The good news? These mistakes can be identified and fixed, and many changes in Google Ads literally require just one click. In this article, we will present the seven most common mistakes sabotaging a Google Ads campaign and show you how to eliminate them.

Mistake 1: No Proper Conversion Tracking in Google Ads

Conversion tracking is the foundation of every effective Google Ads campaign. Without it, campaign optimization is like trying to hit a target blindfolded. Google’s algorithms need precise conversion data to understand which actions bring value to your business. Unfortunately, tag configuration errors are among the most common problems we encounter during ad account audits.

Problems with tag implementation

A duplicate conversion tag is a classic mistake that distorts all campaign reports. This happens when the tag works in two places at once — in the website code (gtag.js) and in Google Tag Manager. Google Ads then records two conversions instead of one. This leads to a situation where the number of conversions in campaign reports rises, even though actual sales stay at the same level. The solution is to keep only one tracking mechanism. In most cases, the best choice is configuring the tag in Google Tag Manager.

The absence of the transaction_id parameter is another serious problem in e-commerce stores. If the conversion tag does not pass the transaction ID, Google Ads cannot recognize that it is the same sale. Refreshing the order confirmation page may then record another conversion, significantly inflating results. The transaction ID should be passed in the data layer (dataLayer) or added at the tag configuration stage.

A conversion window that is too short also limits measurement accuracy. The conversion window defines the time during which Google Ads can attribute a sale to an ad click. If the conversion window is set to a very short period, some sales will not be attributed to the campaign, and the report will show an understated number of conversions. The default 30-day conversion window should be adjusted to the typical time required to complete a conversion in your industry.

A tag published in the wrong GTM environment is a problem that often becomes visible only after implementation. The conversion tag works correctly in the test environment, but not on the live website. This happens when the Google Tag Manager container has only been published in the staging version. After deploying tags, check whether the correct version of the container has been published on the production site.

A conversion set as secondary instead of primary is a configuration error that prevents campaign optimization. Conversions marked as secondary appear in reports, but they are not used by smart bidding algorithms. If a given conversion should influence campaign optimization, it should be set as primary.

Consequences of not measuring results

Running campaigns without conversion tracking leads to specific losses:

• Wasting budget on ineffective keywords and ads
• Incorrect campaign optimization based on clicks instead of real outcomes
• Inability to identify the best conversion paths
• Difficulty justifying marketing spend
• Lack of accurate ROI analysis — making it impossible to determine which actions generate profits

Focusing on clicks instead of conversions is a basic advertiser mistake. Conversions generate revenue, not clicks. Without knowing which campaigns deliver real results, you are operating blindly and making decisions based on guesswork rather than hard data.

Mistake 2: Poor Keyword Selection and Match Types in Google Ads

Keyword selection directly affects the effectiveness of a Google Ads campaign. A poor strategy in this area leads to rapid budget depletion with minimal sales results. Three key mistakes are repeated in most ineffective Google Ads campaigns.

Overly broad phrases in a campaign

Basing a campaign solely on popular, single-word phrases is a trap, especially for beginner advertisers. Popular Google Ads keywords may generate a high number of clicks, but they quickly consume the budget and do not translate into sales or leads. They attract users without purchase intent, are very expensive, and are highly competitive.

Keyword analysis should take into account the real campaign goal, user intent, costs, and conversion potential — not just traffic volume. Short-tail keywords are short queries with high search volume that help build reach but generate lower-quality traffic. Long-tail keywords, on the other hand, are more precise and align with a specific user intent, attracting people who are closer to making a purchase decision and more likely to convert.

When selecting keywords for a Google Ads campaign, it is worth using the Keyword Planner available in the ad panel. This tool provides information on how often specific phrases are searched, how trends change over time, and the estimated bids for each keyword. However, choosing phrases solely based on search volume is a mistake. Keywords should be aligned with the company’s business and marketing strategy as well as the content of the website.

No negative keywords

Negative keywords are a type of keyword that prevents your ad from showing when a specific word or phrase is searched. If you add the negative keyword “free” to your campaign, Google Ads will not show your ad in search results containing the word “free.”

Running campaigns without exclusions leads to budget burn, where most of the ad spend is consumed by users who are not interested in your offer. Negative keywords help save money that would otherwise be spent on irrelevant clicks. Their maximum declared number is 5,000.

Which queries should be excluded? Above all, informational queries without purchase intent, phrases related to free solutions, and terms that do not fit your business model. For example, a company selling luxury watches should exclude phrases such as “cheap watches” or “watches for sale,” avoiding ads being shown to users looking for discounted products.

The most common mistakes with exclusions include overly aggressive exclusion, which means removing words that are too general or only seemingly irrelevant, but may actually attract valuable traffic. The second problem is lack of consistency. Many advertisers set exclusions once and never revisit them, even though the list should be updated regularly based on the search terms report. The third mistake is misunderstanding user intent. Sometimes a phrase may look irrelevant, but in context it may indicate interest in the offer. That is why, before excluding it, it is worth checking the data: conversion rate, time spent on site, or user behavior.

Negative keywords can be added at the level of the entire campaign, a specific ad group, or the whole Google Ads account. Importantly, exclusions at the account level only apply to campaigns targeting the Google Display Network.

Using only broad match

Broad match is the default match type for all keywords. This means the widest reach, but also the least control over when ads are shown. The ad may appear for semantically similar queries, synonyms, or queries with a different word order.

The most dangerous mistake is using broad match without a solid negative keyword list, which results in attracting random users looking for manuals or pictures rather than the product itself. Broad match often generates higher costs and increases the risk of clicks without purchase intent.

Google Ads offers three keyword match types. Phrase match reaches more users than exact match and fewer users than broad match. Exact match gives the greatest control over who sees the ad, but reaches fewer users.

Choosing the right match type is crucial for optimal campaign performance. Match types that are too broad lead to budget waste on generic keywords, while overly precise phrases cause the loss of potentially valuable traffic. For beginner advertisers, broad match with careful budget control and phrase match, which offers a compromise between flexibility and relevance control, are recommended.

Mistake 3: Poorly Configured Geographic Targeting in Google Ads

Geographic targeting in Google Ads is one of those settings where the system’s default configuration becomes a budget trap. Incorrect location settings are responsible for burning millions of zlotys every year in Google Ads campaigns.

