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skills/google-ads-performance-troubleshooter/references/decision-trees.md
46 KB · Oct 3, 2026 · 06:22 UTC
## Conversion Drop Diagnosis
### Decision Tree
```
CONVERSIONS DROPPED - DIAGNOSIS
════════════════════════════════
START: Conversions have dropped
│
├─► CHECK 1: Is tracking intact?
│ ├── Test conversion on website → Fired in Google Ads?
│ ├── Check Tag Assistant / Google Ads Conversions Report
│ └── Compare conversions in GA4 vs Google Ads
│ │
│ ├─► TRACKING BROKEN
│ │ └─► Fix: Check GTM, consent mode, tag status
│ │
│ └─► TRACKING OK → Go to Check 2
│
├─► CHECK 2: Have clicks dropped?
│ ├── Compare clicks week-over-week
│ │
│ ├─► CLICKS DROPPED
│ │ └─► Problem is upstream (traffic)
│ │ └─► Go to "Volume Decline Diagnosis"
│ │
│ └─► CLICKS STABLE → Conversion Rate dropped
│ └─► Go to Check 3
│
├─► CHECK 3: Has the landing page changed?
│ ├── Check page speed (PageSpeed Insights)
│ ├── Check mobile experience
│ ├── Is form/checkout working?
│ │
│ ├─► LANDING PAGE ISSUE
│ │ └─► Fix: Rollback changes, fix bugs
│ │
│ └─► LANDING PAGE OK → Go to Check 4
│
├─► CHECK 4: Has traffic quality changed?
│ ├── Check search terms report
│ ├── Are there new query types?
│ ├── Check device/location shifts
│ │
│ ├─► TRAFFIC QUALITY ISSUE
│ │ └─► Fix: Negatives, targeting, bid adjustments
│ │
│ └─► TRAFFIC QUALITY OK → Go to Check 5
│
└─► CHECK 5: External factors
├── Seasonality?
├── Competitor activity?
├── Market change?
└─► Analyze and adapt strategy
```
### Conversion Tracking Verification
```
CONVERSION TRACKING CHECK
══════════════════════════
STEP 1: BASIC VERIFICATION
───────────────────────────
□ Google Ads → Tools → Conversions
□ Check "Recording status" per action
├── "Recording conversions" = OK
├── "No recent conversions" = Possible issue
└── "Tag inactive" = Problem!
□ View conversions per day graph
└── Sudden drop = Tracking issue
└── Gradual decline = Other cause
STEP 2: TAG VERIFICATION
─────────────────────────
Via Google Tag Assistant (Chrome Extension):
□ Load conversion page
□ Check if conversion tag fired
□ Check if value is correct
□ Check consent mode status
Via Google Ads Tag Diagnostics:
□ Tools → Conversions → [Action] → Tag setup
□ Run diagnostics
□ Check website tag status
STEP 3: COMPARE SOURCES
────────────────────────
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Source │ Conversions │ Difference vs GA4 │
├────────────────┼─────────────┼─────────────────────────┤
│ Google Ads │ [X] │ Baseline │
│ GA4 (Google) │ [X] │ Should be approx. equal │
│ CRM/Backend │ [X] │ True source of truth │
└────────────────┴─────────────┴─────────────────────────┘
If large discrepancy:
├── GA4 < Google Ads: Possibly duplicate tags
├── GA4 > Google Ads: Tracking not complete
└── CRM ≠ both: Attribution/timing differences
STEP 4: CONSENT MODE CHECK
───────────────────────────
□ Is consent banner implemented?
□ Is consent correctly passed?
□ Are conversion modeling settings correct?
□ Check: "Consent mode" column in conversions
Consent Mode Impact:
├── Well configured: Google models ~70-80%
├── Poorly configured: Large data gaps
└── Not present: Potential compliance issues
```
### Decision Tree
```
CONVERSIONS DROPPED - DIAGNOSIS
════════════════════════════════
START: Conversions have dropped
│
├─► CHECK 1: Is tracking intact?
│ ├── Test conversion on website → Fired in Google Ads?
