Searching for your own ads on Google is a common mistake that can harm your ad campaigns and waste your ad budget. Here's what to do instead!
For many businesses and advertisers, Google Ads is an indispensable tool for reaching their target audience and driving traffic to their websites. However, a common mistake made by both novice and experienced advertisers is searching for their own ads on Google. While it may seem harmless, this practice can lead to a variety of negative outcomes that can harm your ad campaigns and waste your advertising budget. In this article, we will explore why you shouldn't search for your own Google Ads and introduce an alternative solution, the anonymous ad preview tool.
NOTE: It's important to note that your ads won't appear all the time and results differ per user's search based on keywords, relevancy of the ads, location, etc.
The Negative Results of Searching for Your Own Google Ads
- Affects your impressions and lowers your Click-Through Rate (CTR)
When you search for your own ads on Google, you may inadvertently harm the performance of your ad campaigns. This is because searching for your own ads can actually decrease the number of times your ads are shown to potential customers. One important factor is the Click-Through Rate (CTR) of your ads. When you search for your own ads and don't click on them, it sends a signal to Google that your ads are not relevant or interesting to you. As a result, Google may show your ads less frequently to other users who may actually be interested in your products or services. - Ad disruption and relevancy
Clicking on your own ads can lead to disruptions in your advertising and may result in the suspension or flagging of your ads account. It can also negatively impact your Quality Score, which ultimately affects your advertising costs. Additionally, Google may view this behavior as fraudulent, putting your account at risk of being permanently lost. - Reduced visibility due to lack of interest:
If you frequently view your ads without clicking on them, Google interprets this as a lack of interest in the ads. As a result, Google may show your ads less frequently because it assumes the ads are not relevant to you.
The Alternative: Anonymous Ad Preview Tool
Instead of searching for your own ads on Google, use the anonymous ad preview tool provided by Google Ads. This tool allows you to see how your ads appear in search results without affecting your campaign's performance or incurring additional costs. Here's how it works:
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Access the Ad Preview Tool: Log in to your Google Ads account or and navigate to the "Tools & Settings" section. Under the "Planning" column, select "Ad Preview and Diagnosis." If your Google Ads account is managed by an agency or another individual, you can use the Anonymous Ad Preview tool here without having to sign in.
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Enter Keywords and Locations: In the Ad Preview and Diagnosis tool, enter the keywords and locations you want to check for ad visibility. This tool will simulate a search without affecting your ad metrics.
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Review Ad Appearance: The tool will show you how your ads appear in search results for the specified keywords and locations. You can see ad previews without clicking on them.
Searching for your own Google Ads may seem like a harmless way to check their visibility, but it can lead to detrimental consequences for your ad campaigns budget and metrics. To maintain the integrity of your advertising efforts and ensure accurate data, rely on Google's anonymous ad preview tool. By using this alternative, you can monitor your ad performance without affecting your data, ultimately maximizing the effectiveness of your Google Ads campaigns.