{"id":688905,"date":"2025-09-04T15:40:27","date_gmt":"2025-09-04T12:40:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/"},"modified":"2025-09-04T15:40:27","modified_gmt":"2025-09-04T12:40:27","slug":"auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/","title":{"rendered":"Auditing and optimizing Google Ads in an age of limited data"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_84 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2787a2b4cab\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #dd3333;color:#dd3333\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2787a2b4cab\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Take_back_control_of_your_Google_Ads_performance_with_a_smarter_audit_strategy_that_uncovers_wasted_spend_and_sharpens_your_targeting\" >Take back control of your Google Ads performance with a smarter audit strategy that uncovers wasted spend and sharpens your targeting.<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Search_term_review\" >Search term review<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Auto-apply_recommendations\" >Auto-apply recommendations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Device_targeting\" >Device targeting<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Geography\" >Geography<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Ad_group_themes\" >Ad group themes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Placement_review\" >Placement review<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Asset_level_performance\" >Asset level performance<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Asset_usage\" >Asset usage<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Audiences\" >Audiences<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Conversion_setup\" >Conversion setup<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/auditing-and-optimizing-google-ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data\/#Start_taking_action_in_your_accounts\" >Start taking action in your accounts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"subhead\" itemprop=\"alternativeHeadline\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Take_back_control_of_your_Google_Ads_performance_with_a_smarter_audit_strategy_that_uncovers_wasted_spend_and_sharpens_your_targeting\"><\/span>Take back control of your Google Ads performance with a smarter audit strategy that uncovers wasted spend and sharpens your targeting.<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><\/p>\n<div class=\"bialty-container\">\n<p>As Google Ads leans further into AI-driven automation, savvy advertisers are looking for ways to stay in control \u2013 ensuring that automation truly drives efficient results.<\/p>\n<p>Yet, the data available often tells only part of the story, with some advertisers reporting that 20%-80% of their ad spend is tied to hidden search terms.<\/p>\n<p>So where should you focus when auditing a Google Ads account?<\/p>\n<p>Let\u2019s break down the areas where you still have real levers to influence performance.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"search-term-review\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Search_term_review\"><\/span>Search term review<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Even though a large chunk of search terms may be hidden, the terms that are accessible are invaluable to show the intent and relevancy of those who are viewing and clicking your ads.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For those running Performance Max campaigns, Google has made moves toward transparency by now showing search terms.<\/p>\n<p>When looking through search term reports, focus on:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>High-performing terms (low CPA\/high conversion rate) that you aren\u2019t bidding on as keywords.<\/li>\n<li>Low-performing terms (significant impressions\/high CPA) that you should exclude as negative keywords.<\/li>\n<li>Irrelevant queries that you should exclude as negative keywords.<\/li>\n<li>Queries that don\u2019t fit the <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/download-scripts-themes-apps\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"9\" title=\"Download Scripts &amp; Themes &amp; Apps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">theme<\/a> of keywords in a particular ad group and would be better off in a different ad group with more relevant ad copy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"autoapply-recommendations\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Auto-apply_recommendations\"><\/span>Auto-apply recommendations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Watch out for auto-apply recommendations that can make unwanted changes, such as adding assets or keywords.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While some recommendations are more helpful than others (such as negative keyword conflicts), it\u2019s best for attentive ad managers to leave auto-apply settings off and manually review through recommendations for any worthwhile suggestions.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>Top Google Ads recommendations you should always ignore, use, or evaluate<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<h2 id=\"device-targeting\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Device_targeting\"><\/span>Device targeting<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Look at the <em>Devices<\/em> section under <em>Insights and Reports &gt; When and where ads showed<\/em> to see performance broken down by:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Mobile phones.<\/li>\n<li>Computers.<\/li>\n<li>Tablets.<\/li>\n<li>TV screens.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you are using Target CPA bidding, device adjustments are the only bid adjustment type applicable, so note that this is one rare area of control you do have.