│ ├── Check Tag Assistant / Google Ads Conversions Report
│ └── Compare conversions in GA4 vs Google Ads
│ │
│ ├─► TRACKING BROKEN
│ │ └─► Fix: Check GTM, consent mode, tag status
│ │
│ └─► TRACKING OK → Go to Check 2
│
├─► CHECK 2: Have clicks dropped?
│ ├── Compare clicks week-over-week
│ │
│ ├─► CLICKS DROPPED
│ │ └─► Problem is upstream (traffic)
│ │ └─► Go to "Volume Decline Diagnosis"
│ │
│ └─► CLICKS STABLE → Conversion Rate dropped
│ └─► Go to Check 3
│
├─► CHECK 3: Has the landing page changed?
│ ├── Check page speed (PageSpeed Insights)
│ ├── Check mobile experience
│ ├── Is form/checkout working?
│ │
│ ├─► LANDING PAGE ISSUE
│ │ └─► Fix: Rollback changes, fix bugs
│ │
│ └─► LANDING PAGE OK → Go to Check 4
│
├─► CHECK 4: Has traffic quality changed?
│ ├── Check search terms report
│ ├── Are there new query types?
│ ├── Check device/location shifts
│ │
│ ├─► TRAFFIC QUALITY ISSUE
│ │ └─► Fix: Negatives, targeting, bid adjustments
│ │
│ └─► TRAFFIC QUALITY OK → Go to Check 5
│
└─► CHECK 5: External factors
├── Seasonality?
├── Competitor activity?
├── Market change?
└─► Analyze and adapt strategy
```
## Efficiency Degradation Diagnosis
### CPA Increased
```
CPA INCREASED - ROOT CAUSE ANALYSIS
════════════════════════════════════
POSSIBLE CAUSES (in order of likelihood):
1. COMPETITION INCREASED
────────────────────────
Symptoms:
├── Avg CPC increased
├── Impression share decreased
├── Same queries, higher costs
Verification:
└── Review Auction Insights
├── New competitors?
├── Overlap rate changed?
└── Outranking share decreased?
Solution:
├── Increase budget (if ROI remains positive)
├── Focus on efficiency (neg keywords, targeting)
├── Differentiate (ad copy, landing page)
└── Explore other channels
2. QUALITY SCORE DROPPED
─────────────────────────
Symptoms:
├── QS column shows decline
├── Higher CPCs needed for same position
├── Expected CTR/Ad Relevance/LP experience dropped
Verification:
└── Review Columns → Quality Score (historical)
Solution:
└── See "Quality Score Troubleshoot" section
3. AUDIENCE/TRAFFIC SHIFT
──────────────────────────
Symptoms:
├── Different demographics converting
├── Device mix shifted
├── Geographic shifts
Verification:
├── Segment by device/location/audience
└── Compare converters vs non-converters
Solution:
├── Bid adjustments per segment
├── Separate campaigns for best segments
└── Exclude underperforming segments
4. LANDING PAGE PERFORMANCE
────────────────────────────
Symptoms:
├── Bounce rate increased
├── Time on site decreased
├── Form abandonment increased
Verification:
├── GA4 landing page report
├── User recordings (Hotjar/FullStory)
└── Page speed check
Solution:
├── Fix page speed issues
├── Improve mobile experience
├── Simplify conversion flow
└── A/B test landing page variants
5. SEASONALITY
──────────────
Symptoms:
├── Historically same period = worse
├── Industry-wide trends
├── Holiday/event impact
Verification:
├── Year-over-year comparison
└── Check industry benchmarks
Solution:
├── Adjust expectations
├── Seasonality adjustments in bidding
└── Prep for high season
```
### ROAS Decreased
```
ROAS DECREASED - DIAGNOSIS
═══════════════════════════
ROAS = Revenue / Ad Spend
ROAS decreased can be caused by:
├── A) Same revenue, higher spend
├── B) Lower revenue, same spend
└── C) Combination
DIAGNOSIS:
SCENARIO A: SPEND INCREASED
────────────────────────────
Check:
├── Budget automatically increased?
├── Bid strategy changed?
├── CPCs increased (competition)?
