Starting a new Google Ads campaign is an exciting time. You have begun to advertise alongside your competitors on the world’s most popular search engine. We understand it can be very tempting to search for your own ads and see how well they are ranking against your competitors (or that that they are even working at all). While we understand that it may seem harmless, there are a few reasons to steer clear of that search bar.
Nobody’s Ads Show Up In Every Single Search
Unless you are willing to pay an exorbitant amount of money, your ads are not going to show up every time they possibly could. Every search is different, and there are a whole lot of variables at play. These factors include the competitiveness of the keyword, bids from each advertiser, time of day, the quality of each ad, demographics of the user and more. Each search works like its own individual auction, so each one will naturally turn out differently. There are also literally millions of other advertisers around the world, and they all want to show up in every search just like you. So, while you may come out on top for some auctions, you can’t realistically expect to win them all.
Now, this doesn’t mean you need to spend millions of dollars on Google Ads (as much as Google would love that). In fact, it is likely that the cost of showing your ads in every single search would far outweigh the value you’d get back in return. What you should do instead is set a budget you are comfortable with, then Google will take that budget and use it as effectively as possible. That’s how the Google Ads model is designed to work.
This leads us on to another question: If your ads don’t show up when you search for them, how do you know they’re showing up at all?
Let The Data Speak For Itself
Numbers do not lie. If your ads are getting impressions, it means they are showing up in searches. The data provided by Google Ads is highly specific, so you can be sure that it is accurate. You can find out how many times your ads were served every single day, or even look it up by the hour if you want to! You can also see which other advertisers are showing their ads alongside yours, and who is ranking where.
So Why Do They Not Show Up For You?
A very common reason your ads won’t show up for you is because Google remembers what you search. Google is always learning, and always wants to show the best results for each person. After all, if Google kept showing unhelpful results, you might move to another search engine! If you search for your keywords, but don’t click on any ads (as you shouldn’t, since you are paying for each click), Google may assume that the ads you were served are not relevant. If you didn’t click the first time, why would you click the second time? This is why Google may decide to show different ads to you (or none at all) if you have searched for the keyword before.
Searching For Your Ads Can Actually Hinder Their Performance
When you search for your own ads and don’t click on them, you are also negatively affecting your ad performance. Google Ads uses a quality score to determine which ads are the most relevant. This score is comprised of various factors, one of which is click-through rate (the amount of ad clicks you receive divided by how many times the ad is shown). Repeatedly searching for your own ads without clicking on them will lower the click-through rate.
Use Google’s Specially Designed Tool
Did you know there is a tool that Google has designed specifically for this purpose? It’s called Ad Preview & Diagnosis. This can be found within the Google Ads interface. It allows you to essentially carry out a mock Google search to see how your ads rank for different keywords. You can even see results for different devices or locations. The best part is, it doesn’t change your click-through rate, or alter Google’s algorithms in any way.
Analysis Is Always Best
Analysing and interpreting your Google Ads campaign data is the best way to understand how your ads are performing. The next time you feel the need to search for your own ads, look at your Google Ads statistics or ask your marketing agency instead. At Dubzz, we make it easy for you to understand your data by sending you monthly reports analysing your results, and providing customised insights and recommendations.
If you have any questions about Google Ads or want to start advertising on the world’s biggest advertising platform, get in touch with us today. We’re here to help.
