Why Are My Google Ads Getting Clicks but No Sales?
- jax5027
- Aug 23
- 4 min read
Welcome to the PPC Twilight Zone
“Why am I getting loads of Google Ads clicks but absolutely no sales?” If you’re reading this, you probably know the pain all too well. The story goes like this: you set up your Google Ads campaign, sprinkle in what you think are laser-focused keywords, watch your click count tick up – and still, your store’s revenue graph is flatter than instant mash. Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
The Cold Truth: Most Clicks Don’t Lead to Sales
Brace yourself. Only about 4% of Google Ads clicks ever turn into real-life conversions. That means over 95 out of every 100 people clicking your clever ads are bouncing without buying a thing. If your goal was to subsidise Google’s next office ping-pong table, congrats – mission accomplished. But let’s be honest, your job is to make YOUR business money, not theirs.
Is It the Ads, the Website, or the World?
Before we roll up our sleeves and tear into your account, let’s play detective. Your first mission is figuring out where the leak is:
Do you get sales from anywhere else? (Organic, email, social… anyone?)
Or is sales silence your site-wide default?
Jump into Google Analytics 4. Pop over to Reports > Acquisition > User Acquisition. Compare conversions by source. If you’re getting sales from sources other than Google Ads, your problem starts with your ads. If nothing converts, your website probably needs TLC (and possibly an exorcism).
5 Classic Reasons Why Clicks Don’t Convert
Let’s bulldoze through the usual suspects responsible for this cash-burning catastrophe:
1. Your Targeting Attracts Window Shoppers
Sure, clicks are cheap. But cheap clicks are like cheap wine — you usually regret it the next day. If you’re running broad match keywords like “shoes” and targeting the entire UK, expect plenty of irrelevant visitors: people looking for ballet shoes, shoe polish, or just bored at work. Get specific. Someone searching “women’s vegan trainers size 6 UK fast delivery” is far more likely to pay up.
2. Your Ads Promise the Earth, Your Site Delivers a Pebble
Ad: “50% OFF Nike Trainers Today Only – Free Delivery!” Landing Page: No Nike trainers in sight, full price, checkout more complicated than a mortgage application.
Misaligned ad and landing page is a conversion killer. If people click your ad based on an exciting offer and then don’t see it instantly on your website, they bounce like they’re in a trampoline park.
3. A Slow or Clunky Website (Hello, 2005 Called)
Imagine walking into a shop and the doors don’t open, the lights flicker, and the till is in the car park. That’s how shoppers feel when your website loads slower than the M25 during rush hour or the navigation is a maze. Google even penalises slow sites these days. Expecting mobile users, especially? You get about three seconds before they leave.
4. Checkout: Designed by an Escape Room Enthusiast?
Seriously: how many steps, forms, and pop-ups does it take to buy a T-shirt? Every click, mandatory account sign-up, or field to fill is a chance to lose a customer. Keep it slick, skip the faff, and make that “Add to Cart” button scream BUY ME NOW.
5. Chasing Vanity Metrics (Clicks Mean Nothing If You’re Broke)
Clicks and CTR are fun to look at. But last time we checked, your accountant didn’t accept “clicks” as payment. High click numbers don’t always mean relevancy. Always be laser-focused on what matters: are people actually buying?
The JudeLuxe PPC First-Aid Kit: How to Turn Clicks Into Pounds
Let’s get practical. Here’s how to fix leaky Google Ads once and for all:
1. Audit Your Keywords Ruthlessly
Go into your Search Terms Report. Prune anything irrelevant. Exclude terms that never convert, even if they drive lots of clicks. Yes, even if Google cries a little. Lean into phrase match and exact match – and remember, “broad match” is code for “let Google have a wild guess.”
2. Tighten Your Location Targeting
If you only ship to the UK, stop wasting budget on French clicks. Use “Presence” instead of “Presence or Interest” to keep your audience local and interested.
3. Sync Ad Messaging With Landing Pages
If it’s in your ad, it MUST be visible on your landing page – price, product, offer, all of it. Don’t send shoppers on a treasure hunt. And please, don’t hide free delivery in the FAQ.
4. Treat Your Website Like Your Shopfront
Speed: Run your site through Google PageSpeed Insights. If you’re not in the green, fix it.
Navigation: Is the path to checkout obvious, or does it need a Sherpa guide?
Trust: Are there reviews, clear returns info, and real ways to contact you?
Checkout: Try buying a product yourself (seriously, do it). Was it a joy, or did you need a strong drink afterwards?
5. Send Strong Signals to Google’s Algorithms
Google’s machine learning can’t optimise for sales if you don’t feed it conversion data. Set up conversion tracking (properly), and track the events that matter: sales, leads, whatever puts food on your table. Ditch micro-conversions like “newsletter signup” unless your e-commerce strategy is email-first.
6. Test, Learn, Iterate
A/B test ad copy, landing pages, checkout flows.
Change ONE thing at a time and check your numbers.
Celebrate the small wins, then double down.
Bonus: Is Your PPC Agency Telling You This?
The truth is, loads of PPC agencies love to highlight vanity metrics and “look how many clicks we got you!” dashboards rather than getting stuck in with actual business outcomes. If you’re tired of paying for reports that don’t mean profit, start asking the right questions (and consider working with someone who’ll actually tell you when everything’s broken).
Ready to Turn Clicks Into Revenue?
You’re not doomed to sponsor Google’s Friday bar tab. Diagnose where your funnel leaks, cut the fluff, and focus on what gets actual business results. That’s PPC done properly, and it’s what gets UK e-commerce brands growing instead of grinding.
Got more Google Ads headaches? Check out the JudeLuxe blog for blunt advice, actionable guides, and a fresh approach that’s about profit – not just PPC platforms feeling smug.