Solution:
├── Review budget settings
├── Check Smart Bidding targets
└── Analyze CPC trends
SCENARIO B: REVENUE DECREASED
──────────────────────────────
Check:
├── Average Order Value (AOV) decreased?
├── Fewer purchases?
├── Product mix shifted?
AOV decreased:
├── Cheaper products promoted?
├── Discounting increased?
├── Upsell/cross-sell not working?
Fewer purchases:
├── Conversion rate check (see earlier)
├── Cart abandonment increased?
├── Payment issues?
Solution:
├── Promote higher-margin products
├── Review promotional strategy
├── Check checkout flow
└── Deploy value-based bidding
SCENARIO C: BOTH FACTORS
─────────────────────────
Combination of above - common with:
├── Market downturn
├── Strong competitor entry
├── Major algorithm change
Action:
├── Run full audit
├── Competitive analysis
└── Strategy reconsideration
```
### ROAS Decreased
```
ROAS DECREASED - DIAGNOSIS
═══════════════════════════
ROAS = Revenue / Ad Spend
ROAS decreased can be caused by:
├── A) Same revenue, higher spend
├── B) Lower revenue, same spend
└── C) Combination
DIAGNOSIS:
SCENARIO A: SPEND INCREASED
────────────────────────────
Check:
├── Budget automatically increased?
├── Bid strategy changed?
├── CPCs increased (competition)?
Solution:
├── Review budget settings
├── Check Smart Bidding targets
└── Analyze CPC trends
SCENARIO B: REVENUE DECREASED
──────────────────────────────
Check:
├── Average Order Value (AOV) decreased?
├── Fewer purchases?
├── Product mix shifted?
AOV decreased:
├── Cheaper products promoted?
├── Discounting increased?
├── Upsell/cross-sell not working?
Fewer purchases:
├── Conversion rate check (see earlier)
├── Cart abandonment increased?
├── Payment issues?
Solution:
├── Promote higher-margin products
├── Review promotional strategy
├── Check checkout flow
└── Deploy value-based bidding
SCENARIO C: BOTH FACTORS
─────────────────────────
Combination of above - common with:
├── Market downturn
├── Strong competitor entry
├── Major algorithm change
Action:
├── Run full audit
├── Competitive analysis
└── Strategy reconsideration
```
## Volume Decline Diagnosis
### Impressions Dropped
```
IMPRESSIONS DROPPED - TROUBLESHOOT
═══════════════════════════════════
CHECK 1: BUDGET & BIDDING
──────────────────────────
□ Budget limited status?
□ Bid too low for positions?
□ Target CPA/ROAS too aggressive?
Budget Limited:
├── Increase budget
├── Or: Prioritize best performers
└── Or: Reduce targets to stay within budget
Bid Limited:
├── Increase bids/targets
├── Check search impression share (rank)
└── Improve Quality Score
CHECK 2: TARGETING CHANGES
───────────────────────────
□ Have keywords been paused?
□ Location targeting changed?
□ Device targeting changed?
□ Audience targeting (exclusions)?
Review recent changes:
├── Change History in Google Ads
└── Rollback if needed
CHECK 3: ADS/KEYWORDS STATUS
─────────────────────────────
□ Ads disapproved?
□ Keywords suspended?
□ Policy violations?
Check:
├── Ads → Status column
├── Keywords → Status column
└── Notifications/Emails
CHECK 4: SEARCH DEMAND
───────────────────────
□ Keyword Planner: search volume changed?
□ Seasonality effect?
□ Market trend shift?
Trend check:
├── Google Trends for key terms
└── Year-over-year comparison
CHECK 5: AUCTION DYNAMICS
──────────────────────────
□ Auction Insights: new competitors?
□ CPCs increased (but bids didn't)?
□ Market consolidation?
