Many Nepali businesses unknowingly burn cash on these PPC errors

After auditing over 200 Nepali PPC accounts, I’ve seen the same expensive mistakes repeated across industries - from local restaurants wasting NPR 50,000/month on wrong keywords to e-commerce stores missing 80% of their potential conversions. For a comprehensive overview of PPC best practices, consider this PPC Best Practices Guide.

Here are the most damaging PPC mistakes in Nepal’s market, and exactly how to fix them:

1. Targeting “All Nepal” Without Geo-Filters

The Mistake:
Running nationwide campaigns when 90% of your customers come from Kathmandu/Pokhara.

The Damage:

• Wasted spend on irrelevant clicks from rural areas
• 40-60% higher CPA than necessary

The Fix:

• Restrict to urban areas first:
  Kathmandu +5km, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Pokhara
• Add negative locations:
  India, Bangladesh, Middle East (common accidental clicks)

For more on this, see my guide to localizing PPC campaigns in Nepal.

2. Ignoring Mobile Optimization

The Mistake:
Using desktop-designed landing pages when 92% of clicks come via smartphone.

The Damage:

• 70% bounce rate on slow-loading pages
• 3-5x higher cost-per-conversion

The Fix:

• Test loading speed on NTC/Ncell 4G
• Simplify forms (max 3 fields)
• Enable click-to-call/WhatsApp buttons

Mobile optimization isn't optional in Nepal's market

3. English-Only Ads in a Bilingual Market

The Mistake:
Running all ads in English when 68% of Nepali searchers use mixed language queries.

The Damage:

• 50% lower CTR than Nepali/English hybrid ads
• Missed relevance with older demographics

The Fix:

• Mix languages based on audience:
  • Youth: Romanized Nepali ("Best price ma jacket haru")
  • Professionals: English with Nepali callouts ("Accounting Software (लेखा प्रबन्धन)")

4. No Conversion Tracking Setup

The Mistake:
Only tracking clicks, not actual leads/sales.

The Damage:

• No idea which keywords/ads drive real business
• Wasting NPR 20,000-1,00,000/month on vanity metrics

The Fix:
Install these essentials:

1. Google Analytics 4 event tracking
2. Facebook Pixel for purchases
3. Call tracking (for service businesses)

Learn more about why Google Ads campaigns fail in Nepal.

5. Copying Indian Campaign Strategies

The Mistake:
Using Hindi keywords or Diwali-themed creatives meant for Indian audiences.

The Damage:

• Irrelevant traffic from Indian clicks
• Cultural mismatch with Nepali consumers

The Fix:

• Localize festivals:
  Tihar lights offer > Diwali discount
• Use Nepali landmarks in visuals:
  Pashupati Temple backdrop > Taj Mahal

Nepali consumers respond better to locally relevant creatives

6. Letting Campaigns Run Unmonitored

The Mistake:
“Set and forget” approach without weekly optimizations.

The Damage:

• Competitors outbid you gradually
• 30-50% budget waste on underperforming ads. See more on PPC failures in Nepal.

The Fix:
Weekly 30-minute checkups to:

• Pause underperforming ads (CTR < 1%)
• Increase bids on winning keywords
• Add negative keywords from search terms

7. Expecting Overnight Results

The Mistake:
Abandoning campaigns after 3-5 days without conversions.

The Damage:
Missing the learning phase when algorithms optimize (typically 14-21 days in Nepal)

The Fix:
Minimum testing timeline:

• Days 1-7: Data gathering
• Days 8-14: Initial optimizations
• Day 21+: Real performance evaluation

Nepali PPC campaigns need 3 weeks to show true potential

8. Not Using Negative Keywords Effectively

The Mistake:
Allowing your ads to show for irrelevant searches, wasting budget on clicks that will never convert.

