Running Google Ads for a local service business can be extremely profitable when the campaigns are properly optimized. But sometimes, things happen outside of your control. Your website gets hacked, your Google Ads account gets suspended, your landing page goes down, your tracking breaks, or your campaigns stop running for a while.
And when you finally fix everything, the campaigns do not always return to the same performance.
This is exactly what happened in a question I recently received.
A business owner was running Google Ads for local services. Previously, the campaigns were doing well using a mix of Maximize Conversions and Maximize Clicks bidding strategies. Then the website got hacked. The issue was fixed, an appeal was submitted to Google Ads, and thankfully, the appeal was approved.
But after that, a new problem appeared.
The campaigns started generating low-quality leads when using Maximize Conversions. The advertiser suspected that Google’s AI and conversion data may have been affected after the website hack. So they changed all campaigns to Maximize Clicks.
But after switching the bid strategy, the campaigns were hit with higher CPCs, fewer clicks, and fewer leads. The campaigns also showed a “limited by bid strategy” type of issue.
The current setup was Maximize Clicks with exact match keywords, using a mix of short-tail and long-tail keywords.
So what should you do in this situation?
Let’s discuss it step by step.
Understanding the Problem
When a Google Ads campaign has been running successfully for some time, Google’s automated bidding system uses historical signals, user behavior, conversion data, search intent, device data, location data, and many other auction-time signals to make bidding decisions.
According to Google, Maximize Conversions uses Google AI to set bids with the goal of getting the most conversions for your campaign while spending your budget. It also uses auction-time bidding to adjust bids for each auction.
So if your conversion tracking was affected during the website hack, or if the website was sending poor signals, spam leads, broken form submissions, or irrelevant traffic into the account, then Google Ads may need time to relearn after everything is fixed.
This does not always mean the account is permanently damaged. But it does mean you should be careful when making big bidding changes.
Why Maximize Clicks Can Increase CPC
Many advertisers think that Maximize Clicks always means cheaper traffic. That is not always true.
Google explains that Maximize Clicks is an automated bidding strategy that sets bids to help get as many clicks as possible within your budget. However, it does not optimize toward impression share or lead quality.
That means Maximize Clicks is primarily focused on clicks, not necessarily high-quality leads.
If your campaign is using only exact match keywords, the available search volume may be too restricted. Google then has limited room to find cheaper clicks. If competition is high in your local service industry, your CPC can still increase even under Maximize Clicks.
This is why a campaign can be on Maximize Clicks and still get low clicks, high CPC, and poor lead volume.
Exact Match May Be Too Restrictive After a Reset
Exact match keywords can be good when you know exactly which search terms convert. They are useful when you want more control.
But after a website hack, suspension, tracking issue, or long campaign pause, your campaign may need fresh data again.
Google’s keyword match type documentation explains that match types control how closely a keyword must match a user’s search query. Exact match is more specific, while phrase match and broad match can allow more reach.
In this case, if you are using Maximize Clicks with only exact match, you may be limiting the campaign too much.
That is why my suggestion would be:
Test Maximize Clicks with phrase match keywords instead of relying only on exact match.
I am not saying to open the campaign completely with broad match immediately. But phrase match can help you recover traffic while still keeping reasonable control.
Use Phrase Match and Focus Heavily on Negative Keywords
My recommended approach in this situation would be:
Start with Maximize Clicks + Phrase Match.
Then focus heavily on negative keywords.
This is very important.
When you open your campaign from exact match to phrase match, you will likely get more search terms. Some will be useful, and some will be irrelevant. Your job is to check the search terms report regularly and add negative keywords aggressively.
Google says negative keywords help prevent ads from showing on searches that contain certain terms, and for Search campaigns, advertisers can use broad, phrase, or exact negative keywords.
For local service campaigns, negative keywords are very powerful. You may need to exclude terms like:
free
jobs
salary
training
course
DIY
cheap
reviews
complaints
used
template
PDF
YouTube
near me irrelevant variants
service areas you do not cover
The exact negative keyword list depends on your business, location, and services.
Why This Can Help Recover Lost Leads
After a campaign reset or performance drop, the goal is not only to get more clicks. The goal is to get enough relevant traffic so Google Ads can start learning again.
