Key Takeaways:
- Targeting broad keywords without intent
- Ignoring negative keywords
- Sending traffic to the homepage instead of a landing page
- Poor location targeting across Kenya
- No conversion tracking or improper tracking setup
- Using one ad version instead of testing multiple creatives
- Unrealistic budgets with high expectations
Running Google Ads in Kenya can transform how fast a business attracts leads, customers, and revenue but only if the campaigns are built and managed correctly. Many companies jump into Google Ads hoping for instant results, only to discover that poor strategy drains budgets without producing meaningful conversions. A well-structured campaign can outperform guesswork by a wide margin, which is why relying on experts often saves more money than it costs. Below are the seven mistakes that limit performance the most and how Artly Digital helps businesses like yours avoid them.
Also Read: Best TikTok Advertising Services in Kenya
1. Targeting Broad Keywords Without Intent
Most failed campaigns start with poor keyword selection. Many Kenyan businesses choose keywords that are too broad, terms like “plumber,” “lawyer,” or “furniture,” which attract clicks from people who aren’t ready to buy. This leads to high spend and low conversions.
Effective Google Ads require understanding intent. “Emergency plumber in Nairobi” and “hire plumber near me” convert far better than general search terms. Businesses unsure how to create Google Ads often overlook this nuance.
Our approach: Our keyword research focuses on transactional terms which are the phrases people ready to take action use. This reduces wasted spend and increases qualified clicks.
2. Ignoring Negative Keywords
A surprising number of campaigns run without negative keywords, causing ads to appear for irrelevant searches. For example, an interior design firm may unknowingly pay for clicks from users searching “interior design courses,” “free design templates,” or “DIY ideas.” Every irrelevant click increases cost without offering any business value.
Our approach: Negative keywords are updated weekly based on real search data. This filters out poor-quality traffic and ensures your budget reaches buyers, not information seekers. It’s one of the reasons clients hire the best Google Ads specialists in Kenya instead of managing campaigns alone.
3. Sending Traffic to the Homepage Instead of a Landing Page
Visitors rarely convert when sent to a homepage that lacks a clear call-to-action. Homepages are built for browsing. Google Ads is built for action. A mismatch here leads to significantly lower performance.
Strong-performing campaigns send users to purpose-built landing pages with:
- A focused message
- A strong value proposition
- A single CTA (call, purchase, book, or inquire)
- Proof elements like reviews or case studies
A dedicated landing page can increase conversions by 20–80% depending on the industry.
Our approach: Every high-intent campaign is paired with a conversion-focused landing page. This ensures your ad spend actually turns into leads and sales instead of simple traffic.
Also Read: Best Meta Ads Service in Kenya
4. Poor Location Targeting Across Kenya
Forgetting to refine location targeting is another common error. A Nairobi salon paying for clicks from Eldoret or Kisumu wastes money. A business in Mombasa targeting “Kenya – nationwide” unintentionally gets irrelevant clicks from areas it doesn’t serve.
Google automatically shows ads to “people interested in your location,” which frequently includes people outside the country searching for information, not potential customers.
Our approach: We adjust every campaign to “People in or regularly in your target location,” ensuring ads only reach customers within serviceable areas. This small adjustment reduces wasted spend dramatically.
5. No Conversion Tracking or Improper Tracking Setup
A campaign without tracking is like flying without a dashboard. Many Kenyan businesses launch ads without tracking:
- Calls from ads
- Calls from landing pages
- Form submissions
- Purchases
- WhatsApp clicks
This leads to guesswork instead of data-driven optimization.
Our approach: Every Google Ads account we manage is integrated with:
- Google Tag Manager
- Google Analytics 4
- Conversion tracking scripts
- WhatsApp click tracking
This gives a clear picture of ROI, making it easy to scale what’s working and cut what isn’t.
6. Using One Ad Version Instead of Testing Multiple Creatives
Many businesses rely on a single ad copy, which limits performance. Google Ads thrives on testing multiple headlines, descriptions, extensions, and ad variations. Without testing, campaigns stagnate and lose effectiveness over time.
A proper campaign tests:
- Several headline variations
- Multiple descriptions
- Site links, callouts, and structured snippets
- Different landing page formats
- Bidding strategies
Testing improves click-through rates and reduces cost per click.
Our approach: Every Artly Digital campaign launches with multiple ad sets. Data shapes the final direction, allowing us to automatically prioritize winning combinations. This approach is a hallmark of the best Google Ads agency in Kenya.
7. Unrealistic Budgets With High Expectations
The question “What’s the cost of running Google Ads in Kenya?” comes up frequently. Many businesses expect high-quality leads from a budget that is too low for their industry. For example:
- Legal, insurance, and medical industries have higher cost-per-click rates.
- Real estate, automotive, and logistics also require competitive bidding.
- Hyper-local service businesses can operate on smaller budgets, but still need enough daily spend for meaningful data.
Small budgets are still workable, but expectations must align with what the budget can realistically achieve.
Our approach: We align your expectations with data from your industry. Our team designs budget plans based on your competitiveness, target keywords, and conversion goals. This approach improves ROI and prevents overspending.
How Artly Digital Fixes These Google Ads Mistakes
Kenyan businesses struggling with Google Ads usually suffer from one or more of the above issues. The quickest way to turn campaigns around is partnering with specialists who understand performance, strategy, and the Kenyan market.
Artly Digital’s Google Ads services include:
- Full campaign setup
- Keyword and competitor analysis
- Landing page optimization
- Weekly performance tuning
- Transparent monthly reporting
- Budget planning based on real data
- Ongoing conversion tracking updates
Our goal is to turn your ad spend into consistent, predictable growth.
Partner With the Best Google Ads Agency in Kenya
Choosing the right partner determines how well Google Ads perform for your business. Working with experienced specialists from the best digital marketing agency in Nairobi eliminates wasted budget and accelerates revenue growth. Artly Digital has helped startups, SMEs, and established brands run profitable campaigns across diverse industries. If you’re ready to stop guessing and start getting results, it might be time to hire the best Google Ads specialists in Kenya—Artly Digital.
Reach out today for a consultation, and let’s build Google Ads campaigns that drive real growth for your business.