The Damage:

• 20-40% of budget wasted on junk traffic
• Lower quality scores from poor relevance
• Reduced conversion rates from unqualified visitors

Real Examples from Nepal:

• Targeting “laptop” but showing for “laptop wallpaper”
• Bidding on “courses” and getting clicks for “free courses”
• Advertising “hotels in Kathmandu” but showing for “hotel jobs in Kathmandu”

The Fix:

Essential Negative Keyword Lists:

Generic: free, jobs, salary, course, tutorial, PDF, download, crack, torrent
Academic: thesis, project, research paper, assignment
Irrelevant locations: India, Mumbai, Delhi, Bangladesh
Competitor brands: [Add competitor names]

Ongoing Management:

• Review Search Terms Report weekly
• Add 5-10 new negative keywords every week
• Create campaign-specific negative lists
• Use broad match negatives for maximum coverage

Pro Strategy: Create shared negative keyword lists by category:

• Price seekers: cheap, discount, free, lowest price
• Job seekers: job, career, hiring, vacancy, salary
• Students: assignment, project, notes, PDF
• DIY: tutorial, how to make, DIY

Learn more about negative keyword strategy.

9. Poor Landing Page Experience

The Mistake:
Driving paid traffic to generic homepage or slow, confusing landing pages.

The Damage:

• 60-80% bounce rates
• Quality Score drops (leading to higher CPCs)
• Converting visitors at 1/10th the rate of optimized pages

Nepal-Specific Landing Page Issues:

Common Problems:

• Website takes 8+ seconds to load on mobile
• Forms requiring too much information (12 fields!)
• No local trust signals (no Nepal address, phone, registration number)
• Missing payment options (no eSewa, Khalti, Fonepay logos)
• Generic stock photos instead of actual Nepal business photos
• English-only content when target audience is bilingual

The Fix:

Landing Page Optimization Checklist:

Performance:

• Page loads under 3 seconds on mobile
• Images compressed (use WebP format)
• Minimal JavaScript/heavy plugins
• Cached for returning visitors

Relevance:

• Headline matches ad copy exactly
• Single clear call-to-action (CTA)
• Benefit-focused copy (not feature-focused)
• Relevant to the keyword that triggered the ad

Trust Elements:

• Nepal business registration number visible
• Local address with Google Maps
• Nepal phone numbers (not just email)
• Local payment method icons (eSewa, Khalti, Fonepay)
• Testimonials from recognizable Nepal businesses
• “As featured in” logos (Kantipur, Republica, etc.)

Mobile Optimization:

• Single column layout
• Large, tappable CTA buttons
• Click-to-call button prominent
• Forms with 3 fields maximum
• WhatsApp contact option

Example: Before vs After

Element	Before	After	Impact
Load Time	9.2 seconds	2.1 seconds	-71% bounce rate
Form Fields	12 fields	3 fields	+156% submissions
CTA	“Submit”	“पाउनुहोस् १००० छुट”	+89% CTR
Trust Signals	None	5 local elements	+134% conversions

For detailed guidance, see our landing page optimization guide for Nepal.

10. Bidding Strategy Mistakes

The Mistake:
Using manual bidding without understanding the Nepal market, or blindly trusting automated strategies too early.

The Damage:

• Overpaying by 40-60% per click
• Missing prime ad positions
• Inconsistent ad delivery
• Budget exhausted too quickly

Nepal-Specific Bidding Insights:

Manual Bidding Mistakes:

• Bidding the same amount for all hours (ignoring peak times)
• Not adjusting for device (mobile vs. desktop)
• Ignoring geographic performance differences
• Setting bids based on gut feeling, not data

Automated Bidding Pitfalls:

• Starting automated bidding with insufficient data (<50 conversions)
• Not setting realistic target CPA/ROAS
• No bid adjustments for Nepal-specific patterns

The Fix:

Starting Out (First 30 Days):

1. Use Manual CPC to gather data
2. Set conservative bids (NPR 10-20 for most industries)
3. Monitor and adjust based on:
   • Position metrics (aim for position 2-3)
   • Conversion rate by position
   • Cost per conversion

After Data Accumulation (50+ conversions):