Setting “people interested in your location” instead of “people in your location”

Google sets the option “Presence or interest” by default in every new campaign. This setting allows ads to be shown not only to people physically located in the selected area, but also to those who show interest in that location. In practice, this means that if you run a pizzeria in Rzeszów, your ad may be shown to a student in Warsaw planning to visit in a month. You pay for a click with no chance of immediate conversion.

Google determines location based on several signals. The IP address is the most basic indicator, although not always precise. It also takes into account activity in Google services, the use of Google Maps, search history, and the location of the mobile device. Importantly, Google may detect interest in a location when a user enters the place name in the search engine, has a search history related to that area, or was previously in that location.

Broader geographic targeting does indeed bring more impressions and clicks. Advertisers in Travel, Real Estate, and Education who changed their search campaign targeting from “Presence” to “Presence or interest” achieved over 5% more conversions. However, for most local businesses and e-commerce stores with a defined delivery area, this option generates losses.

The solution requires changing the default setting. For 90% of local businesses and domestic e-commerce, the correct option is “Presence.” This single change can reduce customer acquisition costs by 20–40%. Targeting only users who are physically in the selected locations eliminates clicks from people who are merely interested in the product or service but are actually outside the area where the business operates.

Showing ads outside the area of operation

Incorrect campaign geography most often results from misunderstanding the company’s actual service area. A business owner fears that narrowing the campaign area will make the campaign stop working, so they set a larger radius or include the whole city and surrounding areas. As a result, ads attract traffic from places that may be geographically close but make no logistical or business sense.

Geographic targeting allows you to choose specific countries, cities, regions, or even a certain radius around a selected point. Google allows you to target ads, for example, within a 10 km radius around a chosen address. For local businesses, radius targeting is the most precise tool.

Another common issue is ads reaching users outside the service area. If you run an online store that delivers only to the five largest cities, instead of targeting only those cities, it may be better to target all of Poland and exclude the voivodeships where you do not deliver. This approach ensures better reach in urban areas than simply targeting city names.

Location exclusions work similarly to negative keywords. You can exclude specific regions where you do not want your ads to appear. It is also crucial to set exclusions to “Presence”, not “Presence or interest.” Otherwise, Google will also exclude people interested in a given region, even if they are physically in your target location.

Analyzing geographic reports in Google Ads campaigns helps identify budget leaks. If you target Poland and see clicks from India or Pakistan, you have found a problem that requires immediate action. Regularly check whether clicks from outside the target region bring any conversions. No conversions are a clear signal to narrow your targeting.

Proper configuration literally takes three minutes. In campaign settings, go to Locations, enter the target area, click Location options, and in the Target section select: Presence — people in or regularly in your targeted locations. For local companies, linking the Google Ads account with a Google Business Profile provides an additional element of precise targeting for people looking for nearby services.

Mistake 4: No Brand Campaign in Google Ads

Many advertisers ignore brand campaigns, assuming that if users search for their company, they will enter the website through organic results anyway. In reality, the absence of a brand campaign opens the door for competitors to capture your traffic at a key moment in the purchase decision.

Why a brand campaign is necessary

A brand campaign is a search campaign containing keywords related to your company name. Its main goal is to protect brand-related traffic and maintain an advantage over competitors. This type of campaign safeguards you against losing users right before they enter your website.

Running a brand campaign brings specific financial benefits. A study conducted by Google in 2011 showed that 89% of traffic generated by search ads is not replaced by organic clicks when ads are paused. This means that only 11% of people clicking the ad would have clicked the organic result if the ad had not been there. You are losing revenue that could go directly to you.

Another reason is message control. A brand ad appears above unpaid organic results, effectively doubling the space your brand occupies on the search results page. In organic results, Google often shows the text snippet it considers most relevant, whereas in a Google Ads ad you can present the exact message most likely to convince a potential customer to visit your site. With extensions, you can direct the customer to a specific subpage that matches their needs.

Risk of losing traffic to competitors

Google does not consider the use of competitors’ names in campaigns to be inappropriate or unfair. Under its current policy, this is entirely acceptable — Google will not investigate or restrict the use of trademarked terms as keywords, even after receiving a complaint. Competitors can therefore freely bid on keywords associated with your brand and show ads above your organic results.

This situation often occurs in the hotel industry. Many people type the company name into Google instead of entering the full website address. If a competitor creates an ad for your hotel’s name, there is a risk that the user will buy from them even though they were looking for you. Booking platforms often appear in the top search results, while the hotel owner loses the customer and must pay a high commission to the intermediary.

A similar problem affects distributors and offer aggregators. If your services are also sold on distributors’ websites, a brand campaign helps direct users to your own site, where they can make a purchase without commission. Through a brand campaign, the owner may save several or even more than a dozen percent in commission.

Google Ads does not restrict the use of trademarks as keywords, but it does not allow trademarks to be used in ad copy without written authorization. If a competitor uses your name in ad headlines, descriptions, or display URL, you can report a trademark violation to Google.

Benefits of protecting your brand name

The best defensive strategy is running your own brand campaign — this way, your company appears in the top ad position, and the costs of such a campaign are usually low. Brand campaigns in Google Ads typically have a low cost per click, and their effectiveness is high because users are already interested in your company. The average CPC usually ranges from a few to a dozen groszy.

By running ad campaigns using your brand name, you will likely achieve a very high Quality Score for your keywords and ad relevance. In Google’s ad auctions, bids and positions are adjusted based on Quality Score, which evaluates the relevance and quality of the ad. This translates into lower click costs, lower acquisition costs, and a higher return on ad spend. By running a brand campaign, you are more likely to appear in the top position and pay significantly less per click than your competitors.

Research by Bing in 2014 for the financial sector showed that when both the ad and the organic result were in the first position on the search results page, the advertiser captured nearly 90% of all available clicks. Brand presence in both paid and organic results improves brand perception and increases trust among potential customers.

Brand campaigns also tend to have a high conversion rate. When a potential customer types in branded keywords, they want to find your website — so you have a much higher chance that the user will click the ad and visit your site. In most cases, the total campaign cost amounts to only a few percent of the entire monthly budget, making a brand campaign one of the most cost-effective investments in Google Ads.

