Google Ads not working today? 8 reasons your ads aren’t showing
Your phone went quiet and the ads are not on Google. Before you change anything, open Google Ads and work down this list. Most problems take minutes to find.
1. Billing problem
A declined card or expired payment method pauses every ad. Check Billing for a red alert.
2. Ads or account disapproved
Check the Status column on ads and the notifications bell. A policy issue may limit or stop ads; the reason is shown, and you can fix and appeal.
3. Campaign paused, ended or scheduled off
Check campaign status, end date and Ad schedule. A schedule set to business hours means no ads in the evening.
4. Budget used up
If spend hits the daily budget early, ads stop until tomorrow. The status shows "Limited by budget".
5. Bids too low
With manual bidding, low bids can mean ads rarely win. Check impression share columns for "lost to rank".
6. New campaign or bid strategy still learning
New campaigns, and Smart Bidding strategies that just changed, often go through a learning period. Avoid making big changes every day.
7. Targeting too narrow
A tiny radius, a handful of exact-match keywords or "presence only" location settings can leave very little traffic. Widen carefully.
8. You are searching for your own ad
Googling yourself repeatedly without clicking can make Google show your ad to you less. Use the Ad preview and diagnosis tool instead.
When to contact Google
If the status says eligible, billing is fine and still nothing shows, contact Google Ads support from the Help menu inside your account.
Tired of fixing ads yourself?
We manage Google Ads for Edmonton home-service businesses and check every account weekly. Ask for a free audit and we’ll tell you why yours stopped and where money is leaking.
Sources
- Google Ads Help Center, Google
- About Smart Bidding, Google
- Target ads to geographic locations, Google
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