1. Switch to Maximize Conversions (with optional target CPA)
2. Set realistic targets based on historical data
3. Give algorithm 2-3 weeks to learn
4. Monitor daily for first week

Device Bid Adjustments for Nepal:

Mobile: +30% to +50% (most traffic)
Tablet: -40% to -60% (minimal usage)
Desktop: -20% to -40% (lower priority)

Time-of-Day Bid Adjustments:

Morning (8-10 AM): +20% (office hours start)
Lunch (12-1 PM): -20% (less attention)
Evening (6-9 PM): +30% (prime engagement)
Late Night (11 PM-6 AM): -50% or pause

Location Bid Adjustments:

Kathmandu Valley: Baseline
Pokhara: +10% to +20% (high purchasing power)
Other Urban: -10% to -20%
Rural Areas: -40% to -60% (if not target audience)

Learn about Google Ads bidding strategies for Nepal.

11. Ignoring Audience Targeting Options

The Mistake:
Only using keyword targeting and ignoring powerful audience features.

The Damage:

• Missing high-intent users who don’t search your exact keywords
• No remarketing to warm prospects
• Unable to exclude converters from seeing ads
• Missing lookalike opportunities

Available Audience Types:

1. Remarketing Lists:

• Website visitors (last 30, 60, 90 days)
• Specific page visitors (product page, pricing page)
• Cart abandoners
• Past customers (for upsells/cross-sells)

2. Customer Match:

• Upload email lists
• Target existing customers
• Exclude recent purchasers
• Create lookalike audiences

3. In-Market Audiences:

• People actively researching/comparing products
• Nepal-specific in-market categories
• Custom intent audiences

4. Affinity Audiences:

• Lifestyle and interest-based targeting
• Combine with keywords for precision

The Fix:

Essential Audience Setup for Nepal:

Phase 1: Remarketing (Week 1)

1. All Website Visitors (30 days) - Bid +50%
2. Product Page Viewers (15 days) - Bid +80%
3. Cart Abandoners (7 days) - Bid +100%
4. Past Purchasers - Exclude or separate campaign

Phase 2: Customer Match (Week 2)

1. Upload email list of customers
2. Create lookalike audience
3. Set up exclusion for recent buyers

Phase 3: Intent-Based (Week 3)

1. Add in-market audiences relevant to your product
2. Layer with keywords for precision
3. Adjust bids by +20-40%

Nepal Pro Tip: Create custom audiences based on:

• Nepali YouTube channels your audience watches
• Nepal-specific websites they visit
• Competitors’ website visitors

Layering audiences with keywords multiplies campaign effectiveness

12. Not Split Testing Ad Copy

The Mistake:
Running the same ad creative for months without testing variations.

The Damage:

• 30-50% lower CTR than optimized ads
• Ad fatigue (declining performance over time)
• Never discovering what resonates with Nepal audience
• Competitors outperform with better messaging

What to Test:

Headlines (Test 3-5 variations):

• Benefit vs. Feature-focused
• Question vs. Statement
• With/without numbers
• English vs. Nepali vs. mixed
• Price inclusion vs. exclusion

Example Tests:

A: "Professional Digital Marketing Services"
B: "Get 3x More Leads in 60 Days"
C: "काठमाडौंको Best Digital Marketing"
D: "NPR 15,000 देखि मात्र Digital Marketing"

Descriptions:

• Short vs. long copy
• Different CTAs
• Trust signals vs. benefits
• Urgency vs. informational

Extensions:

• Different callout combinations
• Various sitelinks
• Structured snippets variations

The Fix:

A/B Testing Framework:

Week 1-2: Headline Testing

• Create 3 ads with different headlines
• Keep descriptions identical
• Let run until statistical significance
• Winner becomes control

Week 3-4: Description Testing

• Test 3 description variations
• Use winning headline
• Analyze and pick winner

Week 5-6: Extension Testing

• Try different callout messages
• Test various sitelinks
• Optimize based on CTR

Nepal-Specific Test Ideas:

• Nepali festival references vs. generic offers
• Local landmarks/areas in headlines
• Romanized Nepali vs. English
• Showing price in NPR vs. hiding price
• Fear-based vs. opportunity-based messaging

Testing Best Practices:

• Run tests for minimum 100-200 clicks per variation
• Only test one element at a time
• Document learnings in a spreadsheet
• Apply winning insights across campaigns
• Retest every quarter (audience preferences change)

Learn more about PPC copywriting for Nepal.