Mistake 5: Not Using Ad Extensions in Google Ads

A plain Google Ads ad without extensions is a missed opportunity for better visibility and lower customer acquisition costs. Ad extensions are additional elements displayed with text ads in the search network, increasing the ad’s surface area and giving users more information before they click.

Adding extensions to ads does not cost anything by itself. You only pay when a user clicks the ad or the extension. Google Ads charges for a maximum of two clicks per impression of the ad and its components. In practice, you get additional ad space and more ways to convince the customer without additional base costs.

Which extensions are worth adding

Google Ads currently offers 19 ad extensions, of which 11 can be configured manually and 8 work automatically. The maximum number of extensions shown at the same time is 4.

Sitelink extensions let you add extra links to different sections of your website. The minimum required number is 2, and you can have up to 6. Thanks to them, users can go directly to the part of the site they are interested in instead of clicking the homepage.

Callout extensions are short phrases below the ad containing messages such as “Free Delivery,” “24/7 Customer Support,” or “Highest Quality.” The text field is limited to 25 characters, which forces concise messaging.

Structured snippet extensions present a list of key features of the offer, such as service types or product categories. According to research, they account for as much as 35.1% of all clicks.

Call extensions add a phone number to the ad, enabling direct contact with the company in one click. On mobile devices, the number appears as a clickable button.

Location extensions display the company’s address, making it easier for users to find it on Google Maps. This requires linking the Google Ads account with an active Google Business Profile.

Price extensions show different pricing options for products or services directly in the ad. You can add up to 8 such items with a short 25-character description.

Lead form extensions allow users to fill out a form directly in the ad. This shortens the customer journey, as they can submit their data without clicking through the whole website.

The impact of extensions on CTR and cost per click

Ad extensions have a direct impact on click-through rate, Quality Score, and customer acquisition cost. According to Google data, ad assets can increase CTR by as much as 10–15%.

Ads with extensions take up more space on the search results page, pushing competitors lower down. In addition, they attract attention with extra elements such as icons, stars, a phone number, or a price. They clarify the offer and remove doubts before the click, which filters traffic and increases the share of valuable clicks that end in conversion.

For Google, an ad with well-configured extensions is generally more valuable. This translates into a better Quality Score and, in practice, a lower cost per click at the same position or a better position with the same budget. Ad Rank in Google Ads is calculated based on maximum CPC bid, Quality Score, and the expected impact of extensions.

Campaigns with high CTR supported by the right extensions can achieve better positions at the same bid levels. Importantly, because ads display additional information, return on investment increases, since clicks come from people who are more genuinely interested in the offer.

Mistake 6: Poor Landing Page and No Message Match in Google Ads

The landing page determines whether your Google Ads campaign makes money or wastes it. Even a perfectly configured campaign stops working the moment the user lands on the wrong page.

Sending traffic to the homepage instead of a dedicated landing page

Sending valuable traffic directly to the store homepage instead of a precisely prepared landing page is one of the most common mistakes that requires immediate intervention. The homepage is a company showcase with a menu, subpages, a blog, and company history. When someone clicks an ad saying “Cabins with jacuzzi Zakopane,” they expect information about cabins with a jacuzzi and a simple booking method — not to search through the menu or scroll past an “About us” section.

Companies with dedicated landing pages for ad campaigns report 2–5 times higher conversion rates than those sending traffic to the homepage. With an ad budget of PLN 3,000 per month, the difference may be 15 inquiries instead of 3. A landing page has one clear purpose — to prompt the user to take action. Unlike standard websites that offer multiple options, a landing page focuses on one specific action.

Every click costs money, so if the page the user lands on is poorly designed, you lose money. If you advertise a specific product name such as “Xbox One S,” the best solution is to direct the campaign to a landing page dedicated specifically to that console model. A user clicking such an ad knows exactly what they are looking for, so do not send them to the homepage or a general category page.

No consistency between the ad and the page content

If the ad talks about an audit in 5 steps, but the landing page starts with a general description of the agency, there is a mismatch. If the ad promises pricing, but the landing page gives no price range, the user feels misled. A complete lack of logical consistency between the promise made in the promotional text and the actual content of the target page results in wasted budget.

The Message Match principle requires the landing page headline to be almost identical to the ad headline. When a user clicks an ad with the slogan “Affordable websites Kraków,” they expect confirmation on the page: pricing, location, and the website offer. Every mismatch increases the bounce rate. In practice, a simple test works: within the first 3 seconds after entering the page, can the user see that they are in the right place?

Impact on Quality Score

Landing page quality is one of the factors considered when calculating a keyword’s Quality Score. A poor page can raise the cost per click and lower conversions at the same time — it is a double blow: you pay more and earn less. Google evaluates landing page quality as one of the three components of Quality Score, which directly affects ad position and click costs.

The system promotes websites that generate sales because a satisfactory conversion rate is objective proof of consumer satisfaction. The assessment of landing page quality includes the usefulness and relevance of the information provided, ease of navigation, and the match between the clicked ad and user expectations. A landing page optimized for the ad text achieves a higher Quality Score, which translates into a better position in search results and a lower CPC.

Mistake 7: Overtrusting Google’s Automatic Recommendations

Google Ads recommendations are designed mainly to increase advertisers’ spending on the platform. While some suggestions genuinely improve campaign performance, blindly implementing all recommendations leads to a loss of budget control and lower profitability.

When recommendations can hurt

The biggest problem with automatic recommendations is the lack of business context. Google Ads does not analyze sales data outside its own system and does not know which products are the most profitable and which only generate turnover without profit. A high optimization score does not always mean better financial results — some recommendations exist mainly to increase account activity and ad spend.

Google often suggests increasing budgets even when campaigns are already achieving satisfactory results. A proposal to expand search campaigns to the display network can cause you to lose control over where and in what context ads are shown. The algorithms may not take into account industry specifics and the client’s internal preferences.

Automatic changes without your knowledge

Automatically applying recommendations introduces changes without full user control. Auto-apply can lead to changes in bidding strategies, keyword match types, or budgets without the account manager’s knowledge. Google has implemented Auto-Generated Video Ads in Demand Gen campaigns, meaning the system can automatically create a new video ad directly in the ad group, while the advertiser does not receive a notification.