<\/p>\n<p>With enough data you may want to apply positive or negative adjustments for various devices based on results.<\/p>\n<p>You can also apply device bid adjustments for a Maximize Clicks bid strategy.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Other strategies (Target Impression Share, Maximize Conversions, and Maximize Conversion Value) let you set a -100% value for individual device types to exclude completely if performance is particularly bad for one category.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"geography\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Geography\"><\/span>Geography<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Review <em>Matched Locations<\/em> (also under <em>When and where ads showed<\/em>) to ensure that ads are only showing in your intended areas.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Add location exclusions to help prevent unwanted spend where you don\u2019t do business.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, check <em>Location Options<\/em> under campaign settings.<\/p>\n<p>In most cases, you should select <em>Presence<\/em> to be more likely to reach individuals in or recently in your target locations.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Otherwise, you\u2019ll also be including those deemed by the system to be \u201cshowing interest\u201d in the locations.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Dig deeper: <\/em><\/strong><strong><em>9 essential geotargeting tactics for Google Ads<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><!-- START INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<p><!-- END INLINE FORM --><\/p>\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-text-color has-cyan-bluish-gray-color has-css-opacity has-cyan-bluish-gray-background-color has-background\">\n<h2 id=\"ad-group-themes\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Ad_group_themes\"><\/span>Ad group themes<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>While keyword-to-search-term matching is less precise than it used to be, account structure still matters.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Attempting to go too narrow with SKAGs (single keyword ad groups) may be a losing battle, but you should still make sure that keywords fit the same theme within an ad group and relate to the ad copy.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, if you are offering a service for building sand structures:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cProfessional sand castle construction\u201d and \u201csand castle construction services\u201d would fit in the same ad group, paired with ad copy for \u201cSand Castle Construction.\u201d\u00a0<\/li>\n<li>But \u201csand cat sculpture\u201d would fit better in a different ad group with more relevant copy.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Don\u2019t obsess over breaking out ad groups for keywords that are synonyms or have different word order unless performance or intent are different enough to justify it.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Microsegmenting often hurts performance today, as algorithms need ample data to make informed bidding decisions.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"placement-review\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Placement_review\"><\/span>Placement review<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Be sure to look through placement reports periodically and exclude unwanted placements.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Here are a few ways to flag potential exclusions:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Low performers with significant impressions and high CPA.<\/li>\n<li>Abnormally high CTR, which often indicates \u201cjunk\u201d sites generating low-intent clicks.<\/li>\n<li>Websites and <a href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/social-mediaa\/\" data-internallinksmanager029f6b8e52c=\"1\" title=\"Social Media\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">YouTube<\/a> videos\/channels geared to kids who may be using their parents\u2019 devices.<\/li>\n<li>Questionable domains (e.g., ending in \u201c.xyz\u201d).<\/li>\n<li>Foreign characters that aren\u2019t related to the language you\u2019re running ads in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Note that for Performance Max, you\u2019ll need to exclude placements at the account level.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Go to <em>Content Suitability<\/em> from the <em>Tools<\/em> menu and find <em>Excluded placements<\/em> under the <em>Advanced settings<\/em> dropdown. You can now add in negative placements.<\/p>\n<p>Performance Max will also respect placement exclusion lists that are applied at account level.<\/p>\n<p>With the addition of Search Partner placement visibility, you should also include any opted-in search campaigns for your review process.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"asset-level-performance\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Asset_level_performance\"><\/span>Asset level performance<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>When running responsive search ads, you\u2019re trusting Google to test various combinations and bias toward better performers over time.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>While you have little control beyond pinning assets in RSAs, review the data periodically for learnings that may inform future ad copy decisions.<\/p>\n<p>Introducing performance data for RSA headlines has been another positive change made by Google.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>For Demand Gen ads and responsive display ads, you can view data for both text and image assets.