A few months ago, we provided some insight on the good and bad of Google Ads Optimization Score and Recommendations. Since then, we’ve seen Google make further efforts to automate the Google Ads platform, rolling out more features to make it easier for new and inexperienced advertisers to create campaigns.
As Google Ads continues to automate and simplify, it can be tough to reconcile these updates for our clients with more complex digital advertising strategies. Most of these new features are optional, allowing us to carefully test and monitor how they impact ad performance before rolling them out to an account.
However, Google Ads has recently begun testing an Auto-Applied Recommendations feature which, if activated, would allow automatic changes to take place without any direct consent from the advertiser.
Later, we’ll explain why this is so problematic. But first, a little refresher on Google Ads Optimization Score and Recommendations.
What is Google Ads Optimization Score?
Optimization Score is a feature built into Google Ads which claims to estimate how well an ad account is set to perform on a scale of 0-100%. Optimization score is actually the proportion of Google recommendations in your account that have been applied and/or dismissed. Addressing all the recommendations in your account, by either implementing them or dismissing them, will give you an optimization score of 100%.
If you’ve ever spoken to a Google representative, you’re likely familiar with Optimization Score already. Your campaigns’ Optimization Scores can be found in your Google Ads account on the Overview and Recommendations pages.
What are Google Ads Recommendations?
Recommendations are Google’s suggestions that populate in your account and can raise your Optimization Score. Recommendations may apply to budgets, bids, keyword targeting, audience targeting, and more.
Why do Optimization Scores and Recommendations matter?
Google uses the Optimization Score and Recommendations to encourage advertisers to adopt certain practices, for example:
- Automated bidding, which sets keyword bids automatically (instead of manual bidding)
- Smart campaigns, which use a few simple inputs to create an automatic, “hands off” campaign
- Broad keyword targeting, to increase the pool of search queries where your ads can show
- Increased daily budgets
Often these Recommendations benefit Google more than they benefit the advertiser, by increasing total advertising spend and reducing transparency and control over your campaigns.
What are Auto-Applied Recommendations?
Google will apply all of the Recommendations generated in your account, leaving none for the campaign manager to review.
Changes made based on Auto-Applied Recommendations are not visible in the account’s Change History, making it difficult to know if this feature is activated in your account. The only way to know for sure is to check your account’s status in the new “Auto Applied Recommendations Control Center” which is entirely separate from the Google Ads platform.
Since this feature in beta, it’s subject to change. It is still unclear whether accounts will be opted-in automatically. Either way, once you’re opted in, you no longer have full control over the changes that take place in your account.
Facts about Optimization Score & Recommendations
There are a few important things to understand about Optimization Scores and Recommendations:
- Optimization Score and Recommendations are not tied to outcomes. Google acknowledges that applying Recommendations won’t necessarily increase the results you achieve from advertising or improve the efficiency of your Google Ads spend.
- Optimization Scores have no impact on ad performance. Having an Optimization Score below 100% doesn’t affect your costs, conversions, or eligibility to advertise, and there is no material benefit to having a high Optimization Score.
- Optimization Score is not a key performance indicator. We monitor and optimize our clients’ Google Ads accounts for key performance indicators like conversions, cost per conversion, and conversion rate to ensure that ads are driving real results.
- Recommendations are autogenerated. Google uses artificial intelligence to push these recommendations to your account. The algorithm doesn’t consider your business model or your goals, which is why many of these recommendations can be irrelevant.
- Dismissing Recommendations will also increase your Optimization Score. In other words, you can go from a score of 50% to a score of 100% without making any changes at all.
How We Use Recommendations
Our approach to working with Google Ads Recommendations mirrors that of other industry professionals. While we do review the Recommendations regularly, we only apply those that we believe are in the best interest of our clients.
If you’re interested in learning more about our approach to Google Ads management, contact us today!