IMPRESSION SHARE BREAKDOWN:
───────────────────────────
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Metric │ Meaning │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Search Impression Share │ % of eligible impressions │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Lost IS (Budget) │ Lost due to budget │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Lost IS (Rank) │ Lost due to low Ad Rank │
└───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┘
If Lost IS (Budget) is high:
└── Increase budget or focus on efficiency
If Lost IS (Rank) is high:
└── Improve Quality Score or increase bids
```
### Clicks Dropped (but Impressions Stable)
```
CTR DROPPED - DIAGNOSIS
════════════════════════
SYMPTOM: Impressions stable, clicks dropped = CTR drop
CHECK 1: AD COPY/CREATIVE
──────────────────────────
□ Ads changed?
□ RSA assets in rotation changed?
□ Ad strength dropped?
□ Extensions removed/paused?
Verification:
├── Compare ad performance pre/post
├── Check RSA asset performance
└── Review extension status
Solution:
├── Revert ad changes
├── Add winning assets
├── Restore extensions
└── Test new variations
CHECK 2: SEARCH TERMS SHIFT
────────────────────────────
□ Different queries triggering ads?
□ Broad match expansion?
□ Low-intent queries?
Verification:
├── Search Terms report
├── Compare top queries pre/post
└── Check query intent
Solution:
├── Add negative keywords
├── Adjust match types
└── Refine ad copy for queries
CHECK 3: COMPETITOR ADS
────────────────────────
□ Competitors with better offers?
□ Competitors with extensions you don't have?
□ Competitors in higher positions?
Verification:
├── Manual search checks
├── Auction Insights
└── SEMrush/SpyFu competitor analysis
Solution:
├── Improve ad USPs
├── Add missing extensions
├── Test promotional offers
└── Bid for better positions (test)
CHECK 4: AD POSITION
─────────────────────
□ Average position dropped?
□ Top of page rate dropped?
Verification:
├── "Search top IS" metric
├── "Abs. top IS" metric
└── Average position trend
Correlation:
├── Lower position = lower CTR (expected)
└── Focus on impression share vs position trade-off
CHECK 5: AUDIENCE FATIGUE
──────────────────────────
□ Retargeting audiences overexposed?
□ Frequency too high?
□ Display/Video ad fatigue?
Symptoms:
├── CTR declining over time
├── Same audience reached too long
└── Creative has become "blind"
Solution:
├── Refresh creatives
├── Expand audiences
├── Implement frequency capping
```
### Impressions Dropped
```
IMPRESSIONS DROPPED - TROUBLESHOOT
═══════════════════════════════════
CHECK 1: BUDGET & BIDDING
──────────────────────────
□ Budget limited status?
□ Bid too low for positions?
□ Target CPA/ROAS too aggressive?
Budget Limited:
├── Increase budget
├── Or: Prioritize best performers
└── Or: Reduce targets to stay within budget
Bid Limited:
├── Increase bids/targets
├── Check search impression share (rank)
└── Improve Quality Score
CHECK 2: TARGETING CHANGES
───────────────────────────
□ Have keywords been paused?
□ Location targeting changed?
□ Device targeting changed?
□ Audience targeting (exclusions)?
Review recent changes:
├── Change History in Google Ads
└── Rollback if needed
CHECK 3: ADS/KEYWORDS STATUS
─────────────────────────────
□ Ads disapproved?
□ Keywords suspended?
□ Policy violations?
Check:
├── Ads → Status column
├── Keywords → Status column
└── Notifications/Emails
CHECK 4: SEARCH DEMAND
───────────────────────
□ Keyword Planner: search volume changed?
□ Seasonality effect?
□ Market trend shift?
Trend check:
├── Google Trends for key terms
└── Year-over-year comparison
CHECK 5: AUCTION DYNAMICS
──────────────────────────
□ Auction Insights: new competitors?
□ CPCs increased (but bids didn't)?
□ Market consolidation?
IMPRESSION SHARE BREAKDOWN:
───────────────────────────
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Metric │ Meaning │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Search Impression Share │ % of eligible impressions │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Lost IS (Budget) │ Lost due to budget │
├───────────────────────────┼─────────────────────────────┤
│ Lost IS (Rank) │ Lost due to low Ad Rank │
└───────────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────┘
If Lost IS (Budget) is high:
└── Increase budget or focus on efficiency
If Lost IS (Rank) is high:
└── Improve Quality Score or increase bids
```
### Clicks Dropped (but Impressions Stable)
```
CTR DROPPED - DIAGNOSIS
════════════════════════
SYMPTOM: Impressions stable, clicks dropped = CTR drop
CHECK 1: AD COPY/CREATIVE
──────────────────────────
□ Ads changed?