There are currently 24 recommendation types divided into 4 categories. Each type can be enabled for automatic application, which increases the risk of undesirable changes in Google Ads campaigns.

How to use system suggestions wisely

Do not use automatic recommendation application without first analyzing them. Systematically review automatically introduced changes and their impact on campaign results by using the account change history. In the change history, you can check who enabled automatic recommendations and when.

Test the automatic application of individual recommendation types that you have not used before, making sure they align with the account strategy. Regularly monitor ad campaigns and their results to ensure that the implemented changes bring the desired effects.

The Most Common Google Ads Mistakes – Conclusions

The seven mistakes described in this article are responsible for most budget losses in Google Ads campaigns. The good news? Every one of them can be eliminated, and most fixes take literally just a few minutes. Above all, configure proper conversion tracking, then adjust keywords and exclusions, improve geographic targeting, and launch a brand campaign. Add ad extensions, create dedicated landing pages, and turn off the automatic application of recommendations. Implementing these changes should bring measurable results within the first few weeks. Monitor the account regularly, and your campaigns will finally start generating profit instead of burning through the budget.

If you want to make sure your Google Ads campaign does not contain costly mistakes, contact us. We will conduct a detailed audit, properly configure conversion tracking, organize your campaign structure, select the right keywords, and set up precise targeting. We will make sure your budget works toward real results – sales and inquiries – not empty clicks. We will set up your campaign so that it is predictable, scalable, and above all profitable.

Artykuł 7 Most Common Mistakes in Google Ads Campaigns pochodzi z serwisu WILK NIEBIESKI MARKETING.

Average Facebook advertising costs in 2026 – CPC, CPM, and CPL

Advertising rates in Meta Ads are based on three main pricing models. Each corresponds to a different campaign objective and measures effectiveness at different stages of the sales funnel. In practice, these metrics determine how much you will actually spend to reach a customer.

Cost Per Click (CPC) – how much you pay for one click

In Poland, the average CPC ranges from PLN 0.50 to PLN 3.00. The exact rate depends mainly on the industry, ad quality, and targeting precision. The general average Facebook CPC in Q1 2026 is PLN 0.50–2.50, which converts to about $0.12–0.60.

Differences between industries are significant. Restaurants and fashion e-commerce pay the least, with CPCs of PLN 0.25–1.00 and PLN 0.30–1.20 respectively. Finance and insurance are at the other end of the scale, with rates of PLN 1.50–4.00. Local services achieve an average CPC of PLN 0.50–1.80, while B2B and SaaS click costs reach PLN 1.00–3.50. Real estate costs PLN 0.80–2.50 per click, and education and online courses range from PLN 0.60–2.00.

CPC does not stay constant throughout the year. In Q1 (January–March), campaigns are the cheapest because many advertisers reduce budgets after the holiday season. Q2 and Q3 are characterized by moderate costs, with a slight decline during the summer. Q4 (October–December), however, is the most expensive period, with Black Friday and Christmas driving CPC up by 50–100%.

On Instagram, CPC is 20–40% higher than on Facebook. Instagram has a younger, more engaged audience, which means greater competition for attention. For fashion e-commerce, a CPC below PLN 1.00 is a good result, while in B2B, where a client may be worth PLN 5,000+, even PLN 3.00 can still be profitable.

Cost Per Mille (CPM) – how much 1,000 impressions cost

CPM is the average cost of 1,000 impressions. It is calculated by dividing the amount spent on a campaign by the number of impressions and multiplying by 1,000. If spending $50 generates 10,000 impressions, the CPM is $5.

In Polish campaigns, CPM often falls within the PLN 10–40 range. In less competitive industries, with broad audiences and strong creatives, you may see PLN 8–15. During periods of heightened competition or in difficult segments such as finance or highly competitive training offers, CPM can jump to PLN 50–80.

CPM is strongly linked to ad quality. If the creative does not engage the audience and people scroll past without clicking, the system needs more attempts to find people likely to respond, and that costs more. CPM can also rise in remarketing campaigns with small audiences because the same person sees the ad multiple times.

According to industry data, the average Facebook CPM ranges from PLN 8 to PLN 45. For e-commerce, rates are PLN 15–50; local services fall between PLN 8–25; while B2B and SaaS reach PLN 35–80. Advertising costs can be higher during periods of increased competition, such as before Christmas.

Cost Per Lead (CPL) – how much you pay for a customer contact

CPL (Cost Per Lead) is a pricing model in which you pay for each lead acquired. A lead is contact information for a potential customer, most often obtained through a form. The CPL formula is simple:

CPL = Campaign Cost / Number of Leads Acquired

If you spend PLN 3,000 on a campaign and acquire 600 leads, then CPL equals PLN 5 per lead.

The cost of a lead on Facebook in Poland in 2026 ranges from PLN 10 to PLN 300, depending on the industry. In B2C campaigns (fitness, beauty, e-commerce), the average CPL is PLN 10–50. In real estate and B2B, costs reach PLN 80–300.

For comparison: the average Facebook CPL (PLN 113.87) is around 2.5 times lower than on Google Ads (PLN 288.62). In lead generation campaigns, lead cost in Poland often falls around PLN 10–60. A local service business, such as dentistry or cosmetology, can generate inquiries in the PLN 15–40 range. In B2B, where services are more expensive and the sales process is longer, PLN 60–200 per lead is more common, sometimes more if only high-quality contacts matter.

A low CPL does not always mean success. What matters is also the conversion of leads into actual customers. By analyzing CPL in the context of CPA (Cost Per Acquisition) or LTV (Lifetime Value), you can better assess whether the acquired contacts are truly valuable.

What determines the cost of Facebook advertising – key factors

Facebook does not price ads using fixed rates. The system works in an auction model that adjusts prices dynamically depending on demand for a given audience, the quality of the ad, and the campaign objective. This means the same budget can generate completely different results across industries and time periods.

Industry and the level of competition in the Meta auction

Costs vary significantly between sectors. In industries such as fashion, beauty, supplements, training, health, and online marketing, competition for user attention is very high, so clicks and impressions are more expensive. Industries like e-commerce, real estate, and finance are characterized by greater advertising competition, which translates into higher rates for clicks and impressions.

