Preventing Waste: How to Get the Most Out of Your Google Ads Spend

Running Google Ads can feel like a balancing act—powerful reach on one side, budget wastage on the other. With Google’s AI features making campaign setup faster than ever, the temptation to “set it and forget it” is real. But if you want to stretch every dollar, automation needs a thoughtful human touch.

Here’s how you can pair AI with foundational strategies to avoid wasted spend and build better-performing campaigns.

1. Negative Keywords: Your Best Defense Against Irrelevant Clicks

Think of negative keywords as filters—without them, your ads risk showing up when users aren't your customers.

• Save 10–20% of your budget quickly
  Karooya claims advertisers can cut wasted spend by 10–20% in minutes just by implementing negative keyword recommendations. (com)
• Budget leakage can be massive
  Some audits reveal that poor keyword targeting can consume 40–60% of a small business’s Google Ads budget without generating meaningful results. (blackbird-digital.com)
• Improved metrics, better cost efficiency
  Negative keywords refine relevance, improving CTR, Quality Score, conversion rates, and lowering cost-per-click. (Wots The Big Idea (WTBI), InvisiblePPC)

Examples you might include:

• Exclude job-related terms (“jobs,” “careers,” “employment”) if you're not hiring.
• Filter out DIY-related searches (“how to,” “tutorial,” “DIY”) if you're offering a service, not information.
• Remove common names, particularly useful in sectors like law or healthcare.

Review your Search Terms report regularly to continuously refine your list.

2. Ad Scheduling: Be Present When It Counts

Running ads 24/7 is less about coverage and more about wasted budget during low-performance hours.

• Off-hours click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate drop significantly
  Service Direct’s study (covering 16 million searches and ~$1.8M in spend across 856 accounts) found:
  • Business hours (6 am–6 pm):8% conversion rate
  • After-hours (6 pm–6 am): only 3.5% conversion rate
  • After-hours CPC was 16% cheaper ($4.50 vs. $5.35), but conversions were much lower. (co.uk)
• Smart bidding and scheduling still compatible
  A January 2025 update clarified that ad scheduling remains available in Smart Bidding campaigns, despite earlier confusion. (Search Engine Land)

Best practices:

• Use ads only during hours when conversions are strong—especially if you rely on calls or human interactions.
• Combine scheduling with Smart Bidding for optimized bidding during your ideal periods. (Marketing Together, Search Engine Land)

3. Geo-Targeting: Focus Where It Matters Most

Targeting the right location matters—cast too wide a net, and a lot of budget sinks into low-potential clicks.

• ROI improves with precise targeting
  Geo-targeting lets ads reach only the locations you serve, improving relevance and ROI. (Google Help, beanstalk-digital.com, HawkSEM)
• Maximize efficiency with geo-targeting
  A 2025 guide recommends focusing spend on high-performing locations, using tighter targeting, and tailoring ad copy based on location to “reduce wasted spend and increase conversions.” (Velocity)

Suggestions:

• • Keep service-area campaigns focused within a realistic radius to avoid inefficiencies caused by travel costs.
  • For brick-and-mortar businesses, consider how far your customers realistically travel—if a competitor is 15 minutes closer, your broader targeting may be wasted.
  • Use responsive ad copy or location-specific messaging (e.g., “Your Local HVAC Solution in [City]”).

Bringing It All Together

AI tools can launch and manage campaigns at scale—but the real magic happens when you apply negative keywords, ad scheduling, and geo-targeting. These fundamentals help you combat waste and focus on high-intent traffic likely to convert.

At the end of the day, Google Ads isn’t just about generating traffic—it’s about driving the right traffic. By using negative keywords to cut waste, scheduling ads to match when people convert, and narrowing your geographic focus, you ensure that every advertising dollar goes toward meaningful results. With these strategies in place, your budget works harder—and your campaigns perform better.