Your agency is spending your Google Ads budget on searches that have nothing to do with your business
If your agency set up Google Ads for you and the budget is being spent on searches that have nothing to do with your business, the problem is almost always two things: lazy keyword settings and no one checking the search terms report. A plumber in Leeds should not be paying for clicks from people searching for plumbing courses or plumbing jobs. Fix it by opening the search terms report yourself, adding negative keywords, and switching off broad match.
How your Google Ads budget gets wasted
Google Ads charges you every time someone clicks your ad. The clever bit, and the bit your agency should be managing, is making sure those clicks come from people who might actually buy from you.
When an agency sets up a campaign and walks away, Google does what Google does. It shows your ad to anyone whose search is even loosely connected to your keywords. A florist gets clicks from people searching for flower tattoos. A driving instructor pays for clicks from people looking for driving games. A solicitor pays for people searching for free legal advice.
Every one of those clicks costs you money. None of them are customers.
Check the search terms report yourself
You do not need to be technical to check this. Log into your Google Ads account, click Insights and reports, then Search terms. This shows the actual phrases people typed before clicking your ad - not the keywords you bid on, the real searches.
If you do not have a login, that is a separate problem. The account should be in your name, not the agency's. Ask them for admin access today.
Read down the list. Anything that is not someone trying to buy from you is wasted money. For most small businesses, half the list is junk.
Negative keywords: the thing your agency should have set up
A negative keyword tells Google "do not show my ad to anyone searching for this word". They are the single most important tool for controlling spend, and they take about ten minutes to set up properly.
A plumber's account should have negatives like: jobs, courses, training, apprentice, salary, DIY, free, YouTube. A florist's account should have: tattoo, drawing, painting, wallpaper, emoji. Every trade has its own list of obvious junk searches that an experienced person would block on day one.
If your search terms report is full of nonsense and your agency has not added a single negative keyword in six months, they are not managing the account. They set it up and forgot about it.
The broad match trap
Google offers three keyword match types. Broad match is the loosest - it shows your ad for anything Google thinks is related, including some genuinely baffling interpretations. Exact match only shows your ad for the specific phrase you choose.
Broad match is Google's default because it spends your money faster. Agencies leave it on because changing it requires thought. The result is your budget burns through clicks for searches you never intended to target.
For most small local businesses, phrase match or exact match is far safer. You will get fewer clicks, but a much higher proportion will be real customers.
What proper Google Ads management looks like
Google Ads is not a set-and-forget service. A properly managed account needs someone reviewing the search terms report at least once a fortnight, adding negative keywords, pausing keywords that do not convert, and adjusting bids based on what is actually bringing in enquiries.
The monthly retainer many agencies charge for ads management would cover exactly that work if anyone was doing it. In practice, a lot of accounts get set up, left on broad match, and reviewed once a quarter when the client complains.
An agency that has not added a negative keyword to your account in six months is not managing your ads. They are watching Google spend your money.
What to do next
First, get admin access to your own Google Ads account. It should be in your name with your billing details. If the agency refuses, that is a much bigger problem - the account and its history belong to you.
Second, pull up the search terms report and screenshot the worst examples. Send them to your agency and ask why these clicks were not blocked. Their answer will tell you everything about whether they are actually working on your account.
Third, decide whether to keep paying them. If you want someone honest looking after your site and your basic marketing setup without the agency markup, SkipTheAgency's Maintained plan starts at £65/month and includes things like Google Business profile updates and straight answers about what is and is not working. Google Ads management itself sits in the Premium tier from £800/month, because doing it properly takes real ongoing attention.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check what my Google Ads budget is being spent on?
Log into your Google Ads account, click Insights and reports, then Search terms. This shows the actual phrases people typed before clicking your ad. If most of them are not real customers, your budget is being wasted.
What are negative keywords and why do they matter?
Negative keywords tell Google not to show your ad for certain words. For example, a plumber should block words like jobs, courses, and salary. Without negative keywords, you pay for clicks from people who will never buy from you.
Should my Google Ads account be in my name or the agency's?
It should be in your name with your billing details, and the agency should have manager access. If the agency owns the account, you lose all the history when you leave and they can hold it over you. Ask for admin access today.
How much should I pay an agency to manage Google Ads?
Proper Google Ads management for a small local business needs a few hours of attention each month - reviewing search terms, adding negatives, adjusting bids. A fair fee is somewhere between £150 and £400 a month depending on spend. Paying more than that for an account that has been left on broad match is not value.
Is Google Ads worth it for a small local business?
It can be, but only if someone is actively managing it. A well-run campaign for a plumber or solicitor brings in real enquiries. A neglected one burns through your budget on irrelevant clicks. The deciding factor is whether anyone is actually doing the work each month.
Can I run Google Ads myself instead of using an agency?
Yes, plenty of small business owners do. The setup takes a weekend of reading, and the ongoing work is about an hour a week if you keep it simple. The main thing is checking the search terms report regularly and adding negatives.
Stop paying for clicks from people who will never buy from you
If your agency set up Google Ads and walked away, your budget is leaking. I can audit what is actually being spent and either fix it or hand you a plan to fix it yourself - starting from £65/month on the Maintained plan.
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