On the other hand, with local services such as plumbers, hairdressers, or language schools, if the audience is well matched and geographically limited, you can achieve very attractive rates. In one industry, acquiring a contact may cost PLN 5, while in another it may cost PLN 50. For a brand selling products for PLN 89, a customer acquisition cost of PLN 120 might be unprofitable, but selling one product worth PLN 800 at an acquisition cost of PLN 120 is still a very good result.

Campaign objective and type of conversion

The choice of campaign objective has a direct impact on cost. Facebook optimizes ads differently depending on the selected objective. Campaigns aimed at increasing sales may involve higher costs than those focused on building brand awareness.

Reach, impressions, and engagement are the cheapest options in terms of CPM, but they do not necessarily deliver measurable sales results. Link clicks (traffic) involve moderate costs and are good for generating website visits. Lead generation and conversions, such as online store sales, are usually more expensive because they require reaching people with stronger purchase intent. Meta’s system automatically directs ads to people most likely to perform a given action, which affects the difficulty and cost of achieving that objective.

Creative quality and relevance score

Facebook rewards ads that are interesting, audience-matched, and generate positive reactions such as clicks, comments, and likes. This is known as the relevance score. Facebook rates ad relevance on a scale from 1 to 10, and a higher relevance score leads to lower costs and better ad performance.

An ad with strong copy, attractive graphics or video, and a clear call to action (CTA) can achieve a lower click cost than a similar campaign with poor creative. Native-feeling content and engaging formats such as video, carousels, and lead forms often achieve better cost performance than static, generic banners. A strong creative and a fast landing page can reduce CPL by 20–40% and double sales without increasing the budget.

Target audience and targeting precision

The more competitive the audience, the higher the cost of reaching it. If you target a narrow group of users with high market value, for example entrepreneurs interested in investing, the cost per click or impression may be much higher than in a campaign aimed at a broad general audience.

On the other hand, a well-defined target audience means less wasted budget because the ad reaches people genuinely interested in the offer. Overly broad targeting causes the budget to spread too thin and reach uninterested users, while overly narrow targeting limits reach and makes campaign scaling difficult.

Seasonality and time of year

Ads are more expensive during periods of increased advertising activity, such as November–December (Black Friday, Christmas, year-end), summer holiday periods (for travel and events industries), and times connected with major events such as school admissions campaigns or elections. During these periods, more companies compete for limited ad space, naturally pushing rates up.

During holidays, major sales periods, or industry events, demand for advertising rises, and so do prices. Facebook operates on an auction basis, so the more advertisers compete for the attention of the same audience, the more expensive it becomes.

Placement – where the ad is shown

Facebook allows ads to be displayed in different placements, and each has different characteristics and costs. The Facebook Feed is more expensive but highly effective. Stories are often cheaper and more dynamic, but they require the right format. Marketplace, Right Column, and Reels differ in price and effectiveness depending on the campaign. Choosing the right placement can significantly influence the cost-efficiency of an ad.

How much should you spend on Facebook ads – example budgets

The decision about the size of your advertising budget should take into account not only unit costs, but above all business goals and market realities. The amount allocated to Meta Ads directly affects the amount of data the algorithm can collect and the campaign’s potential for optimization.

Budget of PLN 500–1,000 per month – starting point for a small business

For small local businesses, a budget of PLN 300–600 per month is enough for calm, steady post promotion. If you are testing the platform’s potential, start with PLN 600–900 per month (PLN 20–30 per day), but treat it as learning, not as something that will produce spectacular results. For a local business, plan PLN 1,000–1,500 per month for one well-defined campaign.

A small budget can be used to boost posts for PLN 50 over 5 days. This can be a form of testing: the budget is not large, so you will not “burn through” it, while still gaining the chance to reach several thousand new people and increase page reach. Starting from PLN 10 per day (about PLN 300 per month), the next step can be increasing that amount to PLN 500 per month. With more posts, that becomes a reasonable figure for gently promoting a local business.

Budget of PLN 2,000–3,000 per month – regular campaigns

In practice, PLN 2,000 per month is the absolute minimum that allows for running campaigns in a meaningful way. For an online store, a minimum of PLN 2,000–3,000 per month allows for sensible testing and optimization. Facebook consultants in Poland often recommend around PLN 1,500–2,000 per month for campaigns focused on a specific objective such as conversions or lead generation.

This budget range makes it possible to collect enough data for optimization and help the campaign move out of the learning phase. The Meta algorithm needs data to learn, and data costs money. At the same time, this budget allows you to run remarketing, spending up to PLN 2 per day for every 1,000 people. For example, if your combined audiences of website visitors, active Facebook page users, and active Instagram users over the past 180 days total 50,000 people, it makes sense to spend up to PLN 100 per day on them.

Budget of PLN 5,000–10,000 per month – e-commerce and scaling

For strictly sales-driven campaigns, a minimum of PLN 5,000–10,000 per month is often suggested to achieve stable and repeatable results. In the case of an online store, a budget of PLN 3,000–6,000 is the level at which campaign testing becomes possible. If you operate in B2B or sell premium services, a budget of PLN 3,000–5,000 per month is a reasonable starting point.

When ads begin to deliver stable results and exit the learning phase, the time comes to scale, meaning increasing budgets in individual campaigns. In online stores, one of the main metrics used to analyze performance is ROAS, or Return on Ad Spend. This number shows how many złoty were earned from every złoty spent on advertising.

Budget above PLN 10,000 – advanced campaigns

Large companies often have advertising budgets ranging from a dozen to several dozen thousand złoty per month. Remember that Facebook campaign costs are not a one-off expense, but a permanent budget item, especially in e-commerce, where creatives should be launched continuously. Additionally, the cost of Facebook advertising is not just the ad budget itself, but also agency management fees.

A well-planned campaign can generate sales, build relationships, increase brand awareness, and strengthen market position. If you operate in an industry that requires a high degree of trust, the percentage of spending on such activities must be much higher. It is recommended to allocate up to 20% of the ad budget to softer, trust-building activities when the brand is already recognized in its niche, and as much as 50–60% when you are still building trust or want to expand reach.

How much does Facebook advertising cost when managed by an agency?

