Fix my Google Ads Tasmania: the three biggest mistakes businesses make and how to avoid them

Google Ads can be a powerful tool for Tasmanian small businesses, tradies, professionals, plumbers, electricians, and local business owners. But when it’s done poorly, it wastes money, time and effort. If your business has 3‑20 staff and turnover between $500,000‑$1.5 million, you can’t afford sloppy campaigns. The difference between growth and loss is often just one bad decision.

Mistake 1: doing it DIY without the right expertise

Many businesses try to run Google Ads themselves to save money. They assume that because they use Facebook or Instagram, they can “set up some ads on Google”. But Google Ads is different. Without the right strategy, you run the risk of:

• Choosing irrelevant keywords
• Bidding too aggressively or not enough
• Overlooking negative keywords
• Poor ad text that doesn’t convert

How a face‑to‑face session helps: We walk you through what’s working (or not) in your existing campaign, show you how to set it up properly, and ensure every dollar is spent with purpose.

Mistake 2: wrong targeting

Getting your ads in front of the right people in the right place at the right time is everything. The kinds of targeting mistakes we see include:

• Targeting too broad a geographical area
• Including irrelevant audiences (people who aren’t likely customers)
• Ignoring customer‑intention signals (the words people are searching for)
• Using Smart Campaigns blindly (they often favour what Google wants over what your business needs)

Smart Campaigns vs full Google Ads

Smart Campaigns are more straightforward; Google automates much of the setup, targeting and optimisation. They are suitable for Google because they drive volume and engagement using Google’s internal systems and “learning” periods. Small businesses in Tasmania often underperform because:

• There’s less control over where your money goes
• You can’t fine‑tune targeting, schedule, device, placements etc.
• You may end up bidding on irrelevant or low‑value traffic

A full Google Ads campaign (expert mode) gives control, transparency, and the ability to optimise for what matters to you.

Mistake 3: wasting budget because of setup issues & lack of measurement

Even with good intentions and a decent campaign, businesses often pour money into Google Ads without:

• Clear goals or KPIs
• Proper conversion tracking
• Regular reviews and adjustments
• Ensuring ad spend aligns with what you actually get in return (leads, calls, enquiries)

And most importantly, forgetting this: Google Ads results are objective, not subjective. We can’t hide from the data.

How to avoid wasting money on Google Ads in Tasmania

• Start with a free audit, including any existing campaigns, even if they’re Smart Campaigns. We’ll look under the hood, find what’s working, what’s bleeding money, and where gaps are.
• Set specific, measurable goals (leads, sales, calls) before you spend anything.
• Use expert mode campaigns where you maintain control (targeting, bidding, negative keywords, ad schedule, etc.).
• Monitor performance weekly or monthly. Look for poor‑performing keywords, wasteful placements, and irrelevant search terms.
• Adjust, test, pivot rather than letting things run blindly.

What a face‑to‑face session brings to the table

A face‑to‑face session (for example, in Hobart or elsewhere in Tasmania) gives you:

• Real‑time to discuss your Google Ads (including Smart Campaigns)
• Deep dive into your business, your customers, your local market
• Clear actionable plan: what to stop, what to start, what to scale
• Transparency — you see the data, understand the changes, own the results

What’s the difference between Smart Campaigns and full Google Ads?

Smart campaigns

Setup & targeting control: Limited — Google automates many settings
Transparency of spend: Less clear; Google may optimise the way it sees fit
Control of audiences/placements: More constrained
Optimisation freedom: Minimal input from the advertiser
Good fit: For first-timers, low spend, minimal time to manage

Full Google Ads (expert mode)

Setup & targeting control: Full control — you choose keywords, targeting, bidding, and schedule
Transparency of spend: Transparent; you can see exactly where each dollar goes
Control of audiences/placements: You can exclude, refine, or specify
Optimisation freedom: You can test ads, use negative keywords, adjust bids, and change assets
Good fit: For growing businesses needing ROI, tighter spend, optimisation, and measurement

Why Tasmanian businesses should not rely on Smart Campaigns alone

Smart campaigns seem easy, have low effort, and are low risk. But for many small businesses in Tasmania they:

• Don’t adapt quickly to local market needs
• Spend money on people outside your catchment area
• Don’t allow optimisation for device, time, or search intent
• Often leads to steady costs but poor leads or low conversion

What to do now: free audit & face‑to‑face help

If you already have Google Ads, including Smart Campaigns, we offer a free audit. We’ll review:

• Your targeting, keywords, and audience setup
• Your conversion tracking and measurement
• Your ad spend efficiency
• What’s working, what’s wasting money

Then, in a face‑to‑face session, we’ll map out what to fix, where to save, and how to scale. Because frankly, Google Ads results are objective and not subjective, we can’t hide from the results. We believe in being held to account.

Conclusion

Google Ads done right can bring strong, measurable growth for Tasmanian businesses. However, the most significant losses often come from trying to DIY without expertise, using Smart Campaigns blindly, targeting the wrong audience, and wasting budget through poor setup or insufficient measurement. Avoid these mistakes. Get the audit. Have the face‑to‑face session. See the results. Every dollar you put in should have a clear intention and a measurable return.

If you’re ready to transform your Google Ads into a well‑oiled machine, contact us today for your free audit and to arrange a face‑to‑face session.