Outdated Google Ads Strategies
Nov 05, 2025Google search—and how people discover products and services—is changing fast.
Between the rise of AI overviews, social search, and chatbots, the search landscape has evolved dramatically.
That means your Google Ads strategy must evolve too.
In this post, I’ll walk through the top outdated Google Ads strategies still used today—ones that not only waste time but also limit your conversions and profitability.
1. SKAGs (Single Keyword Ad Groups)
The SKAG strategy—Single Keyword Ad Groups—was once a best practice. But it’s now obsolete.
Why? Because Exact Match keywords are no longer exact.
According to Google:
“Ads may show on searches that have the same meaning or same intent as your keyword.”
This means SKAGs cause unnecessary fragmentation.
Instead, switch to STAGs—Single Theme Ad Groups.
For example, Google lists “furniture store” and “home furnishing store” as having the same intent.
Under the old model, these would be in separate ad groups. Today, they should be grouped together if they share meaning and landing page relevance.
How to check if SKAGs are hurting your campaigns:
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Go to your Search Terms report.
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Look for search terms triggering across multiple ad groups.
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Merge ad groups where intent overlaps.
This approach speeds up ad copy testing and simplifies management while aligning with Google’s new match-type logic.
2. Phrase Match Targeting
If your campaign is performing well with Phrase Match, don’t change it. But for new campaigns, it’s time to move on.
There are two main reasons:
A. Match-Type Evolution:
Exact Match now behaves similarly to what Phrase Match used to do.
B. Keyword Signals:
Google now interprets search intent using meaning, not syntax.
So, in most cases, Exact Match combined with Broad Match signals produces better results than Phrase Match alone.
3. Too Many Negative Keywords
This is one of the most common problems in mature Google Ads accounts.
Over time, advertisers add hundreds or even thousands of negative keywords—and performance slowly declines.
We’ve seen consistent improvement across accounts after removing excessive negatives, especially when Smart Bidding is active.
Why? Because Google’s algorithm now relies on meaning, not strict phrasing. Over-filtering prevents the system from learning.
How to safely reduce negatives:
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Remove them in batches every two weeks.
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Review performance after each batch.
When to keep negatives:
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Use them only when excluding an entire niche or irrelevant intent.
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Example: “Air conditioner installation” (if you don’t offer maintenance).
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Example: “Kids headphones” (if you only sell adult headphones).
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4. IP Blockers
This one’s simple: IP-blocking software is outdated and mostly ineffective.
In nearly every case where we’ve removed IP-blocking services from an account, we saw one of two outcomes:
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No change in performance
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Or improved results
If you’re paying for an IP blocker, test removing it for 4–6 weeks.
If results hold steady, you can safely cancel and save that budget.
5. Keyword Stuffing Product Titles (eCommerce)
For eCommerce, product title optimization has changed.
Google only displays the first 70 characters of your product title—so less is more.
Bad example:
Pillow for Side Sleepers, Side Sleeping Pillow, Pillow to Help Neck Pain
Good example:
Side Sleeping Pillow | Brand Name | Firm Support
Focus on readability, brand inclusion, and relevant modifiers.
Keyword stuffing no longer helps and can even hurt click-through rates.
👉Google Ads for eCommerce Tutorial for Beginners
6. Only Using Search (Lead Generation)
For service and lead generation businesses, relying solely on Search campaigns is now limiting.
Search is still your foundation—but once your budget for a single service or location exceeds $5,000/month, it’s time to expand.
That’s when Performance Max (PMAX) comes into play.
PMAX can complement Search by reaching potential customers across YouTube, Display, Gmail, and Discovery—extending your brand visibility beyond active searchers.
The Takeaway
Search behavior has evolved. AI, automation, and cross-platform discovery are reshaping how people find products and services.
To stay competitive:
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Replace SKAGs with STAGs
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Simplify your negatives
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Optimize for Smart Bidding
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Keep your ad structure lean
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Expand beyond search when ready
FAQ
Why are SKAGs outdated?
Because Exact Match now targets by intent, not exact wording, making SKAG segmentation unnecessary.
Should I still use Phrase Match?
Only if it’s already working. For new campaigns, Exact or Broad with signals performs better.
Are IP blockers worth it?
No. Most advertisers see no benefit or even performance improvement after removing them.
How should I manage negative keywords?
Keep them minimal. Only use negatives for completely irrelevant search intent.
Is Performance Max necessary for Lead Gen?
Once you exceed $5K/month per service or location, PMAX helps you scale more efficiently than Search alone.