Running campaigns through an agency involves two types of costs. The first is the advertising budget paid directly to Meta, and the second is the agency’s fee for campaign management. You fund your ad account yourself using a credit card, which gives you full control over ad spend. The agency does not have access to those funds; it receives separate compensation for its work.

Agency pricing models – flat fee vs percentage

There are three billing models on the market. A flat fee (fixed monthly fee) offers predictable costs and works well for small and medium-sized businesses. A percentage of ad spend (10–20%) scales with the campaign and motivates the agency to increase sales, which works well for budgets of PLN 10,000–30,000+. A success fee or hybrid model combines a fixed component with a performance bonus, creating the most partnership-based model of cooperation.

Professional Meta Ads management costs:

• PLN 700–1,200 for small local campaigns,
• PLN 1,500–3,000 for standard SME and e-commerce projects,
• PLN 3,000–6,000+ for larger budgets,
• and 10–20% of ad spend when scaling budgets of PLN 20,000–50,000+.

BeasyAds offers the FB Ads Pro package from PLN 1,000 per month for budgets up to PLN 2,000, while FB Lead Ads starts from PLN 800 per month. If the basic budget limit is exceeded, an additional 20% is charged on the excess amount.

What is included in the management fee

An agency provides campaign planning, ongoing setup and optimization, development of ad creatives, and analytics configuration. It also handles pixel setup, creation of advanced target audiences, and systematic KPI reporting.

Why is it worth outsourcing Facebook ad management to an agency?

The quality of campaign management determines whether you pay PLN 40 or PLN 120 per lead. If an agency reduces CPL from PLN 70 to PLN 40 with 150 leads per month, you save PLN 4,500 every month.

How much does Facebook advertising cost – summary

Facebook advertising costs in 2026 are no secret. CPC ranges from PLN 0.50 to PLN 3, CPM is PLN 15–45, and CPL ranges from PLN 15 to PLN 200. Essentially, the minimum effective budget is about PLN 1,000 per month for local businesses and at least PLN 2,000–3,000 for e-commerce.

Keep in mind that the final cost depends on the industry, creative quality, targeting, and seasonality. A good agency can reduce CPL by as much as 40%, which for larger budgets means thousands of złoty in monthly savings.

If you want your campaign to be managed professionally and do not want to waste budget on tests without a strategy, contact us. We will design an effective campaign from scratch, select the right target audience, prepare creatives, and optimize activities so that every złoty genuinely works toward your result.

Artykuł How much does Facebook advertising cost? pochodzi z serwisu WILK NIEBIESKI MARKETING.

In 2025, clear rules apply to email marketing — and failing to comply with them may result not only in a loss of recipients’ trust, but also in serious legal consequences. The legal basis in this area is the GDPR, which sets out the rules for collecting, processing, and storing personal data — including email addresses. What is more, even if it is only an email address containing a first and last name (e.g. jan.kowalski@gmail.com), in most cases personal data is still being processed.

It is worth considering whether emailing companies is currently the best strategy. Every marketer who has tried SEO on their own or worked with a specialist SEO agency knows that the foundation of all ranking efforts is the value of the website itself. In light of increasingly strict GDPR rules, working with a professional SEO agency such as wilkniebieski.pl may prove to be a safer and more effective alternative to traditional mailing.

What regulations govern emailing companies in 2025

In 2025, sending commercial offers electronically is subject to strict legal regulations. These rules significantly affect companies’ marketing activities and must be followed carefully in order to avoid potential penalties. The legal framework is based on three key acts, which complement one another and together create a comprehensive regulatory structure.

GDPR – the most important changes for B2B companies

The GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) also introduces major changes in business communication. Contrary to popular belief, these rules do not apply only to B2C relationships, but also to B2B. In 2025, the importance of these regulations has grown even further because:

• Any consent to the processing of personal data for marketing purposes must be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous
• Companies must document every consent obtained and present it upon request
• Even in B2B communication, explicit consent is required for sending commercial information

In addition, the GDPR gives natural persons representing companies the right to access the consents they have given and to withdraw them at any time. It is worth noting that in 2025 the interpretation of “legitimate interest” (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) as a basis for emailing companies has become much more restrictive.

Act on the Provision of Electronic Services

This act sets out the service provider’s obligations related to providing electronic services, the rules on limitation of liability, and the principles of personal data protection. In the context of emailing companies, the provisions concerning commercial information are of key importance.

According to this act, any commercial information must be:

• Clearly separated and marked in a way that leaves no doubt
• Include identification of the entity on whose behalf it is being distributed
• Include the sender’s electronic addresses

However, after the entry into force of the Electronic Communications Law, the regulations concerning the sending of unsolicited commercial information were removed from this act, clarified, and transferred to a new legal act.

Electronic Communications Law and its impact

Since November 10, 2024, the Electronic Communications Law (PKE) has been in force, introducing groundbreaking changes to the rules of marketing communication. This law clearly prohibits the use of automated calling systems and telecommunications terminal equipment to send commercial information without the recipient’s prior consent. This also applies to B2B communication.

The key changes introduced by the PKE include:

• The requirement to obtain one clear consent from clients for marketing contact through all available channels
• The obligation to archive customers’ consents for commercial communication
• Severe penalties for non-compliance, reaching up to 3% of a company’s annual turnover

In light of these rules, so-called cold mailing — sending offers to people who have not previously given consent — is now prohibited. What is more, the PKE excludes the possibility of using data obtained from public registers or websites for marketing purposes without the explicit consent of the person concerned.

Given these increasingly strict regulations, emailing companies is becoming legally riskier and riskier. That is why an alternative worth considering is investing in SEO. Working with a professional SEO agency such as ours — wilkniebieski.pl — allows you to reach potential customers effectively without the risk of violating personal data protection regulations. This way, you not only avoid potential financial penalties, but also build long-term visibility for your company online.

How to legally obtain consent for mailing

Obtaining legally valid consent to send marketing messages has become much more complicated in 2025 than ever before. Since the Electronic Communications Law (PKE) came into force on November 10, 2024, businesses have had to adapt to stricter requirements regarding the collection of consent, which gives the question “can you send offer emails to companies” a new legal dimension.

Signup forms and checkboxes – what has changed?

