My Ad Won't Show For Chosen Ad Word

I think I'm blocked from this keyphrase!

[cabbagehead]

I started an AdWords campaign in a competitive niche last week. I've been evaluating my progress and 1/2 my keyphrases haven't even been shown a single time. Granted its a competitive niche but ... I used google's traffic estimator tool and simulated bids all the way up to $50 per click ($1.00 seems high for this industry incedently) and still it only estimated maybe one click. I then reviewed who the current sponsored links for that ad are and there are only two pages. What the heck? That's all? And I can't seem to get my bid in to save my life!

So What is going on? The only thing that makes sense to me is perhaps some words are off limits to be or something? Does google have some new rule that only big rollers have access to a lot of the smaller menutia (better converting) phrases now?

PS - by smaller words I mean wortracker estimates 100-200 searches in a 24 hr interval...they're still by no means tiny.

Anyone have a clue what's going on? Its driving me crazy! And google just keeps sending me irrelevent copy/paste responses that don't tell me anything. grumble.

Thanks.

[crimsonblack]

are in the same country you targetted? as i was told if you live in like canada and you target USA and not canada.. when you check.. you wont see the ads

ive encountered the same thing as you.. it really is strange.. a new campaign.. and google says.. you have to pay like $8 a click to be in lol... like what?

[JKelly]

What does the ad diagnostic tool return for the keywords in question?

[cabbagehead]

I'm targeting US, Canada, and the UK. I live in the US. I also mirrored these settings in the traffic estimator.

The ad diagnostics say simple that the ad is not running and then provides a link where I can see who the sponsored links are ... that's where I got half of my frustrating information! :(

[hawleyca77]

This sounds like a similar issue that I ran into and after some back and forth with Google, I discovered that because the keyword was receiving such a small amount of impressions, it was inactive, without being an "inactive for search" which is based on the quality score. Google currently has no way of showing you that this is occurring and the diagnostic tool does not provide accurate info about it. 100-200 searches per day; however, does sound like high enough impressions to me....

The advertisers then default to the broad match. Very frustrating to me, since I was trying to be a good advertiser and use my most targeted niche keywords.

I have now expanded the campaign to broader phrases and subsequently can only afford lower rankings or reduced exposure. I'd be curious to find out if you or others find that this is an issue.

[edited by: hawleyca77 at 6:01 pm (utc) on April 21, 2006]

[cabbagehead]

> "The advertisers then default to the broad match"

Yes, this matches exactly what I'm seeing. The only advertisers listed for those keyphrases are the big boys that just have their ad showing for every keyphrase under the sun.

Well that's a very frustrating, confusing and concerning issue with AdWords. I wonder if this is a glitch or an intentional way of forcing you into a less effecient ad campaign so they ultimately make more money?