Getting more qualified leads from Google Ads doesn’t always require a complete campaign overhaul. Sometimes the smallest adjustments can deliver the biggest results. Here are five proven tweaks that can dramatically boost your lead generation performance.
1. Switch to Exact Match Keywords for Higher Quality Leads
Many businesses waste budget on broad match keywords that attract irrelevant traffic. Exact match keywords give you precise control over when your ads appear.
Start by reviewing your search terms report to identify which queries actually convert. Look for patterns in the language your best prospects use, then create exact match versions of those high-performing terms.
For example, instead of using broad match accounting software, try exact match [cloud accounting software for small businesses]. This ensures you’re targeting prospects who know exactly what they want and are closer to making a purchase decision.
The result? Higher click-through rates, stronger Quality Scores, and more qualified leads at a lower cost per acquisition.
2. Add Negative Keywords to Stop Wasting Budget
Negative keywords are a powerful way to eliminate wasteful spending. They prevent ads from showing for irrelevant searches that eat up your budget without generating leads.
Common negative keywords for B2B campaigns include “free”, “cheap”, “DIY”, “jobs”, and “salary”. For instance, if you sell professional services, clicks from users searching “free alternatives” or “marketing jobs” aren’t valuable to you.
Review your search terms report weekly and add irrelevant queries as negatives. This simple tweak can reduce wasted spend by 20–30% while sharpening campaign performance.
Pay close attention to broad informational searches such as “how to” or “what is” unless you’re intentionally targeting top-of-funnel traffic.
3. Create Compelling Ad Extensions That Drive Action
Ad extensions make your ads larger, more useful, and more clickable. They’re free to use and can significantly boost click-through rates.
Sitelink extensions work particularly well for B2B campaigns. Highlight specific services, case studies, or resources like Free Consultation, Book Demo, or Download Guide.
Call extensions are essential if phone leads convert better than form submissions. Just make sure your number connects prospects directly to someone who can handle enquiries.
Structured snippets allow you to showcase expertise. Examples include Services: Strategy, Implementation, Training or Industries: Finance, Healthcare, Manufacturing.
The key is relevance—each extension should add clear value, not just fill space.
4. Optimise Landing Pages for Mobile Users
With over 60% of B2B searches happening on mobile, an optimised mobile experience is non-negotiable.
Your mobile landing page should load in under three seconds. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to fix speed issues by compressing images, reducing unnecessary code, and using efficient hosting.
Keep forms short on mobile. Ask only for essentials like name, company, and email address. Additional details can be collected later.
Make your call-to-action button highly visible, large enough to tap easily, and placed above the fold. Strong contrast ensures it stands out on small screens.
Regularly test your mobile conversion flow across different devices and browsers.
5. Implement Smart Bidding for Better Performance
Manual bidding often wastes budget or misses opportunities. Smart bidding uses Google’s machine learning to optimise bids in real time based on conversion likelihood.
Target CPA (cost per acquisition) works best once you have at least 30 conversions in 30 days. Set a realistic cost per lead, and let Google optimise to hit that target.
For newer campaigns, Maximise Conversions is a great starting point, automatically adjusting bids to get as many conversions as possible within your budget.
Enhanced CPC is a good middle ground, giving you manual control while letting Google adjust bids slightly up or down.
Allow a 2–3 week learning period before making changes, so the algorithm has time to stabilise.
Making Your Google Ads Work Harder
These five simple tweaks can dramatically improve results without demanding a huge budget increase. The key is consistent optimisation—implement changes systematically and track performance carefully.
At SendIQ, we help B2B companies boost their lead generation through Google Ads, email outreach, LinkedIn automation, and website visitor identification. Paid advertising performs best when combined with multi-channel prospecting for maximum impact.
Start with these tweaks today and watch your lead pipeline expand.