Phrase match gives the system more room to find searches related to your services. Negative keywords help you cut out junk traffic.
This combination can help you discover which search terms are currently working in the market.
Once you start receiving quality leads again, you can use that data to optimize further.
When to Switch Back to Maximize Conversions
Maximize Clicks can be useful as a recovery strategy, but I would not always keep a lead generation campaign on Maximize Clicks forever.
Once the campaign starts generating consistent leads again, and once your conversion tracking is clean, you can consider switching back to Maximize Conversions.
But before switching back, make sure:
Your website is fully clean after the hack.
Your forms are working properly.
Your phone call tracking is working.
Your conversion actions are correct.
You are not counting junk actions as primary conversions.
Your landing page is relevant.
Your negative keyword list is updated.
Your campaign has enough recent conversion data.
Google recommends choosing bid strategies based on your goals. If your goal is conversions, Maximize Conversions is designed for that purpose.
However, do not switch too quickly. Give the campaign enough time to collect good data first.
Check Your Landing Page Again
Many advertisers focus only on bidding strategy, but the landing page can also be the issue.
In your case, the website was hacked. So you should double-check everything after recovery.
Check:
Is the landing page loading fast?
Is the contact form working?
Is the phone number clickable on mobile?
Is the SSL certificate active?
Are there any security warnings?
Is the thank-you page firing the correct conversion?
Is Google Tag Manager working?
Is the call tracking number working?
Are there any hidden spam pages still indexed?
Is the content still relevant to the ad?
A hacked website can leave behind technical issues even after the main problem is fixed. So before blaming Google Ads bidding, make sure your landing page and tracking are clean.
Check Seasonality and Competitors
Another important point: not every drop is caused by bid strategy.
Sometimes the market changes.
Maybe a new competitor entered your local area. Maybe competitors increased their budgets. Maybe demand dropped because of seasonality. Maybe your service is more expensive now. Maybe users are comparing more before submitting a lead.
So also check:
Auction Insights
Search impression share
Top of page rate
Absolute top of page rate
Competitor ads
Landing page offers
Local search demand
Cost per click trend
Conversion rate trend
If CPCs increased across the market, your campaign may need budget, ad copy, and landing page adjustments too.
Should You Use a Max CPC Bid Limit?
If you are using Maximize Clicks, you can consider setting a maximum CPC bid limit, but be careful.
A very low CPC limit can restrict traffic even more. A very high limit can cause expensive clicks.
The best approach is to look at your historical CPC before the hack and compare it with your current CPC. Then set a reasonable max CPC limit that allows traffic but prevents extreme bids.
For example, if your old average CPC was $8 and now you are seeing clicks at $25, you may want to test a limit. But if the market has changed and all competitors are paying more, setting the limit too low may reduce impressions and clicks.
My Recommended Recovery Plan
Here is what I would do:
First, audit conversion tracking. Make sure only real leads are counted as primary conversions.
Second, review the landing page after the hack. Make sure the site is secure, fast, and properly indexed.
Third, keep Maximize Clicks temporarily, but test phrase match keywords instead of exact match only.
Fourth, review search terms daily or every few days and add negative keywords.
Fifth, separate your best services into focused ad groups or campaigns.
Sixth, monitor lead quality manually. Do not only look at form submissions. Check whether the leads are real, relevant, and serviceable.
Seventh, after the campaign gets stable lead volume again, test Maximize Conversions.
Eighth, compare performance for at least a reasonable learning period before making another major bid strategy change.
Final Thoughts
In my opinion, if a Google Ads account was affected by a website hack, suspension, or tracking issue, you should not panic and keep changing bidding strategies every few days.
Maximize Clicks with exact match can be too restrictive, especially if you are trying to rebuild campaign data. A better approach can be to test Maximize Clicks with phrase match and focus strongly on negative keywords.
This can help you regain traffic, identify new converting search terms, and rebuild clean data.
Once the campaign starts producing leads again, and your conversion tracking is accurate, you can move back to Maximize Conversions to improve lead quality and long-term campaign performance.
And remember, bidding strategy is only one part of the equation. You should also check your landing page, tracking setup, seasonality, competitors, and lead quality.
Need help with Google Ads, Meta Ads, PPC campaign management, Shopify, or website design? You can hire me and my team through AARSWEBS.com.