Google Ads Tips UK SMEs Never Use

Most UK SMEs are burning money on Google Ads not because the platform is bad, but because they’re ignoring the features that quietly cut costs and boost conversions. If you’ve ever felt like you’re paying London rent for Blackpool results, this is exactly why.

Tip 1: Tighten your keyword control. Broad Match isn’t your mate. Audit your search terms twice a week and stack negative keywords like it’s your pension fund. Every irrelevant click you block is budget you get back.

Tip 2: Fix your location settings. Targeting “United Kingdom” alone is lazy and expensive. Use “people in or regularly in your targeted locations” and exclude “presence or interest.” This stops your ads showing to someone sunbathing in Portugal while searching “electrician Sheffield.”

Tip 3: Add audience signals even to Search. Most SMEs don’t bother. Add in-market audiences, remarketing lists, and similar segments. These don’t restrict your ads-they help Google understand who actually converts.

Tip 4: Use ad schedules based on real data. If your conversions tank at 11pm, stop paying for 11pm clicks. Too many SMEs run 24/7 because they never look at hourly performance. Easy win.

Tip 5: Test Responsive Search Ad pinning. Let Google test variations, but pin key headlines where necessary to protect messaging. It’s the balance between brand control and machine learning efficiency that most advertisers never bother with.

Tip 6: Track micro conversions properly. Phone clicks, scroll depth, form interaction-these signals help Google optimise before a sale happens. Without them, the algorithm is basically guessing.

If you had to pick just one of these to fix first, which one are you tackling?