The Electronic Communications Law has introduced radical changes to the way marketing consent is collected. The most important changes in signup forms are:

• Consent must be voluntary — service provision cannot be made conditional on giving marketing consent
• Consent must be specific — each communication channel (email, phone, SMS) requires separate consent
• The decision must be informed — the user must know who will process their data and for what purpose
• Consent must be unambiguous — it should be expressed actively, for example by ticking an empty checkbox

Practices such as pre-ticked boxes or combining marketing consent with acceptance of terms and conditions are now unlawful. Failure to comply with these rules may result in financial penalties of up to 3% of the company’s annual revenue or PLN 1 million.

An example of a correct form: an empty checkbox with the clear message: “I consent to receiving commercial information electronically (by email) from Company XYZ.” Similar separate consents should be obtained for each communication channel.

Double opt-in as proof of consent

Double opt-in has become the standard that significantly increases legal security for companies conducting mailings. This process involves:

1. The user first giving consent by completing a form
2. Sending a verification email with an activation link
3. Confirming the subscription by clicking the link
4. Archiving that confirmation as proof of consent

Using double verification ensures that the email address is correct, actually exists, and belongs to the person who provided it. Moreover, it constitutes indisputable proof of informed consent in the event of an audit or legal dispute. In addition, companies using double opt-in report a lower unsubscribe rate.

Consent and the information obligation – how to combine them

Under the PKE and the GDPR, every marketing consent must be combined with fulfillment of the information obligation. This means that the recipient must be informed about:

• The identity of the data controller (who collects the data)
• The purpose of data processing (marketing, newsletter)
• The storage period of the data
• The rights of the data subject (access, objection, deletion)
• The possibility of withdrawing consent at any time

The information obligation can be fulfilled by including appropriate information next to signup forms and providing a link to the privacy policy. However, it should be remembered that information alone does not replace the requirement to obtain consent.

In the context of growing legal requirements and the risk of financial penalties, emailing companies is becoming an increasingly risky marketing tool. An alternative solution, which does not require collecting consent and processing personal data to the same extent, is website positioning (SEO). Working with a professional SEO agency such as ours makes it possible to achieve search engine visibility without exposing yourself to legal issues related to mailing. In light of tightening GDPR rules, investing in SEO may prove not only safer, but also more effective in the long run than traditional mailing to companies.

When do you not need consent for mailing?

Despite the tightening of GDPR and PKE rules, there are situations in which sending emails to companies or customers does not require prior consent. However, it is worth remembering that these exceptions are becoming increasingly limited, and misinterpreting the regulations may result in serious financial consequences.

A business relationship as an exception

An existing business relationship is one of the most important exceptions to the requirement of obtaining consent to send messages. You may contact a client without additional marketing consent in the following cases:

• For communication related to a completed order, service, or contract
• When the client themselves has approached you asking for an offer
• Within the controller’s legitimate interest, e.g. to pursue claims or recover an unpaid invoice

It should be noted, however, that a business relationship does not give you unlimited rights to send all types of messages. If you want to add a client’s email address to a newsletter database or send them typically marketing content, you still need their explicit consent.

Importantly, however, European law provides for an exception not reflected in Polish regulations. The directive assumes that email marketing can be conducted without prior consent if there is a seller-customer relationship between you and the recipient, and the email address was obtained in the context of selling your own products or services.

Transactional vs. marketing mailing

The key difference between mailings that require consent and those you may send without additional permission lies in the nature of the message. Transactional messages are sent in response to specific user actions and do not require additional marketing consent.

Transactional messages that may be sent without consent include:

• Order confirmations with information about the purchased products
• Account activation information after registration
• Payment receipt confirmations
• Notifications about shipping delays or stock shortages
• Information about issuing an invoice

In contrast, marketing messages encouraging repeat purchases or promoting new services always require prior consent. Transactional messages are read by most recipients, which means they are opened and clicked far more often than other types of messages.

Publicly available contact data – is that enough?

Using publicly available contact data for business mailing is an area in which regulations are interpreted ambiguously. According to the Code of Good Practice in the direct marketing industry, sending a marketing message to an entrepreneur who has published their data in the CEIDG does not require prior consent. Similarly, sending commercial information to commercial companies (e.g. limited liability companies) whose data is available in the National Court Register (KRS) is possible without consent, because these are legal entities rather than natural persons.

However, for safety reasons, it is recommended to send messages to a general address (e.g. kontakt@firma.pl), and to a personalized address only when you are sure the addressee wants this or when the personalized address is listed on the company’s website as a contact address for offers.

Despite these exceptions, regulations on personal data protection and electronic communication are becoming increasingly restrictive. In view of these challenges, it is worth considering alternative customer acquisition methods that do not expose you to legal risk. Investing in website positioning (SEO) is a safer alternative to mailing. Working with a professional SEO agency such as wilkniebieski.pl allows you to effectively reach potential customers without having to deal with the legal complexities surrounding consent for electronic communication.

In light of tightening GDPR rules, the question “can you send offer emails to companies” is becoming increasingly complex, and the answer increasingly less clear-cut. Therefore, professional SEO appears to be a safer and potentially more effective marketing strategy for 2025.

The most common mailing mistakes and how to avoid them

Running mailing campaigns in 2025 is like moving through a minefield — one misstep can result in serious legal consequences. Over the years, GDPR regulations have become more rigorous, and the answer to the question “can you send offer emails to companies” is no longer as clear as it once was.

No unsubscribe link

Every marketing message must contain a clear and easily accessible unsubscribe link. This is a basic legal requirement under the GDPR and other regulations. A subscriber should be able to unsubscribe from the mailing with one click — without having to log in or provide reasons. The link is best placed in the footer of the message and clearly labeled. The lack of such a link may result not only in spam complaints, but also in a lower sender reputation among email providers, which leads to deliverability problems for all future campaigns.

Hiding the sender’s identity

According to the regulations, every commercial message must clearly indicate who the sender is. The email content should include:

• The full name of the company or person sending the message
• The email address from which the message was sent
• The company’s physical registered address (usually in the footer)

Hiding or concealing the sender’s identity is an offense punishable by a high fine and damage to the domain’s reputation. It is worth remembering that a simple link redirecting to a website is not considered sufficient identification.

