Understanding Google Ads Recommendations: Benefits and Cautions

Created on 2023/04/14 • 11,367 views • 2 minutes read

If you're using Google Ads, you've likely received various recommendation notifications aimed at optimizing your campaigns. On April 14, 2021, Google officially launched its Auto-Applied Recommendations feature. This guide will help you understand these recommendations and provide tips on leveraging them effectively.

What Are Google Ads Recommendations?

Google Ads recommendations are suggestions provided by Google to enhance your campaigns. These can range from increasing conversions to removing redundant keywords, with Google offering a rough estimate of the potential impact on your campaign performance. There are about 60 different recommendations available, each potentially beneficial but not universally so.

While many recommendations can improve your campaign performance, it's crucial to evaluate each one carefully. Some might conflict with others or be irrelevant to your specific goals, potentially harming your campaigns. You have the option to apply or dismiss each recommendation, and even if you dismiss them, your optimization score will improve.

New Feature: Auto-Applied Recommendations

Google's new feature allows specific recommendations to be applied automatically. However, this comes with risks. By enabling auto-applied recommendations, you surrender a significant amount of control to Google's algorithms. While this might save time, it also means less control over the specifics of your campaign.

Why Should You Be Careful With Auto-Applied Recommendations?

Auto-applied recommendations can lead to unforeseen changes, such as:

Increased CPA: Irrelevant clicks can cause your Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) to spike unexpectedly.
Lower Conversion Rates: Changes in targeting and bidding strategies might reduce your overall conversion rates.
Budget Waste: Irrelevant or overly broad keywords could increase your spend without a corresponding return on investment.

Case Example: Keyword Recommendations

For instance, Google might suggest adding keywords that are too broad. If these are automatically applied, your ads could start receiving clicks from irrelevant searches, increasing your CPA and decreasing conversion rates. Always choose keywords that are highly relevant to your products and services.

How to Manage Auto-Applied Recommendations

If you prefer to review and apply recommendations manually, you need to cancel auto-applied recommendations. Follow these steps to opt out:

Go to the "Auto-Apply" section in the top right corner of your Google Ads dashboard.
Click on "Manage."
Review the categories (bidding and budgets, keywords and targeting, etc.) and uncheck the boxes for automatic application.

By doing this, you'll still be able to access Google's suggestions through the Recommendations tab and apply those you find relevant manually.

Conclusion: Exercise Caution with Auto-Applied Recommendations

Avoid Auto-Apply: Don’t opt-in for auto-applied recommendations to maintain control over your campaigns.
Manual Review: Carefully review each recommendation and manually apply those that align with your campaign goals.
Time Investment: While reviewing recommendations manually may take more time, it will save you from potential budget wastage and performance issues.

Google Ads recommendations can be a powerful tool, but only if used judiciously. Always take the time to assess each suggestion to ensure it benefits your business.