In this article, we’ll outline different reasons for Video campaign fluctuations and changes, why they may lead to changes in campaign performance over time, and how you can use the tools in your Google Ads account to understand what’s driving these changes.
Keep in mind: It’s normal for your campaign performance to vary.
Before you begin
Assess performance based on your bid strategy and optimization goal
Before making conclusions about your campaign performance, it’s important to first consider whether the settings you are using match the metrics your campaign is optimizing towards. Updating your campaign’s bid strategy or optimization goal settings to align with your business and advertising goals will help to ensure that you are focusing on the relevant metrics when analyzing campaign performance to understand what drove fluctuations.
For example, Target CPA helps you get as many conversions as possible at or below the target cost-per-action (CPA) you set. In campaigns using Target CPA, cost-per-conversion and other conversion-related metrics may be better indicators of performance than cost-per-click and impressions. Make sure to check your campaign’s start and end date or changes made to the start and end dates to help understand your campaign's performance.
8 common reasons why your performance is fluctuating
1. Recent changes to account or campaign settings
Editing any account or campaign settings, such as bid strategy, bid adjustments, bids, budget, keywords, audience, demographics, and ad scheduling can change your performance.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Changes to account or campaign settings.
2. Conversion tracking setup and conversion delay
If there’s a sudden drop or increase in global pings or tag fires for a conversion action that your campaign is using for Autobidding, this can result in a drop in serving and spending as Google Ads optimizes towards your set conversion action.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Conversion tracking setup and conversion delay.
3. Auction dynamics
The choices that other advertisers, who are participating in the same auctions as you, make can affect your campaign’s performance.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Auction dynamics.
4. Changing user interest and seasonality
Changing user interest and seasonality cannot be controlled by an advertiser, but you may be able to make adjustments to your campaign to reduce performance fluctuations.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Changing user interest and seasonality.
5. Bids and bid targets
Your performance may fluctuate if your bids, bid limits, or bid targets are set without taking into consideration the historical data Google Ads will use to serve your ads.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Bids and bid targets.
6. Budget settings
Your campaign may be more likely to have performance fluctuations when its budget is limited.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Budget settings.
7. Targeting settings and overlaps (Audiences, Keywords, Geo)
If your campaign is targeting a smaller group of users with very specific audience, location, or keyword settings, it may also be more likely to have performance fluctuations. You may have multiple campaigns or ad groups in your account that are eligible to enter overlapping auctions due to similar segments or other targeting.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Targeting.
8. Policy and ad review status
Changes to the review status of your ads or keywords can affect your performance.
Learn more about Video campaign performance fluctuations: Policy and review status.
