top of page

Why Your Google Ads Aren't Getting Clicks

Your Google Ads are running. Money's leaving your account. But nobody's clicking. What the hell is going on?


I'm Kelsey with KaeRae Marketing, and I've managed Google Ads for home service businesses since 2015. Low click-through rates are one of the most common problems I see — and the fix is usually simpler than you think.


Let me show you the 4 reasons your ads aren't getting clicked and exactly what to do about each one.


First — your headline is boring. I know that sounds harsh, but hear me out.


If your ad says 'Quality Plumbing Services' or 'Trusted HVAC Company,' you sound like everyone else. Your potential customer is scrolling through 3 or 4 ads that all say the same thing.


What works better? Specificity.


Instead of 'Quality Plumbing Services,' try '24/7 Emergency Plumber - We Answer in 15 Minutes.'


See the difference? One tells me what you do. The other tells me what I get.


Second — you're not using all the real estate Google gives you.


Google Ads lets you add extensions — your phone number, your address, links to specific pages, callouts like 'Free Estimates' or 'Licensed & Insured.'


If you're not using these, your ad looks smaller than your competitors'. And smaller ads get fewer clicks. It's that simple.


I'll drop a link in the description to a video on how to set these up if you need help.


Third — and this one drives me crazy — you might be showing up for searches that have nothing to do with what you actually offer.


If you're a plumber bidding on the keyword 'plumber,' you might be showing up for 'plumber salary,' 'how to become a plumber,' or 'plumber's crack.'


I wish I was joking.


Check your search terms report. That's where you'll see the actual words people typed before clicking your ad. If it's full of junk, you need negative keywords — words that tell Google 'don't show my ad for this.'


I have a whole video on this. I'll link it.


Fourth — your competitors might just be outbidding you.


If your ad is showing at the bottom of the page — or not showing at all during peak hours — you're probably being outranked. That doesn't always mean you need to spend more money. Sometimes it means you need to improve your Quality Score, which is Google's rating of how relevant your ad is.


Better ads, better landing pages, better keywords — all of that helps you pay less per click AND show up higher.


So if your Google Ads aren't getting clicks, check these four things:

One — make your headlines specific, not generic.

Two — use all your ad extensions.

Three — check your search terms and add negative keywords.

Four — look at your ad position and Quality Score.


Start with the search terms report. That's usually where the worst problems are hiding.

Comments

bottom of page