Most businesses assume if their Google Ads aren’t performing, the problem is in the account.
The keywords need changing.
The bids need adjusting.
The targeting needs tightening.
Sometimes that’s true.
But more often than people realise, the issue is the page you’re sending people to.
You can have brilliant ads. You can have strong click-through rates. You can even have plenty of traffic.
If the landing page doesn’t convince people to take action, none of that really matters. Here’s the quick landing page analysis we use when reviewing PPC accounts.
Start With The Numbers on GA4
Before looking at the page itself, look at how people are actually behaving on it. Jump into GA4 and find the landing page.
How long are people spending there?
Are they triggering meaningful events?
Are they converting?
It’s amazing how often a page that “looks fine” turns out to have terrible engagement data.
The numbers won’t tell you exactly what’s wrong.
But they’ll usually tell you where to start digging.
Then Check Google Ads Reports
One of the most overlooked reports in Google Ads is Landing Page Experience.
If you’ve got ad groups spending money with a Below Average Landing Page Experience, pay attention.
Particularly if Ad Relevance and Expected CTR are already healthy.
At that point, Google is effectively telling you:
“People like the ad. They just don’t love what happens after they click it.”
That’s usually where the biggest opportunities sit.
Use the search function at the top of Google Ads, search for report editor:Â
Choose the account, campaign and ad group at the top
Click Create Report
Set the time date to either past 3 months if the campaign has been live for a long time, if not, set it to the amount of time the campaign has been running for.Â
Set the report format to Table, on the right scroll down to quality score and make sure Ad relevance, Landing page exp and Exp CTR are selected in the row, and cost is in the column.Â
Analyse where ads are spending money with a below-average landing page experience. If the Ad relevance and Exp CTR are ok, we know the landing page is likely the main issue with the ad group.Â
You can also use this report as guidance for weekly reports, looking at whether to improve relevance, landing page exp, or exp CTR.
Now Do The Five-Second Test
Open the landing page and look at it like a prospect.
Within five seconds, can you answer these three questions?
- What does this company do?
- Who is it for?
- What should I do next?
If not, you’ve already found a problem.
Most visitors won’t work harder than that.
Look For Friction
The biggest conversion killers are rarely dramatic.
They’re usually small things that stack up.
A vague headline.
A hidden CTA.
A form that’s slightly too long.
Too much text.
Not enough proof.
A page that feels generic rather than relevant.
None of these issues seem huge on their own.
Together, they can absolutely destroy conversion rates.
Book a free 30-minute consultation with our team and let’s chat about how we can help your business grow!
Trust Is Usually The Missing Piece
A surprising number of landing pages ask people to enquire before they’ve earned any trust.
No testimonials.
No case studies.
No client logos.
No proof of results.
Nothing that reassures someone they’re making a sensible decision.
The reality is that most prospects aren’t asking:
“Can this company do the job?”
They’re asking:
“Can I trust them to do the job?”
There’s a big difference.
Finally, Be Brutally Honest
When you’ve finished reviewing the page, ask yourself two questions.
Would the wrong type of lead be put off?
Would the right type of lead feel confident enough to enquire?
Because that’s ultimately the job of a landing page.
Not to attract everyone.
To convince the right people to take the next step.
And if you’re spending money on Google Ads, that’s a question worth answering properly.