If you’ve ever logged into Google Ads and seen that nagging “Ad Strength: Poor” notification, you’re not alone. Google loves to tell you how to “improve” your campaigns with their endless stream of recommendations. But here’s the truth most agencies won’t tell you: blindly following Google’s advice can actually hurt your business.
Google’s systems are built on models and algorithms, not real-world business strategy. And when you’re running competitive campaigns in industries like water damage restoration, HVAC, or plumbing, their recommendations often miss the mark completely.
Let me show you exactly why you need to think twice before chasing those green checkmarks.
The Competitor Campaign Problem: Why “Poor Ad Strength” Doesn’t Mean Poor Results
Picture this: You’re a water damage restoration company running competitor campaigns. You’re bidding on “Servpro” because when someone searches for your biggest competitor, you want to be there. Smart strategy, right?
You craft headlines like “Better Than Servpro – 24/7 Water Damage Response” and descriptions that position your company as the superior choice. Your ads are performing well, driving quality leads, and your cost-per-acquisition is on target.
But Google’s dashboard shows “Ad Strength: Poor” with recommendations to improve relevance between your ads and landing pages.
Here’s the catch: Your website (correctly) doesn’t mention Servpro all over the place. You’re not going to build dedicated pages talking about your competitors – that would be terrible for your brand. Instead, you should have strategic “Us vs Them” comparison pages that position your services as superior without giving free publicity to competitors.
So Google’s algorithm sees a disconnect. Your ads mention Servpro, but your landing pages don’t. The system flags this as poor relevance and recommends changes that would actually weaken your competitive positioning.
Why Google’s Models Don’t Match Business Reality
Google’s recommendations are based on mathematical models that analyze millions of data points. But these models have a fundamental flaw: they don’t understand business strategy, market positioning, or competitive dynamics.
The algorithm sees patterns and correlations, but it doesn’t understand that:
- Brand protection matters more than ad strength scores
- Competitive positioning requires strategic messaging
- Not every recommendation leads to better business outcomes
- Local market dynamics often override algorithmic “best practices”
When you’re fighting for market share in a competitive local market, you need strategies that work in the real world, not just in Google’s models.
Real Examples Where Google Gets It Wrong
Exact Match Keywords
Google constantly pushes broad match keywords and automated bidding. But if you’re a high-end HVAC company, bidding broad on “air conditioning repair” might bring in leads for cheap, low-quality work that doesn’t match your premium positioning.
Landing Page “Relevance”
Google wants perfect keyword-to-page matching. But your service pages need to convert humans, not algorithms. Sometimes the page that converts best isn’t the one with the exact keyword match Google expects.
Ad Extensions
Google recommends adding every possible extension. But sitelinks to your “About Us” page might not be as valuable as highlighting emergency service callouts for a restoration company.
Automated Recommendations
Google’s auto-apply recommendations can change your campaigns without you knowing. We’ve seen businesses lose thousands when Google “optimized” their profitable manual bidding strategies.
How to Evaluate Google’s Recommendations Like a Pro
Before you chase that next recommendation, ask yourself these questions:
Does this align with my business goals? If Google recommends broader keywords but you’re trying to attract premium clients, ignore it.
Will this hurt my competitive positioning? Never sacrifice strategic advantage for a better optimization score.
What’s the real-world impact? Look at actual performance metrics – clicks, conversions, revenue – not just Google’s internal scores.
Am I solving a real problem? If your campaigns are profitable and growing your business, don’t fix what isn’t broken.
The Smart Approach: Strategy First, Optimization Second
Here’s how successful local service businesses handle Google’s recommendations:
1. Understand the Why
Before implementing any recommendation, understand what Google is trying to achieve and whether it aligns with your goals.
2. Test Strategically
Don’t ignore all recommendations, but test them carefully. Run A/B tests to see if changes actually improve your results.
3. Focus on Business Metrics
Optimization scores don’t pay your bills. Focus on metrics that matter: cost per lead, conversion rates, customer lifetime value.
4. Build for Humans First
Your ads and landing pages should convert real customers, not satisfy algorithmic preferences.
When Google’s Recommendations Actually Help
Google’s suggestions aren’t always wrong. They can be valuable when:
- You’re new to Google Ads and need basic optimization guidance
- Technical issues are flagged (like broken links or mobile problems)
- Budget recommendations help you capture more qualified traffic
- Seasonal adjustments align with your business cycles
The key is understanding the difference between helpful optimization and algorithmic bias.
The Bottom Line: You’re Running a Business, Not an Algorithm
Google wants to maximize their revenue through increased ad spend and engagement. Your goal is to grow your business profitably. Sometimes these objectives align, sometimes they don’t.
The most successful local service businesses we work with treat Google’s recommendations like suggestions from a well-meaning but sometimes misguided advisor. They evaluate each recommendation against their business strategy, competitive position, and real-world results.
Don’t let optimization scores dictate your marketing strategy. Focus on what actually drives growth: quality leads, profitable conversions, and sustainable competitive advantage.
Ready to Build Campaigns That Actually Work?
Tired of chasing algorithmic perfection while your competitors steal market share? We help local service businesses build Google Ads campaigns that prioritize real results over optimization scores.
Our strategies focus on competitive positioning, market domination, and profitable growth – not just making Google’s algorithms happy.
Contact us today and let’s build campaigns that grow your business, not just your optimization scores.
