Ads don't show at all for certain keywords even though no competitors

Why don't they appear?

[1Lit]

When we bid no certain keywords, our Adwords ads don't show, even though there are no other adverts showing or maybe just a couple.

The status of the keywords is shown as normal, yet they never get a single impression.

I can understand keywords being disabled if they get low click-throughs or are irrevelevant, but like I say these keywords don't get shown at all.

[specter]

review the daily budget.
Is it the adviced one?

[eWhisper]

Have you tried the ad diagnostic tool yet?

[mwilliams]

I have the same problem with one of my keywords. It used to show but then it suddenly stopped, although it says Normal. 3 competitors' ads are still showing. My budget is definitely OK and the Ad Diagnostic tool says it is showing. I have tried raising my bid and changing the keyword from broadmatch to phrase match. Nothing. I did recently change the ad text.... but the new ad WAS showing for awhile right after I changed it, then it stopped. It is an adult keyword, but I don't think that has anything to do with it (it's just the relatively innocuous-sounding name of an adult movie). My search preferences are not set to filter adult conent, and ads are showing for other adult sites.

Hmm.... is it possible that they might stop showing an ad once it's reached a certain number of impressions for the day, regardless of your budget? This doesn't seem likely but I can't think of any other explanation!

[patient2all]

hey mwilliams,

I have several keywords with a lot of similarities to yours that don't show either.

The "Ad Shown" message from the Ad Diagnostic Tool is meaningless.

If you question why upon clicking "View Search Results for..." you don't see your ad, the official explanation is that perhaps it was shown on a partner site instead of Google proper, or that conditions may have changed between when the diagnostic page was delivered and when you clicked "View Search Results".

In this case, it can't be showing on only partner networks over 10+ checks so I can't buy that and it can't be a "timing" issue every time you check.

As always, open to suggestions besides raise your daily budget.

patient2all

[specter]

>> If you question why upon clicking "View Search Results for..." you don't see your ad, the official explanation is that perhaps it was shown on a partner site instead of Google proper <<

And so,your daily budget is insufficient.

[zeus661]

I have the same problems at times. I'll search a keyword, NO other ads show for the same company, and not my ad either. It can NOT be a budget problem. I set most of my budgets at $1000. Even though I only spend about $50 per day.

[patient2all]

Same Zeus,

I set most of budgets at $1000.00 based on early advice I was given. Google can't possibly deliver the clicks for my niche areas so I should be guaranteed to show for each search.

After reading some stories here about click army attacks and getting scared, I picked a couple of less important campaigns and lowered them to between $50 - $100 per day. Now I question whether I'm getting full delivery still on those, even though historically they've never cost more than $10.00 a day.

What gets me concerned is:

• The "Suggested Daily Budget" tool says "OK" to whatever amount I try in any campaign (even .005 cents per day!).

• The keyword bidding tool rarely suggests an appropriate amount, normally either .05 or $11.72 and I've never needed to exceed $1.00 to achieve satsisfactory positions. Many of the .05 suggestions are better suited for 5 times that amount, I know from experience.

• The Ads Diagnostic Tool appears to be looking at some other search engine half the time when claiming "Ad Shown"...
  

Then

Perhaps elements of those same misguided algos are incorporated into the decision as to whether your budget allows for a given showing. Could that explain keywords that inexplicably do not show though all conditions appear favorable to it?

patient2all

BTW, another tool that really bugs me out sometimes is the "Keyword Suggestion Tool". Much of the time the results look like those of a word association test given to a psychotic.

The other day, the single letter "r" was offered as "an additional keyword to consider". Still trying to figure that one out....