FLAI10 online advertising mistakes that cost you money
The most common mistakes businesses make with Google, Facebook and Instagram ads, and how to fix them easily. Clear and with examples.
Pragmadad · · 2 min read
After years of working with ads, we keep seeing the same mistakes. The good news is that most can be fixed quickly and cheaply. Here are the ten most common.
1. Ads run without tracking
The business sees clicks but doesn't know how much it sold. Ad platforms then optimize blind. Fix: set up purchase and lead tracking before you spend your first euro.
2. Everyone goes to the homepage
Someone clicks an ad for winter jackets and lands on the store's homepage, where they have to search for jackets. Many leave. Fix: every ad leads to a page that matches exactly what the ad promises.
3. One ad forever
The same ad runs for months. People know it and ignore it. Fix: add new images and videos regularly, ideally every two weeks.
4. Switching off a campaign too early
After three days it seems not to work, so the campaign is switched off. But platforms can take two weeks to learn. Fix: give the campaign time and evaluate once there's enough data.
5. The website doesn't work on mobile
Most people click ads on their phones. If the page loads slowly or is hard to buy on, you pay for clicks that can't end in a purchase. Fix: try buying on your own phone. If it annoys you, it annoys your customers too.
6. Judging by likes
The ad gets lots of likes and comments but no sales. Likes don't pay the bills. Fix: track what a customer costs you, not how many people saw or liked the ad.
7. Advertising everything at once
The business promotes twenty products with one ad and one piece of copy. It doesn't fully speak to anyone. Fix: one ad = one product or one reason to buy.
8. Forgotten visitors
Someone visited the website, put a product in the cart and left. The business never reaches them again. Fix: set up ads for people who've already visited (remarketing) and an abandoned-cart email.
9. A vague offer
The ad says "Quality services at great prices". What does that mean? Nothing. Fix: say concretely what people get: "Window replacement within 14 days, installation included".
10. Nobody looks after the ads
The ads are set up and forgotten. But prices, competition and people's behavior change every week. Fix: check results regularly or hand them to someone who does this every day.
Bonus: deciding on gut feeling
"I don't like that ad" is no reason to switch it off. If it sells, it works. Numbers decide, not personal taste.
Summary
The most expensive advertising mistakes aren't technical but basic: missing tracking, the wrong landing page, stale ads and impatience. Fix them and your ads will earn more without a bigger budget. If you like, we'll look at your ads and tell you where you're losing money.