□ RSA assets in rotation changed?
□ Ad strength dropped?
□ Extensions removed/paused?
Verification:
├── Compare ad performance pre/post
├── Check RSA asset performance
└── Review extension status
Solution:
├── Revert ad changes
├── Add winning assets
├── Restore extensions
└── Test new variations
CHECK 2: SEARCH TERMS SHIFT
────────────────────────────
□ Different queries triggering ads?
□ Broad match expansion?
□ Low-intent queries?
Verification:
├── Search Terms report
├── Compare top queries pre/post
└── Check query intent
Solution:
├── Add negative keywords
├── Adjust match types
└── Refine ad copy for queries
CHECK 3: COMPETITOR ADS
────────────────────────
□ Competitors with better offers?
□ Competitors with extensions you don't have?
□ Competitors in higher positions?
Verification:
├── Manual search checks
├── Auction Insights
└── SEMrush/SpyFu competitor analysis
Solution:
├── Improve ad USPs
├── Add missing extensions
├── Test promotional offers
└── Bid for better positions (test)
CHECK 4: AD POSITION
─────────────────────
□ Average position dropped?
□ Top of page rate dropped?
Verification:
├── "Search top IS" metric
├── "Abs. top IS" metric
└── Average position trend
Correlation:
├── Lower position = lower CTR (expected)
└── Focus on impression share vs position trade-off
CHECK 5: AUDIENCE FATIGUE
──────────────────────────
□ Retargeting audiences overexposed?
□ Frequency too high?
□ Display/Video ad fatigue?
Symptoms:
├── CTR declining over time
├── Same audience reached too long
└── Creative has become "blind"
Solution:
├── Refresh creatives
├── Expand audiences
├── Implement frequency capping
```
## Delivery Problems
### No Impressions
```
0 IMPRESSIONS - TROUBLESHOOT
═════════════════════════════
URGENCY: No spend = no results
STEP-BY-STEP DIAGNOSIS:
1. CAMPAIGN STATUS
──────────────────
□ Campaign enabled?
□ No "Removed" status?
□ Start/end dates correct?
□ Budget > 0?
2. AD GROUP STATUS
──────────────────
□ Ad groups enabled?
□ At least 1 active ad?
□ At least 1 active keyword (Search)?
3. ADS STATUS
─────────────
□ Ads approved?
□ No "Policy violation"?
□ No "Under review" (too long)?
Common disapprovals:
├── Trademark issues
├── Misleading content
├── Unavailable landing page
├── Prohibited content
└── Technical issues (redirects)
4. KEYWORDS STATUS
──────────────────
□ Keywords active?
□ No "Low search volume"?
□ No "Suspended"?
□ Bids not 0?
5. TARGETING
────────────
□ Locations set correctly?
□ Languages correct?
□ Schedule not too restrictive?
□ Audiences not exclusions-only?
6. BUDGET & BIDS
────────────────
□ Budget sufficient?
□ Bids sufficient for market?
□ Target CPA/ROAS not too aggressive?
7. BILLING
──────────
□ Payment method valid?
□ No account suspension?
□ Credit line available?
QUICK FIX CHECKLIST:
────────────────────
If new campaign:
□ Wait 24-48 hours for initial approval
□ Check policy centre for issues
□ Verify billing setup
If existing campaign suddenly stopped:
□ Check Change History for recent changes
□ Check Notifications for warnings
□ Review Billing for payment issues
```
### No Impressions
```
0 IMPRESSIONS - TROUBLESHOOT
═════════════════════════════
URGENCY: No spend = no results
STEP-BY-STEP DIAGNOSIS:
1. CAMPAIGN STATUS
──────────────────
□ Campaign enabled?
□ No "Removed" status?
□ Start/end dates correct?
□ Budget > 0?
