At times, you may find that your app campaigns aren’t serving as many impressions as you would expect, or aren’t able to spend much of your set daily budget. This article outlines the common reasons why your ads may not be serving, and how you can troubleshoot using the tools in Google Ads.
On this page
- What to consider before troubleshooting
- Resolve common issues with your ads not running or getting low traffic
What to consider before troubleshooting
What to expect when a campaign is enabled
If you recently enabled your App campaign, it can take some time for your campaign to start serving impressions. There are a few reasons for this:
- Ad review: If you make changes to creatives or assets in a newly created or existing campaign, your ads will be reviewed to ensure that they meet all policy requirements. Most ads are reviewed within 24–48 hours. However, some reviews can take longer. It's important to avoid making edits while an ad or asset is under review, as this will restart the review process.
- Learning period: For app campaigns, it takes some time for the system to learn and optimise towards your set goal. You may notice fluctuations or lower spend during this initial ramp-up period.
- Campaign setting changes: It may take Google Ads some time to adjust serving if you make changes to your campaign settings.
Recommendations
Recommendations help highlight opportunities to improve performance when your app campaign isn’t running or is getting low traffic. For example, you can look out for the following example recommendation types when troubleshooting these issues.
Common recommendation types to fix campaigns not running:
- Campaign hasn’t started or has ended
- Create or unpause an ad group
- Account budget exhausted
- All ads disapproved
Common recommendation types to fix low traffic:
- Adjust your CPA targets
- Raise your budgets
- Improve Apps Ad Strength
- Remove cannibalising campaigns
If your ad still isn’t receiving any impressions after 3 working days, check the common reasons mentioned below.
Before you begin: Check for browser or interface display issues
Sometimes, the issue isn't with your campaign settings, but with how the Google Ads interface is displayed in your browser. If you can't see your campaigns, if changes aren't saving or if the page isn't loading correctly, try these basic browser troubleshooting steps first:
- Clear your browser's cache and cookies: Old data stored in your browser can cause display problems. Clear your cache and cookies for 'All time'.
- Use an incognito or private window: This opens a clean session without extensions or cached data, which can help identify if the problem is with your browser's setup.
- Disable browser extensions: Ad blockers or other extensions can sometimes interfere with Google Ads. Try turning them off to see if that resolves the issue.
- Try a different browser: Testing on another browser (like Chrome, Firefox or Edge) can help you determine if the issue is specific to the one you're using.
- Check your filters and date range: Make sure that you have the correct date range selected (try 'All time') and that you don't have any filters applied that might be hiding your campaigns or ads (for example, check that the status filter is set to 'All').
Resolve common issues with ads not running or getting low traffic
1. Account issues
If your account is suspended, or if you have a billing issue on your account, you won’t be able to run your ads until the problem is resolved. Sometimes, an account may be paused if advertiser verification is required and hasn't been completed, is pending or has been rejected. Check for emails from Google regarding verification and search for verification tasks in your account under the 'Admin' or 'Billing' sections.
Learn more about Account issues.
2. Date ranges and campaign start and end dates
Google Ads shows you performance data for the date range that you select.
Learn more about Date ranges and campaign start and end dates.
3. Low bid targets and optimisation goals
While it may be possible to serve ads with a very low bid, your campaign isn’t likely to enter or win as many auctions and your ads may not have any impressions.
Learn more about Low bid targets and optimisation goals.
4. Targeting is too narrow
While targeting settings help you find the right set of users most interested in your business, each time you add targeting or if you have issues with your remarketing lists, you narrow the potential reach of your ads.
Learn more about Targeting is too narrow.
5. Targeting overlaps with other campaigns or ad groups
You may have multiple campaigns or ad groups in your account that are eligible to enter overlapping auctions due to similar keywords or other targeting.
Learn more about Targeting overlaps with other campaigns or ad groups.
6. Conversion tracking
If your campaign is using automated bidding to optimise towards conversions, but isn’t getting sufficient conversion data or your conversion tracking isn’t set up correctly, your ad may have limited serving.
Learn more about Conversion tracking.
7. Ad policy review status
The review status of your ads, remarketing lists or assets can impact your campaign’s ability to serve. Your ads must be reviewed to make sure that they meet Google Ads policies. Some policies, such as those for online gambling or election ads, have specific certification requirements.
Learn more about Ad policy review status.
8. Low creative asset coverage and diversity (ad strength)
App campaigns with a limited set of ads or assets may have more difficulty serving since they’re eligible to enter into fewer auctions and have more limited reach.
Learn more about Low creative assets coverage and diversity (ad strength).
9. App status
The status of your app in Google Play or the Apple App Store may limit or prevent your app campaigns from serving ads.
Learn more about App status.
10. Auction dynamics
Other advertisers who are participating in the same auctions as you can affect your campaign’s ability to serve.
Learn more about Auction dynamics.
11. Certain features used in campaigns
Your campaign may be paused if:
- You’re using certain features.
- Your account doesn’t have a good history of policy compliance and positive user engagement.
Learn more about Certain features used in ad campaigns.
