Introduction
After managing over $5 million in Google Ads spend for moving companies, we've seen it all. The same mistakes pop up again and again, costing business owners thousands of dollars in wasted ad spend. Today, we're pulling back the curtain on the 10 most common Google Ads mistakes we see—and exactly how to fix them.
Mistake #1: Targeting Too Broad of an Area
The Problem: Many moving companies set their targeting to cover their entire state or even multiple states, thinking more exposure equals more leads.
The Reality: You're paying for clicks from people you can't actually serve profitably. A click from someone 200 miles away is money down the drain.
The Fix: Start with a 25-50 mile radius around your primary service area. Use location bid adjustments to increase bids in your most profitable zip codes and decrease them in areas with lower conversion rates.
Mistake #2: Not Using Negative Keywords
The Problem: Your ads show up for irrelevant searches like "free moving boxes," "moving companies hiring," or "DIY moving tips."
The Reality: Without negative keywords, you could be wasting 20-40% of your budget on clicks that will never convert.
The Fix: Build a comprehensive negative keyword list. Start with these essentials:- Jobs, hiring, careers, employment
- Free, cheap, DIY
- Reviews, complaints
- Competitor names (unless you're specifically targeting them)
- "How to" phrases
Review your search terms report weekly and add new negatives.
Mistake #3: Sending Traffic to Your Homepage
The Problem: Your ad promises "Local Moving Services" but clicks through to a generic homepage with navigation menus and multiple options.
The Reality: Every additional click or decision point loses you potential customers. Homepage conversion rates are typically 2-3%, while dedicated landing pages convert at 8-15%.
The Fix: Create dedicated landing pages for each service and location you're advertising. The page should have:
- A headline matching your ad copy
- Clear call-to-action above the fold
- Phone number prominently displayed
- Trust signals (reviews, badges, years in business)
- Simple quote form (name, phone, email, move date)
Mistake #4: Ignoring Ad Extensions
The Problem: Your ads show up as plain text while competitors have phone numbers, locations, links to services, and star ratings.
The Reality: Ad extensions can increase click-through rates by 10-15% at no additional cost.
The Fix: Set up ALL relevant extensions:
- Call extensions: Your phone number
- Location extensions: Your Google Business Profile
- Sitelink extensions: Links to Services, About Us, Get a Quote, Areas Served
- Callout extensions: "Licensed & Insured," "Free Estimates," "Same-Day Service"
- Structured snippets: List your service types
Mistake #5: Bidding on the Wrong Keywords
The Problem: You're bidding on generic terms like "movers" or "moving company" with broad match.
The Reality: Generic broad match keywords trigger your ads for everything from "movie theaters" to "moving on after breakup."
The Fix: Focus on high-intent, location-specific keywords:
- "moving company [city name]"
- "local movers near me"
- "[city] to [city] movers"
- "residential moving services [city]"
- "apartment movers [city]"
Use phrase match or exact match for better control.
Mistake #6: Not Tracking Conversions Properly
The Problem: You're measuring success by clicks or even just impressions.
The Reality: Without proper conversion tracking, you're flying blind. You have no idea which keywords, ads, or campaigns actually generate leads.
The Fix: Set up conversion tracking for:
- Form submissions
- Phone calls (use call tracking)
- Click-to-call from mobile
- Quote request completions
Import these conversions into Google Ads and optimize for conversions, not clicks.
Mistake #7: Running the Same Ads 24/7
The Problem: Your ads run at 3 AM on Sunday the same as they run at 10 AM on Tuesday.
The Reality: Most people aren't looking for movers at midnight. You're wasting budget on low-intent clicks.
The Fix: Use ad scheduling to:
- Increase bids during business hours when you can answer calls
- Decrease bids overnight and early morning
- Analyze your conversion data to find your golden hours
- Consider pausing ads completely during your lowest-performing times
Mistake #8: Neglecting Mobile Users
The Problem: Your ads and landing pages aren't optimized for mobile devices.
The Reality: Over 60% of moving-related searches happen on mobile. Poor mobile experience means lost leads.
The Fix:
- Use mobile-preferred ads with click-to-call
- Ensure landing pages load in under 3 seconds on mobile
- Make phone numbers tap-to-call
- Simplify forms for thumb-friendly completion
- Test your entire mobile experience regularly
Mistake #9: Set It and Forget It
The Problem: You set up your campaign once and never look at it again.
The Reality: Google Ads requires ongoing optimization. Market conditions change, competitors adjust, and what worked last month may not work today.
The Fix: Schedule weekly check-ins to:
- Review search terms and add negatives
- Adjust bids based on performance
- Test new ad copy
- Check quality scores and improve where needed
- Monitor competitor activity
Mistake #10: Not Leveraging Local Services Ads (LSA)
The Problem: You're only running traditional search ads and ignoring LSAs.
