When there is a problem that needs fixing – start your checks with the most likely cause. That’s good advice in general – but even more so with Google AdWords.
More than once I have found myself delving deep into account structure and global settings to “fix” a problem only to have a Homer “D’Oh” moment… here are a few of mine, and in this show and tell post, I’d like to hear some of yours!
1. My impressions have plummeted – Check my ads for disapprovals, my keywords, look to my historical QS listings – everything seems to be fine – Oh, wait, my credit card expired….. D’Oh!
2. My Shopping campaign was running along fine, and now it’s just fallen off a cliff….. check my credit card (learned that one!) – no problem there…. and check the client’s website… all the pages seem to be accessible. Check the settings – are we targeting the correct categories – we seem to be – OK – go back to the page…. has the client changed the category names, or the eCommerce structure? Nope all seems OK there too…. Oh, wait, the feed expired…. D’Oh!
3. Set up Google Tag Manager, and added the new tags – but they aren’t working. Check the tags – they all seem OK. Check the page – yep – the container is there. Open a new window in another browser and visit the page. open Google Analytics and use the Real time reporting – yep – there’s my visit! so why are the tags not firing. Oh, wait, the latest version of the container hasn’t been published….. D’Oh!
4. Set up Google Tag Manager (2) and added the new tags… nothing’s happening. Checked them in the debugger… all working fine. Firing rules? Check! So why’s it not working? Oh, wait, the IT guys still haven’t put the container on the page (STILL!!!)… D’Oh!
5. My new GDN campaign is only getting handful of impressions. Kick up the bids because I know they sometimes need a push to get started…. nothing. Check the geo targeting, no problem. Oooops – check the credit card – nope, that’s not it…. still good til 2016. Ad approval status? Check. Placements? Check. Oh wait…. all this targeting should be bid only – not target and bid….. D’Oh!
Any of this sound familiar? It’s what keeps us on our toes…!
Another donut anyone?
Why not use the comments to share your Homer D’Oh! moments