<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"asset-usage\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Asset_usage\"><\/span>Asset usage<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As Google experiments with new ad formats and asset combinations, you may feel you have less control over what\u2019s shown.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>One way to stand out is by adding assets beyond the default headlines and descriptions.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>These highlight your key selling points while helping you capture more real estate in the SERP.<\/p>\n<p>Here are the assets you should think through incorporating where they make sense for your brand:<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Sitelinks.<\/li>\n<li>Callout.<\/li>\n<li>Structured snippets.<\/li>\n<li>Promotion.<\/li>\n<li>Location.<\/li>\n<li>Message.<\/li>\n<li>Lead form.<\/li>\n<li>Call.<\/li>\n<li>Image.<\/li>\n<li>Logo\/business name.<\/li>\n<li>Price.<\/li>\n<li>App.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Remember that many of these assets can also be applied to other campaign types besides search.\u00a0<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"audiences\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Audiences\"><\/span>Audiences<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>First-party data is vital to marketing in a modern ecosystem.\u00a0<\/p>\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Use customer lists wisely:<\/strong> Sync your lists and check exclusions to avoid targeting existing customers where it doesn\u2019t make sense, or use the campaign-level setting to target new customers only.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Leverage your data:<\/strong> Use your lists to seed lookalike audiences in Demand Gen or as audience signals in Performance Max.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Control audience expansion: <\/strong>If targeting customer match or remarketing lists, turn off audience expansion to keep spend focused on your intended audiences.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 id=\"conversion-setup\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conversion_setup\"><\/span>Conversion setup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Proper conversion tracking should be the fundamental starting point for any Google Ads account.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Confirm that conversion tags fire on the correct actions using Google Tag Manager\u2019s Preview Mode.<\/p>\n<p>As privacy settings in iOS and various browsers may sometimes block conversion tags from firing, check for the implementation of Enhanced Conversions for Web and Enhanced Conversions for Leads to allow for more accurate tracking.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>These will ensure that you are matching conversion actions based on user information while also accounting for offline actions (with Enhanced Conversions for Leads).<\/p>\n<h2 id=\"start-taking-action-in-your-accounts\" class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Start_taking_action_in_your_accounts\"><\/span>Start taking action in your accounts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re auditing a new account or reviewing an existing one, staying aligned with today\u2019s evolving ad landscape is key.<\/p>\n<p>AI-driven features can boost performance, but real success comes from knowing which levers you still control and monitoring the data that matters.<\/p>\n<p>With the right checks and adjustments, you can make Google\u2019s automation work for you \u2013 not the other way around.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<blockquote><p><strong><span style=\"color: #ff6600;\">If you liked the article, do not forget to share it with your friends. Follow us on\u00a0<span style=\"color: #ff0000;\"><a style=\"color: #ff0000;\" href=\"https:\/\/news.google.com\/publications\/CAAqBwgKMN63nwsw68G3Aw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener noreferrer\">Google News<\/a><\/span>\u00a0too, click on the star and choose us from your favorites.<\/span><\/strong><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>If you want to read more like this article, you can visit our <span style=\"color: #ff9900;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/category\/technology\/\" target=\"_blank\" >Technology<\/a><\/span> category.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><span style=\"color: black;\"><a style=\"color: #ff9900;\" href=\"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/auditing-optimizing-google-ads-limited-data-461528\" target=\"_blank\" >Source<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Take back control of your Google Ads performance with a smarter audit strategy that uncovers wasted spend and sharpens your targeting. As Google Ads leans further into AI-driven automation, savvy advertisers are looking for ways to stay in control \u2013 ensuring that automation truly drives efficient results. Yet, the data available often tells only part&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":688906,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/searchengineland.com\/wp-content\/seloads\/2025\/09\/Auditing-and-optimizing-Google-Ads-in-an-age-of-limited-data.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-688905","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=688905"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/688905\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/688906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=688905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=688905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=688905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}