The Reality: Local Services Ads appear above regular search ads and operate on a pay-per-lead basis. They're often more cost-effective for local service businesses.
The Fix:
- Get your business verified for LSA (background checks required)
- Maintain a high review rating
- Respond quickly to leads
- Run LSA alongside traditional search ads for maximum visibility
The Bottom Line
These mistakes collectively cost moving companies millions of dollars every year. The good news? They're all fixable. Start by auditing your current campaigns against this list, prioritize the biggest opportunities, and tackle them one at a time.
Or, if you'd rather have experts handle it, that's exactly what we do at Heavy Lifting Marketing. We've helped over 100 moving companies fix these exact issues and generate predictable, profitable leads.
Ready to stop wasting ad spend? [Schedule a free strategy call](/schedule) and let's audit your campaigns together.
The Problem: Many moving companies set their targeting to cover their entire state or even multiple states, thinking more exposure equals more leads.
The Reality: You're paying for clicks from people you can't actually serve profitably. A click from someone 200 miles away is money down the drain.
The Fix: Start with a 25-50 mile radius around your primary service area. Use location bid adjustments to increase bids in your most profitable zip codes and decrease them in areas with lower conversion rates.
Mistake #2: Not Using Negative Keywords
The Problem: Your ads show up for irrelevant searches like "free moving boxes," "moving companies hiring," or "DIY moving tips."
The Reality: Without negative keywords, you could be wasting 20-40% of your budget on clicks that will never convert.
The Fix: Build a comprehensive negative keyword list. Start with these essentials:- Jobs, hiring, careers, employment
- Free, cheap, DIY
- Reviews, complaints
- Competitor names (unless you're specifically targeting them)
- "How to" phrases
Review your search terms report weekly and add new negatives.
Mistake #3: Sending Traffic to Your Homepage
The Problem: Your ad promises "Local Moving Services" but clicks through to a generic homepage with navigation menus and multiple options.
The Reality: Every additional click or decision point loses you potential customers. Homepage conversion rates are typically 2-3%, while dedicated landing pages convert at 8-15%.
The Fix: Create dedicated landing pages for each service and location you're advertising. The page should have:
- A headline matching your ad copy
- Clear call-to-action above the fold
- Phone number prominently displayed
- Trust signals (reviews, badges, years in business)
- Simple quote form (name, phone, email, move date)
Mistake #4: Ignoring Ad Extensions
The Problem: Your ads show up as plain text while competitors have phone numbers, locations, links to services, and star ratings.
The Reality: Ad extensions can increase click-through rates by 10-15% at no additional cost.
The Fix: Set up ALL relevant extensions:
- Call extensions: Your phone number
- Location extensions: Your Google Business Profile
- Sitelink extensions: Links to Services, About Us, Get a Quote, Areas Served
- Callout extensions: "Licensed & Insured," "Free Estimates," "Same-Day Service"
- Structured snippets: List your service types
Mistake #5: Bidding on the Wrong Keywords
The Problem: You're bidding on generic terms like "movers" or "moving company" with broad match.
The Reality: Generic broad match keywords trigger your ads for everything from "movie theaters" to "moving on after breakup."
The Fix: Focus on high-intent, location-specific keywords:
- "moving company [city name]"
- "local movers near me"
- "[city] to [city] movers"
- "residential moving services [city]"
- "apartment movers [city]"
Use phrase match or exact match for better control.
Mistake #6: Not Tracking Conversions Properly
The Problem: You're measuring success by clicks or even just impressions.
The Reality: Without proper conversion tracking, you're flying blind. You have no idea which keywords, ads, or campaigns actually generate leads.
The Fix: Set up conversion tracking for:
- Form submissions
- Phone calls (use call tracking)
- Click-to-call from mobile
- Quote request completions
Import these conversions into Google Ads and optimize for conversions, not clicks.
Mistake #7: Running the Same Ads 24/7
The Problem: Your ads run at 3 AM on Sunday the same as they run at 10 AM on Tuesday.
The Reality: Most people aren't looking for movers at midnight. You're wasting budget on low-intent clicks.
The Fix: Use ad scheduling to:
- Increase bids during business hours when you can answer calls
- Decrease bids overnight and early morning
- Analyze your conversion data to find your golden hours
- Consider pausing ads completely during your lowest-performing times
Mistake #8: Neglecting Mobile Users
The Problem: Your ads and landing pages aren't optimized for mobile devices.
The Reality: Over 60% of moving-related searches happen on mobile. Poor mobile experience means lost leads.
The Fix:
- Use mobile-preferred ads with click-to-call
- Ensure landing pages load in under 3 seconds on mobile
- Make phone numbers tap-to-call
- Simplify forms for thumb-friendly completion
- Test your entire mobile experience regularly
Mistake #9: Set It and Forget It
The Problem: You set up your campaign once and never look at it again.
