5 replies to this topic

[Limin]

Some strange things seem to be happening to my adwords account today. I first noticed early this morning that my main keyword was showing page impressions in numbers many, many times higher than normal for that time of day. For instance normal would be maybe 750 impressions for early in the morning and it was showing over 6,000. On top of that I had 1 yes 1 click through. I then did a search for my keyword, and my ad was no where to be found. Now, my budget amount checked fine. My maximum CPC was fine. I usually target the number 3 spot. My ads were no where.

I then checked another of my keywords. Traffic was normal but my ads were no where.

Also, I have noticed that the adwords servers have been down or at least very slow to respond at times today.

Have any of you experienced any similar happenings today? I have sent two messages to Google and have yet to receive a response. I have never, over a 11 month period, failed to see any of my ads. This even when I used a low budget that would limit the number of times the ads displayed . But as I said, may budget is fine.

Another coincedance is that most of the ads that are displaying are from new companies. The usual companies are no where to be found also.

Hmmmmm

[Vertster]

Hmmm... sounds questionable. If you look carefully, the adwords control panel states:

Reporting is not real-time. Clicks and impressions received in the last 3 hours may not be included here.

What does this mean? Who knows, but its possible that you got hit by a fradulent clicker, who depleted your budgeted amount of money and got your ad shut off, for today anyhow. Check the control panel a little later and see if anything has changed.

It could also be a result of automated searches, but that would not explain the disappearance of your ad.

I am not really sure what else would cause such a run up in impressions. You might contact some of the other "old timer" advertisers directly (give them a call if possible,) and see if they have experienced anything similar.

[Bernard]

Are your keywords broad matched? Check the keyword suggestion tool to see if your ad has started syndication for extended/expanded broad matching on another popular term....

[Limin]

Bernard;

I am not sure I understand your question. I only allow my ads to be displayed on Googles network, not there other relationships via content match. Isn't the content match done via syndication? It is, however, a broad match keyword. I am sure how the new extended broad matching would effect the number of impressions of this keyword.

As of this morning the number of impressions is back to normal, however, my ad is still not showing

As for my budget, it is still ok. It was never depleted yesterday. It didn't even get close to reaching the budget. And as of 24 hours later, this morning, Adwords hasn't responded to my emails.

[AussieWebmaster]

Are the listing marked with the dreaded red spot?

[Limin]

A followup to my original post from last Friday.

I have received two communications from Google. Neither one of them explains properly what happened and continues to happen with my main keyword.

In a nutshell. My ad is not showing when the keyword is searched upon. It is not listed in the top 10 pages of search results as a pay per click ad. My budget is fine, my keyword is fine. Plain and simple they are not displaying my ad. The change to the expanded broad matching system should not cause this problem as they have suggested. I have used negative keywords to eliminate most of the possible expanded broad matches. There account reporting system says my ad ranks about 3. Now I realize that this is an average, but in my books, it means my ad should be shown in the 3rd position "on average".

They have given me a phone number and contact person to talk to. I thank them for that, and plan on calling them in the morning. I am going to go home and drink and come back tomorrow and work harder.