Sending without a legal basis – real penalties

The consequences of violating mailing regulations are extremely severe. Sending unsolicited commercial information without the proper legal basis may result in:

• A fine
• Restriction of liberty
• Imprisonment for up to 2 years
• A financial penalty of up to 3% of the company’s annual revenue or PLN 1 million

In light of these severe sanctions and tightening GDPR regulations, emailing companies is becoming a marketing tool with a high level of legal risk. That is why it is worth considering alternative customer acquisition methods such as SEO. Working with a professional SEO agency like wilkniebieski.pl allows you to effectively reach potential customers without exposing yourself to legal problems related to mailing.

SEO is safer than mailing

In view of the growing legal challenges associated with mailing, entrepreneurs are increasingly looking for safer marketing alternatives. Website positioning (SEO) is emerging as a method that not only avoids legal pitfalls but also provides long-term benefits for businesses.

Legal risks in mailing vs. SEO

Running email marketing campaigns involves a whole range of sanctions in the event of legal violations. These consequences may take the form of administrative penalties reaching as much as 3% of the sanctioned entity’s revenue from the previous calendar year. Violating the provisions of the Act on the Provision of Electronic Services is an offense punishable by a fine of up to PLN 5,000.

The most severe sanctions, however, arise from personal data protection law. It provides for imprisonment of up to 2 years for violating provisions concerning the processing of personal data. In the case of unauthorized processing of certain sensitive data, the upper penalty limit may even be 3 years of imprisonment.

Unlike mailing, SEO does not require the processing of personal data or obtaining consent from potential customers. Instead, it focuses on content optimization, which eliminates the risk of violating the GDPR or the Act on the Provision of Electronic Services. SEO is therefore a much safer strategy from a legal perspective.

Why an SEO agency (e.g. wilkniebieski.pl) is a safe choice

Working with a professional SEO agency gives businesses a significant advantage in the current legal reality. Above all, agencies specializing in SEO, such as wilkniebieski.pl, have up-to-date knowledge of permissible marketing practices. This is especially important in the context of strict compliance with ethical and legal requirements.

SEO is becoming a key element of every company’s marketing strategy if it wants to increase its online presence and attract more people interested in its services. Search engine optimization not only increases website traffic, but also builds brand credibility and authority in the eyes of potential customers.

Additionally, effective use of SEO, unique content, and engagement on social media are key to achieving success in promoting services online. Unlike mailing, which may be perceived as intrusive, SEO attracts customers who are actively searching for specific products or services.

In summary, the question “can you send offer emails to companies” is becoming increasingly complicated in light of tightening regulations. SEO, on the other hand, is a safer alternative that allows you to effectively reach potential customers without the risk of violating personal data protection regulations.

Conclusions

To sum up, the regulations governing the sending of offer emails to companies have become significantly stricter in 2025. The Electronic Communications Law, together with the GDPR, has created an environment in which conducting email marketing without the appropriate consents is becoming not only difficult, but also extremely risky. Financial penalties reaching 3% of a company’s annual revenue, as well as potential legal consequences, pose a serious threat to entrepreneurs.

The days when it was possible to freely collect email addresses from publicly available sources and send unsolicited offers are certainly gone for good. Current regulations require every marketing consent to be freely given, specific, informed, and unambiguous. In addition, companies must document all obtained consents and allow easy withdrawal from subscriptions.

In view of these challenges, more and more businesses are looking for safer marketing alternatives. Website positioning (SEO) appears as a method that eliminates the risks associated with processing personal data and obtaining marketing consent. Working with a professional SEO agency such as wilkniebieski.pl allows you to effectively reach potential customers without exposing yourself to legal problems.

It is therefore worth considering whether traditional mailing is the best strategy for your company in 2025. It may be time to redirect your marketing budget toward SEO activities, which are not only safer from a legal standpoint, but also build long-term search engine visibility and attract customers who are actively looking for your services or products.

Although mailing companies is still possible in certain circumstances, the legal complexities and risk of penalties make SEO a more sensible choice for companies that care about compliance and long-term marketing results.

Reference

[1] – https://porady.pl/jak-prawidlowo-zdobywac-zgody-marketingowe-w-2025-roku/
[2] – https://animails.pl/double-opt-in-dlaczego-ta-metoda-jest-tak-wazna/
[3] – https://www.getresponse.pl/blog/potwierdzic-czy-nie-potwierdzic-dylematy-dotyczace-zapisu-do-listy-mailingowej
[4] – https://www.prawo.pl/biznes/zgody-marketingowe-i-kontakty-handlowe-co-mowi-prawo-komunikacji-elektronicznej,530981.html
[5] – https://legalnybiznesonline.pl/cold-mailing-czy-jest-zgodny-z-rodo/
[6] – https://prawomarketingu.pl/kiedy-mozna-wyslac-maila-bez-zgody-odbiorcy-o-wyjatku-ktory-moze-ci-pomoc/
[7] – https://di.com.pl/wiadomosci-transakcyjne-vs-marketingowe-kluczowe-roznice-71235
[8] – https://marketingautomagic.pl/2025/04/transakcyjne-czy-marketingowe-jak-nie-pomylic-tych-rodzajow-wiadomosci/
[9] – https://fundacja.togatus.pl/jakie-e-maile-mozna-wysylac-bez-zgody-klienta-aspekt-marketingowy/
[10] – https://www.shoper.pl/learn/artykul/czym-rozni-sie-e-mail-transakcyjny-od-marketingowego-sprawdzamy
[11] – https://www.parp.gov.pl/component/content/article/57776:cold-mailing-w-kontekscie-rodo-stosowac-czy-nie-stosowac-oto-jest-pytanie
[12] – https://e-partnerzymarketingowi.pl/prawo-komunikacji-elektronicznej-rewolucja-w-marketingu-internetowym-co-musisz-wiedziec/
[13] – https://sprawnymarketing.pl/blog/prawo-email-marketing/
[14] – https://icomseo.pl/blog/jak-mozna-wykorzystac-marketing-internetowy-w-promowaniu-uslug-prawniczych/

Artykuł Sending Emails to Companies in 2025: What You Need to Know About the New RegulationsSEO instead of cold mailing pochodzi z serwisu WILK NIEBIESKI MARKETING.