Why your Shopping Ads aren’t working (and the SKU mistakes holding you back)
Lots of retailers think Google Ads performance comes down to budget. But more often than not, it’s the basics - like unoptimised SKUs and weak product feeds - that quietly hinder your growth.
If your feed is messy, your CPCs are too low, or you’re expecting Performance Max to do all the work, you’ll never get the visibility your products deserve. But the good news is that these mistakes are easy to fix once you know what to look for.
1. Treating All SKUs the Same
Some brands upload thousands of SKUs into one campaign and hope Google will figure out what to prioritise. But Performance Max and Shopping campaigns don’t automatically favour your most profitable products.
Fix it:
Segment your SKUs. Break out high-margin, seasonal, or bestselling lines into their own campaigns. That way, they get the budget and bidding they deserve.
2. Running With an Unoptimised Feed
Poorly written titles, missing attributes, or incorrect GTINs are some of the most common issues that I see. If Google doesn’t understand your product, it can’t rank it effectively.
Fix it:
Write clear, keyword-rich titles (brand + product type + variant).
Ensure attributes like size, colour, and material are complete.
Provide valid GTINs or unique product identifiers.
Map products to the correct Google Product Categories.
3. Setting CPCs Too Low
Some advertisers keep CPCs (cost-per-clicks) artificially low across all products. The result? Their items never enter the auction for competitive terms, even when customer intent is high.
Fix it:
Be prepared to push CPCs on high-value or high-intent products. You’ll secure visibility in the auctions that actually matter.
4. Keeping Underperforming SKUs Live
Deadweight products drag down performance. If you’ve got SKUs that never convert, or are simply irrelevant, leaving them live wastes spend and clouds Google’s signals.
Fix it:
Regularly review SKU performance. Exclude or suppress underperformers, or move them into low-priority campaigns with smaller budgets.
5. Expecting Automation to Solve Everything
Performance Max is powerful, but it’s not a magic switch. It can only work with the data you give it. If your feed is messy, your results will be too.
Fix it:
Feed the algorithm strong, clear signals. Start with clean data, good segmentation, and accurate product details. Then let automation do its job.
Final Thought
Most retailers don’t struggle with budget — they struggle with structure. By fixing SKU segmentation, cleaning up your feed, adjusting bids where it counts, and excluding poor performers, you give Google the signals it needs to actually deliver profitable growth.