13. Neglecting Search Partner Networks

The Mistake:
Blindly enabling or disabling search partners without analyzing performance.

The Damage:

• Either missing valuable traffic (if disabled without reason)
• Or wasting 30-40% of budget on low-quality clicks (if enabled blindly)

What Are Search Partners? Websites that partner with Google to show search ads (not Google search results). Examples include YouTube search, Gmail, and hundreds of other websites.

The Problem in Nepal: Many international search partner sites don’t convert well for Nepal-focused businesses because:

• Audience is geographically dispersed
• Intent is lower than Google search
• Ad placements are less prominent
• Click quality varies dramatically

The Fix:

Step 1: Analyze Current Performance

1. Check Search Partners checkbox performance vs. Google search
2. Compare:
   - CTR (usually 30-50% lower)
   - Conversion rate
   - Cost per conversion
   - Quality of leads

Step 2: Make Data-Driven Decision

Disable Search Partners If:

• Cost per conversion is >50% higher
• Conversions are of poor quality
• Budget is limited (focus on Google search first)
• Running brand campaigns (search partners rarely needed)

Keep Search Partners If:

• Cost per conversion is similar or better
• Need to maximize reach
• Struggling to spend budget on Google search alone
• Testing shows good performance

Step 3: Optimize if Keeping Enabled

• Create separate campaigns for search partners
• Use different ad copy (more educational, less direct)
• Set lower bids (20-40% less than search)
• Monitor placement reports and exclude poor performers

Nepal Recommendation: For most local Nepal businesses, search partners waste budget. Disable and focus on Google.com.np search results first. Only enable once main campaigns are profitable.

14. Not Using Ad Scheduling Strategically

The Mistake:
Running ads 24/7 at the same bid regardless of when your customers are actually active.

The Damage:

• Wasting 30-50% of budget on non-converting hours
• Missing opportunities during peak times
• Competitors dominating when it matters most

Nepal Time-of-Day Insights:

Typical Patterns:

B2B Services (offices, agencies, B2B software):

• Best: 9 AM - 5 PM, Monday-Friday
• Avoid: After 6 PM, weekends
• Peak: 10 AM - 12 PM, 2 PM - 4 PM

B2C Services (restaurants, salons, retail):

• Best: 11 AM - 9 PM, every day
• Peak: 7 PM - 9 PM (after work)
• Weekend: All day opportunity

E-commerce:

• Best: 7 PM - 11 PM (browsing at home)
• Secondary: 12 PM - 2 PM (lunch break)
• Weekend: 10 AM - 10 PM (all day shopping)

Education/Training:

• Best: 6 PM - 10 PM (after work/school)
• Secondary: Weekend mornings
• Avoid: Working hours

The Fix:

Phase 1: Data Collection (First 2 weeks)

• Run ads 24/7 with equal bids
• Track conversions by hour and day
• Build performance baseline

Phase 2: Initial Optimization

High-performing hours: +30% to +50% bid adjustment
Average hours: Baseline (0% adjustment)
Low-performing hours: -40% to -60% bid adjustment
Zero-converting hours: Pause completely

Phase 3: Day-of-Week Optimization

Sunday: +25% (family decision-making day)
Monday: Baseline
Tuesday-Thursday: +10% (mid-week momentum)
Friday: +15% (planning for weekend)
Saturday: Varies by business type

Example Schedule for Nepal E-commerce:

