Can You Spot The Google Ads Mistake In This Screenshot?

In this article, I'm going to show you a real example I recently came across that demonstrates just how easily a Google Ads contractor campaign can become misconfigured and,

more importantly, how those mistakes can be fixed.

Have a look at the screen shot attached .

Google Ads has been around for more than 20 years and is arguably one of the most advanced and robust marketing systems ever created.

But that's not all.

It's also one of the most documented, taught, and explained marketing platforms in existence.

Because of that, what continues to surprise me time and time again is that despite the massive amount of educational material available— advertisers still make mistakes that cost them time, money, and potential customers.

You can clearly see that my search term was:

"Fix my roof now in Wyoming."

The intent is clear, and although the location is statewide, it's still very specific.

So you can probably already spot the obvious problem this advertiser has...

What it's offering is

"Roofing Services in South Dakota."

Now, it's true that South Dakota is right next to Wyoming.

But if I'm a homeowner searching for someone to fix my roof NOW in Wyoming, I sure as hell want to see a company that serves Wyoming.

And even if this roofing contractor is capable of sending a crew into Wyoming quickly, someone searching in Wyoming should still see an ad that's relevant to Wyoming.

An honest mistake? Maybe.

But the reality is that the ad isn't matching the searcher's location, which can lead to fewer clicks and, even worse, people clicking the ad only to discover it's actually a company based in South Dakota.

This creates friction, lowers trust, and ultimately hurts campaign performance.

So how should they solve that?

The answer is to be diligent with your Google Ads geo-targeting settings.

Google provides a reporting section that shows exactly where your ads appeared and where your clicks came from.

A savvy advertiser should review this report at least once a week and check whether the campaign is generating traffic from locations that are outside the intended service area.

If it is, those locations can easily be excluded using Google's location targeting settings or the "negative locations" function.

This helps prevent wasted spend and ensures your budget is focused on the areas you actually want to serve.

But that's not all.

You can tell this advertiser lacks experience because of another issue: Their ad copy.

The headline is actually alright, as it does address the searcher's problem and presents a relevant solution to the search query:

"Roof Repair & Replacement" + "24/7 Emergency Roof Repair"

This part is alright.

But the reality is that these are the same kinds of things most of his competitors are probably saying.

The place where you can really grab attention is by using more of the available ad space to communicate the main benefit the customer will receive, while also including a strong call to action that subtly encourages them to click.

His current description reads:

"Roofing services in South Dakota including repair, replacement & siding."

Theoretically, he has the right things to talk about.

The problem is that he's simply listing services instead of selling the outcome.

A homeowner looking for emergency roof repair doesn't necessarily care that you offer roofing services.

They care about getting their roof fixed quickly, preventing further damage, working with someone they can trust, and solving the problem that's causing them stress.

So while the description contains the right ingredients, it isn't communicating the value strongly enough.

Here's what I would do to make this ad significantly better:

“Need Fast Roof Repair? WY Roofing Expert Here To Help, Free Quote 24/7 service, Call Us Now!”

So the main idea is to communicate a strong benefit that rewards the prospect for clicking and gives them a reason to take action now.

And that's really the point of this entire article.

Google Ads has been around for a long time, and today anyone can jump in and start advertising within a matter of hours. There is an enormous amount of information available online, and with AI, finding answers has become easier than ever.

Yet despite all of that, people have made, are making, and will continue to make costly mistakes.

Not because the information isn't available. But because they fail to pay attention to the small details that often make the biggest difference. In this example

-A poorly targeted location.

-Weak ad copy.

Each one may seem insignificant on its own, but together they can cost a business a considerable amount of time, money, and potential customers.

And that's why successful Google Ads campaigns are rarely about secret tricks or hidden tactics.

More often than not, they're about executing the fundamentals consistently and correctly.

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Can You Spot The Google Ads Mistake In This Screenshot?