Google Ads help, in plain English
Short guides to the settings that quietly waste small-business budgets, and how to fix each one.
- Should you turn off Google Ads search partners?
What Google search partners are, when they waste money for a small business, and how to check their results and turn them off in Google Ads.
- Why is my Google Ads Search campaign showing display ads?
Why a Search campaign can show banner ads on websites and apps, how to see what that costs, and how to turn the Display Network off in Google Ads.
- Is Performance Max spending your budget on YouTube and Display?
How to see where Performance Max spends your money by channel, how to read the report, and what you can do if YouTube or Display costs too much.
- Performance Max not converting? What to check first
A plain checklist for when Performance Max spends money but brings few results, from conversion tracking and goals to budget, assets and landing pages.
- Should you turn off Google Ads automatically created assets?
What Google writes and builds for your ads on its own, why it can show claims you never approved, and how to review it and switch it off.
- Maximize Clicks vs Maximize Conversions for small businesses
How Maximize Clicks and Maximize Conversions differ, when bidding for clicks makes sense, and when it quietly wastes your Google Ads budget.
- Why Google Ads shows your ads to people outside your area
How the Presence or interest location option can make you pay for clicks from outside your service area, and how to switch to Presence in Google Ads.
- How do negative keywords work in Google Ads?
Negative keywords stop your ads from showing on searches you do not want. Learn the match types, where to add them and which words to block first.
- How to read the Google Ads search terms report
The search terms report shows what people really typed before they clicked your ad. Learn where to find it, what to look for and how to block bad terms.
- Google Ads conversion tracking not working? A checklist
Conversions suddenly dropped to zero? Work through this checklist to find out if your tracking broke or your ads really stopped bringing in leads and sales.
- Why are my Google Ads conversions higher than clicks?
Seeing more conversions than clicks in Google Ads? Learn the common causes, from duplicate tags to count settings, and how to tell real results from errors.
- Should a Google Ads conversion count One or Every?
The conversion Count setting decides how many results one ad click can earn. Learn when to pick One or Every, and how to change it in Google Ads.
- Limited by budget with a target CPA or target ROAS
Your campaign says Limited by budget and uses a target CPA or ROAS. Learn what that means, why cost per lead can rise, and whether to change budget or target.
- How to turn off auto-apply recommendations in Google Ads
Auto-apply lets Google change your campaigns on its own. See what it can change, how to find what it did in change history, and how to turn it off.
- Is broad match a good idea on a small Google Ads budget?
How broad match works in Google Ads today, when it wastes a small budget, when it can work, and how to see what your broad keywords really matched.
- How to see what changed in your Google Ads account and who did it
Use Google Ads change history to find what changed, when, and who or what made the change, including automated rules, tools and past managers.
- Why did my Google Ads spend suddenly jump?
Common reasons Google Ads spend spikes, how to find the cause with change history and segments, and simple safeguards you can set up today.
- How to find wasted spend in Google Ads in 15 minutes
A simple self-audit checklist for owners who run their own Google Ads. What to look at in each setting, and the red flags that point to wasted spend.
- Google Ads for small business - the settings that matter most
A practical guide for owners who run their own Google Ads. The settings that matter most, in order, from conversion tracking to weekly search term reviews.
- Is it safe to run a Google Ads script? How our read-only scan works
What the SpendCanary scan script does in your Google Ads account, what it sends us, why Google asks for full access, and how to check any script first.