12 AM - 6 AM: Paused (no activity)
6 AM - 9 AM: -40% (morning routine, low intent)
9 AM - 12 PM: Baseline (office browsing starts)
12 PM - 2 PM: +20% (lunch break shopping)
2 PM - 6 PM: Baseline (work hours)
6 PM - 11 PM: +50% (peak shopping time)
11 PM - 12 AM: -30% (winding down)

Special Considerations for Nepal:

• Load shedding schedule: If targeting specific areas, adjust for power availability
• Festival seasons: Dramatically increase bids 1-2 weeks before major festivals
• Monsoon season: Morning hours may see more mobile usage
• Payday periods: Increase bids around 1st-5th and 25th-30th of month

Hour-by-hour and day-by-day performance reveals optimization opportunities

15. Ignoring Competitor Analysis

The Mistake:
Operating in a vacuum without understanding what competitors are doing.

The Damage:

• Losing market share to smarter competitors
• Overpaying for positions competitors win more efficiently
• Missing opportunities competitors are exploiting
• Using outdated tactics while market evolves

What to Analyze:

1. Competitor Keywords:

• What keywords are they bidding on?
• Any gaps you’re missing?
• Keywords they’re avoiding (might be unprofitable)

2. Ad Copy and Offers:

• What messaging resonates?
• What offers are they promoting?
• How are they positioning themselves?
• What CTAs are they using?

3. Landing Pages:

• Design and structure
• Trust elements they’re using
• Offers and guarantees
• Form length and fields

4. Bid Strategy:

• What positions are they targeting?
• Bidding aggressively or conservatively?
• Budget levels (frequency of showing)

The Fix:

Tools for Competitor Research:

Free Tools:

• Google Search: Manually search your keywords and analyze top 3 ads
• Google Ads Auction Insights: See who you’re competing with
• Facebook Ad Library: See all active Facebook ads from competitors

Paid Tools:

• SEMrush: Comprehensive PPC competitor analysis
• SpyFu: See competitor keywords and ad history
• Ahrefs: PPC keywords and landing page analysis
• iSpionage: Ad copy and landing page tracking

Monthly Competitor Audit Process:

Week 1: Keyword Research

1. Identify top 5 competitors
2. Export their PPC keywords (using SEMrush/SpyFu)
3. Find 10-20 keywords you’re not targeting
4. Test high-volume, relevant ones

Week 2: Ad Copy Analysis

1. Screenshot competitor ads
2. Analyze messaging patterns
3. Identify unique value propositions
4. Test similar (but better) messaging

Week 3: Landing Page Review

1. Visit competitor landing pages
2. Document design elements
3. Note trust signals and offers
4. Identify improvement opportunities

Week 4: Strategy Adjustment

1. Implement learnings
2. Document in shared spreadsheet
3. Set calendar reminder for next audit

Nepal-Specific Competitor Intelligence:

Local vs. International Competitors:

• Local Nepal businesses: Often weaker at PPC, opportunity to dominate
• International competitors: Better ads but may lack local trust signals

What Works in Nepal Market:

• Competitors showing Nepal address prominently
• Those using bilingual messaging
• Businesses with local payment option badges
• Ads with Nepal-specific offers (not copy-paste international deals)

Competitive Advantages to Leverage:

• Faster delivery: “Kathmandu Valley मा same-day delivery”
• Local presence: “Lagankhel मा हाम्रो शोरूम भेट्नुहोस्”
• Nepal payment: “eSewa, Khalti, Fonepay सबै accepted”
• Local support: “Nepali भाषामा support 24/7”

The Bottom Line: Your PPC Rescue Plan

These 15 mistakes collectively cost Nepali businesses millions monthly. The good news? Each is fixable with a systematic approach.