The Reality: Google Ads requires ongoing optimization. Market conditions change, competitors adjust, and what worked last month may not work today.
The Fix: Schedule weekly check-ins to:
- Review search terms and add negatives
- Adjust bids based on performance
- Test new ad copy
- Check quality scores and improve where needed
- Monitor competitor activity
Mistake #10: Not Leveraging Local Services Ads (LSA)
The Problem: You're only running traditional search ads and ignoring LSAs.
The Reality: Local Services Ads appear above regular search ads and operate on a pay-per-lead basis. They're often more cost-effective for local service businesses.
The Fix:
- Get your business verified for LSA (background checks required)
- Maintain a high review rating
- Respond quickly to leads
- Run LSA alongside traditional search ads for maximum visibility
The Bottom Line
These mistakes collectively cost moving companies millions of dollars every year. The good news? They're all fixable. Start by auditing your current campaigns against this list, prioritize the biggest opportunities, and tackle them one at a time.
Or, if you'd rather have experts handle it, that's exactly what we do at Heavy Lifting Marketing. We've helped over 100 moving companies fix these exact issues and generate predictable, profitable leads.
Ready to stop wasting ad spend? [Schedule a free strategy call](/schedule) and let's audit your campaigns together.
Review your search terms report weekly and add new negatives.
Mistake #3: Sending Traffic to Your Homepage
The Problem: Your ad promises "Local Moving Services" but clicks through to a generic homepage with navigation menus and multiple options.
The Reality: Every additional click or decision point loses you potential customers. Homepage conversion rates are typically 2-3%, while dedicated landing pages convert at 8-15%.
The Fix: Create dedicated landing pages for each service and location you're advertising. The page should have:
Mistake #4: Ignoring Ad Extensions
The Problem: Your ads show up as plain text while competitors have phone numbers, locations, links to services, and star ratings.
The Reality: Ad extensions can increase click-through rates by 10-15% at no additional cost.
The Fix: Set up ALL relevant extensions:
- Call extensions: Your phone number
- Location extensions: Your Google Business Profile
- Sitelink extensions: Links to Services, About Us, Get a Quote, Areas Served
- Callout extensions: "Licensed & Insured," "Free Estimates," "Same-Day Service"
- Structured snippets: List your service types
Mistake #5: Bidding on the Wrong Keywords
The Problem: You're bidding on generic terms like "movers" or "moving company" with broad match.
The Reality: Generic broad match keywords trigger your ads for everything from "movie theaters" to "moving on after breakup."
The Fix: Focus on high-intent, location-specific keywords:
The Problem: You're bidding on generic terms like "movers" or "moving company" with broad match.
The Reality: Generic broad match keywords trigger your ads for everything from "movie theaters" to "moving on after breakup."
The Fix: Focus on high-intent, location-specific keywords:
Use phrase match or exact match for better control.
Mistake #6: Not Tracking Conversions Properly
The Problem: You're measuring success by clicks or even just impressions.
The Reality: Without proper conversion tracking, you're flying blind. You have no idea which keywords, ads, or campaigns actually generate leads.
The Fix: Set up conversion tracking for:
Import these conversions into Google Ads and optimize for conversions, not clicks.
Mistake #7: Running the Same Ads 24/7
The Problem: Your ads run at 3 AM on Sunday the same as they run at 10 AM on Tuesday.
The Reality: Most people aren't looking for movers at midnight. You're wasting budget on low-intent clicks.
The Fix: Use ad scheduling to:
Mistake #8: Neglecting Mobile Users
The Problem: Your ads and landing pages aren't optimized for mobile devices.
The Reality: Over 60% of moving-related searches happen on mobile. Poor mobile experience means lost leads.
The Fix:
Mistake #9: Set It and Forget It
The Problem: You set up your campaign once and never look at it again.
The Reality: Google Ads requires ongoing optimization. Market conditions change, competitors adjust, and what worked last month may not work today.
The Fix: Schedule weekly check-ins to:
Mistake #10: Not Leveraging Local Services Ads (LSA)
The Problem: You're only running traditional search ads and ignoring LSAs.
The Reality: Local Services Ads appear above regular search ads and operate on a pay-per-lead basis. They're often more cost-effective for local service businesses.
The Fix:
These mistakes collectively cost moving companies millions of dollars every year. The good news? They're all fixable. Start by auditing your current campaigns against this list, prioritize the biggest opportunities, and tackle them one at a time.
Or, if you'd rather have experts handle it, that's exactly what we do at Heavy Lifting Marketing. We've helped over 100 moving companies fix these exact issues and generate predictable, profitable leads.
Ready to stop wasting ad spend? [Schedule a free strategy call](/schedule) and let's audit your campaigns together.