool for lead generation but only if it’s utilized properly and effectively. Follow our tips on how to avoid making costly mistakes and start generating high-quality leads that grow your business.

Why Do So Many Green Industry Businesses Struggle With Google Ads?

Many green industry business owners jump into Google Ads without a proper strategy, treating it like a simple bulletin board ad. They might set a high budget and target broad, general keywords, leading to irrelevant clicks and wasted money. The core struggle is a lack of precision: precision in targeting, precision in ad copy, and precision in tracking. To truly succeed, you need to treat your campaigns like a finely tuned machine, constantly optimizing to avoid mistakes that hurt your profit margins. If you aren’t seeing a clear return on your investment, chances are you are making one of the common Google Ads mistakes outlined below.

Are You Making Keyword Targeting Google Ads Mistakes?

One of the most frequent and expensive Google Ads mistakes is poor keyword targeting. This happens when your ads show up for searches that have nothing to do with the services you actually offer, leading to irrelevant clicks that cost you money and don’t generate leads. You need to focus on keywords that indicate commercial intent and local need. Here’s how to avoid mistakes in keyword targeting:

• Using Broad Match Type: When you use broad match for keywords like “landscaping,” your ad can show up for searches like “landscaping ideas Pinterest” or “landscaping tools for sale.” These are not service-seeking customers. Avoid mistakes by prioritizing phrase match and exact match keywords for specific services like “lawn mowing service near me” or “tree removal company [Your City]”.
• Forgetting Negative Keywords: This is perhaps the most crucial way to avoid mistakes and save money. Negative keywords prevent your ads from showing up for irrelevant searches. You must actively add keywords like:
  • DIY
  • Free
  • Jobs or Careers
  • Home Depot or Lowes (looking for materials)
  • Pictures or Ideas
  • Used or Sale
• Targeting Services You Don’t Offer: If you only do lawn maintenance, don’t bid on expensive terms like “hardscape design” or “irrigation installation.” Focus your budget on where you can actually generate a sale.

Why Are You Sending Clicks To The Wrong Place On Your Website?

Another costly error is failing to use dedicated landing pages. Many businesses commit this major Google Ads mistake by sending all ad traffic directly to their homepage. The homepage is designed to give a general overview, not to convert a customer who just searched for a specific service.

To effectively avoid mistakes with your landing pages:

• Match Ad to Page: If your ad promises “Affordable Tree Trimming in Chicago, Illinois,” the landing page must be only about tree trimming in that area. It should not be about your company’s history or other services.
• Clear Call to Action (CTA): The landing page must have a single, prominent goal, such as a contact form or a clickable phone number, like [Telephone]. Make it easy for the visitor to take the next step.
• Speed and Mobile Optimization: Green industry customers often search while on the go. If your landing page takes more than a few seconds to load or looks terrible on a smartphone, you’ve wasted your ad spend. Optimize for mobile first.

Stop wasting money on clicks that go nowhere. Every ad should lead to a targeted landing page designed for one thing: converting the visitor into a lead.

Are You Missing Geographical And Time-Based Targeting?

Many green industry businesses waste substantial portions of their ad budget by targeting too large of an area or running ads at times when they are closed or unlikely to receive business. These are basic, yet common, advertising mistakes. Here’s how to avoid mistakes related to campaign settings:

• Broad Geographic Targeting: If your service radius is 15 miles around your city, like Cincinnati, Ohio, don’t target the entire state. You should precisely define your service area down to zip codes or a radius limit. Also, ensure you select the setting that targets people in or regularly in your location, not people interested in your location.
• Ignoring Ad Scheduling: Don’t run ads 24/7. When are you available to answer the phone? Typically, running ads during business hours, from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, is most effective. Outside of those times, clicks are far less likely to convert immediately, which is especially important for emergency services like storm-related tree work.
• Not Using Location Extensions: Make sure your Google My Business profile is linked to your ads and that you use location extensions. This displays your business address and a map link, helping local customers quickly find and trust your service. This is critical to avoid mistakes that make your business look unprofessional.

Ready to Stop Making Costly Google Ads Mistakes?

Running profitable Google Ads campaigns requires continuous monitoring, testing, and adjustment, which can be a full-time job. If you’re tired of making common Google Ads mistakes and seeing your budget disappear, it’s time to partner with experts who understand the green industry and how to effectively avoid mistakes. We know what it feels like to be frustrated with marketing. That’s why we built a system based on over 27 years of experience, not on the latest fads. We’ve helped hundreds of businesses like yours succeed by focusing on what truly works, ensuring your ad spend generates actual, high-quality leads.

Give us a call today at (225) 293-6465 and let us help you maximize your ROI.