Your 30-Day PPC Turnaround Plan:

Week 1: Foundation

• Set up proper conversion tracking
• Fix mobile optimization issues
• Implement geo-targeting (exclude India, Bangladesh)
• Add initial negative keywords (50-100)

Week 2: Targeting & Audiences

• Set up remarketing lists
• Create proper audience segmentation
• Layer audiences with keywords
• Adjust bids by device

Week 3: Creative & Landing Pages

• Create 3-5 ad variations for testing
• Add bilingual ad copy (English + Nepali)
• Optimize landing pages for mobile
• Add local trust signals

Week 4: Optimization & Scaling

• Implement ad scheduling based on data
• Set up automated rules for budget management
• Create competitor analysis report
• Document learnings and set next month’s goals

Monthly Maintenance Checklist:

• Review Search Terms Report and add negative keywords
• Analyze competitor activity and adjust strategy
• Test new ad copy variations
• Review and optimize underperforming campaigns
• Check landing page performance and A/B test elements
• Update seasonal campaigns for upcoming festivals
• Review budget allocation across campaigns
• Audit quality scores and improve low-scoring keywords

Quarterly Deep Dive:

• Full competitor audit across all platforms
• Landing page redesign/refresh
• Test new campaign types (Performance Max, Discovery)
• Reevaluate target CPA and ROAS goals
• Review and update audience strategies

Pro Tip: Audit your campaigns every 3 months - what worked in Dashain season may fail in monsoon months. Nepali market seasonality is dramatic; adjust accordingly.

Common PPC Questions for Nepal Market

Q: What’s a good cost per click (CPC) in Nepal? A: Varies by industry, but typically NPR 8-25 for most B2C, NPR 20-60 for B2B services. Competitive industries (education, real estate) can go higher.

Q: How much budget do I need to start? A: Minimum NPR 15,000-20,000/month for meaningful data. Start with small daily budget (NPR 500-700) and scale based on results.

Q: Google Ads or Facebook Ads for Nepal? A: Depends on your business. Google Ads for high-intent searches (people actively looking). Facebook Ads for building awareness and reaching specific demographics. Most businesses benefit from both.

Q: How long before I see results? A: Expect 2-3 weeks for initial data, 30-45 days for optimization, 60-90 days for mature campaigns. Don’t quit in the first month.

Q: Should I hire an agency or do it myself? A: If you have time to learn and manage (5-10 hours/week), DIY can work. For most businesses, a specialized Nepal PPC agency saves money through expertise and avoids costly mistakes.

Real Success Stories from Nepal

Case Study 1: Kathmandu Education Institute

• Problem: NPR 80,000/month spend, 12 inquiries, NPR 6,667 per lead
• Changes: Geo-targeting, negative keywords, better ad copy, mobile optimization
• Results: 47 inquiries at NPR 28,000 spend, NPR 596 per lead (91% cost reduction)

Case Study 2: Pokhara E-commerce Store

• Problem: 2.1% CTR, 0.8% conversion rate, struggling to compete
• Changes: Bilingual ads, audience remarketing, landing page redesign, payment options
• Results: 6.8% CTR, 4.2% conversion rate, 320% ROAS

Case Study 3: Nepal B2B SaaS Company

• Problem: Targeting “all Nepal,” high bounce rate, poor lead quality
• Changes: Kathmandu+Pokhara only, ad scheduling, content upgrades, LinkedIn integration
• Results: Lead quality up 89%, cost per qualified lead down 64%

Advanced Resources

Continue Your Learning:

• Complete PPC Guide for Nepal
• Google Ads Efficiency Model
• Facebook Ads Mistakes to Avoid
• Localizing PPC Campaigns
• Monthly PPC Audit Checklist
• Negative Keywords Strategy
• Landing Page Optimization

Need Expert Help?

Caught yourself making 3 or more of these errors? Your campaign probably needs professional intervention. We offer:

✅ Free PPC Audit - 30-minute review of your campaigns
✅ Custom Strategy - Tailored to Nepal market
✅ Ongoing Management - We handle the optimization
✅ Transparent Reporting - Know exactly where your money goes

Schedule your free PPC health check and stop wasting money on preventable mistakes.

Remember: PPC in Nepal is not about spending more—it’s about spending smarter. Every rupee wasted on these mistakes is a rupee that could be driving real business growth. Start fixing these issues today, and watch your ROI transform.