Are my Google Ads wasting money?
Possibly, and you can find out in under an hour. Check that conversions are tracked correctly, read the search terms you are paying for, confirm your location and network settings, and look at the page each ad sends people to. Most waste shows up in one of those four places.
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Short answer above. Last updated 27 October 2026 by the Trusted Media team.
Step by step
Check conversion tracking
In Goals, check which actions count as conversions. Each real enquiry should count once; newsletter sign-ups and page views should not be counted as leads.
Read the search terms
Open the search terms report for the last 30 days. Add irrelevant searches (jobs, free, DIY, other services) as negative keywords.
Check locations
In campaign settings, make sure you target people in your area, not people “interested in” it, unless that is deliberate.
Check networks
In search campaigns, check whether the Display Network or search partners are switched on and whether they produce real enquiries.
Check landing pages
Click your own ads on a phone. Each should land on a fast page about that exact service, with one clear way to enquire.
The honest limits
These checks find the most common leaks, not every problem. If your tracking is broken, fix that first, because every other decision depends on it.
Where Trusted Media fits
Want a second pair of eyes? The free Growth Audit includes a paid-spend and tracking review. Ongoing management is in our Paid Growth Retainer, from £750 a month +VAT plus ad spend.
Google Ads not profitable?Every tap counts
Most enquiries now start on a phone
Fast pages, one clear next step and proper tracking turn those taps into real conversations with your team.
Frequently Asked Questions
Every account has some. What matters is whether you can see it and are cutting it regularly.
Yes, as long as you read them first. Avoid blocking words that could appear in good searches.
Not for these checks. An agency helps most with tracking set-up, landing pages and ongoing testing.