2. AD GROUP STATUS
──────────────────
□ Ad groups enabled?
□ At least 1 active ad?
□ At least 1 active keyword (Search)?
3. ADS STATUS
─────────────
□ Ads approved?
□ No "Policy violation"?
□ No "Under review" (too long)?
Common disapprovals:
├── Trademark issues
├── Misleading content
├── Unavailable landing page
├── Prohibited content
└── Technical issues (redirects)
4. KEYWORDS STATUS
──────────────────
□ Keywords active?
□ No "Low search volume"?
□ No "Suspended"?
□ Bids not 0?
5. TARGETING
────────────
□ Locations set correctly?
□ Languages correct?
□ Schedule not too restrictive?
□ Audiences not exclusions-only?
6. BUDGET & BIDS
────────────────
□ Budget sufficient?
□ Bids sufficient for market?
□ Target CPA/ROAS not too aggressive?
7. BILLING
──────────
□ Payment method valid?
□ No account suspension?
□ Credit line available?
QUICK FIX CHECKLIST:
────────────────────
If new campaign:
□ Wait 24-48 hours for initial approval
□ Check policy centre for issues
□ Verify billing setup
If existing campaign suddenly stopped:
□ Check Change History for recent changes
□ Check Notifications for warnings
□ Review Billing for payment issues
```
## Quality Score Troubleshoot
### Diagnosis
```
QUALITY SCORE ANALYSIS
══════════════════════
QUALITY SCORE COMPONENTS:
──────────────────────────
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Component │ Weight │ What it measures │
├────────────────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────┤
│ Expected CTR │ ~40% │ Likelihood of click │
├────────────────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────┤
│ Ad Relevance │ ~20% │ Match query<>ad copy │
├────────────────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────┤
│ Landing Page Exp │ ~40% │ Page quality & match │
└────────────────────────┴────────┴───────────────────────┘
HOW TO ANALYZE:
────────────────
Add columns:
├── Quality Score
├── Quality Score (hist.)
├── Expected CTR
├── Expected CTR (hist.)
├── Ad Relevance
├── Ad Relevance (hist.)
├── Landing Page Exp
└── Landing Page Exp (hist.)
Filter on:
├── QS < 5 (priority fix)
├── High impression keywords with low QS
└── Keywords with QS decline vs previous month
STATUS INTERPRETATION:
──────────────────────
"Below average" = Problem, action required
"Average" = OK, room for improvement
"Above average" = Good, maintain
```
### Solutions per Component
```
EXPECTED CTR - IMPROVE
═══════════════════════
CAUSES OF LOW EXPECTED CTR:
├── Ad copy not compelling
├── No strong CTA
├── Competitors have better ads
└── Keyword-ad mismatch
SOLUTIONS:
──────────
1. IMPROVE AD COPY
□ Include keyword in headline 1
□ Strong, specific CTA
□ USPs and differentiators
□ Numbers and specifics (15% off, 500+ reviews)
2. USE ALL AD ASSETS
□ 15 headlines in RSA
□ 4 descriptions
□ Pin only strategically
□ Test variations
3. ADD EXTENSIONS
□ Sitelinks (min 4)
□ Callouts (min 4)
□ Structured snippets
□ Call/location extensions
4. TEST & ITERATE
□ A/B test ad variations
□ Review top performing ads
□ Pause underperformers
□ Check RSA asset performance
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
AD RELEVANCE - IMPROVE
═══════════════════════
CAUSES OF LOW AD RELEVANCE:
├── Keywords not in ad copy
├── Ad groups too broad
├── Generic ads for specific keywords
└── Outdated ads
SOLUTIONS:
──────────
1. KEYWORD IN AD COPY
□ Exact keyword in headline (where possible)
□ Keyword in description
□ Use {KeyWord:Default} insertion
2. AD GROUP STRUCTURE
□ Tight theme ad groups (5-20 keywords)
□ Ads specific to ad group theme
□ Consider SKAGs for top performers
└── (Single Keyword Ad Groups)
3. DYNAMIC KEYWORD INSERTION
□ {KeyWord:Fallback}
□ Only for relevant positions
□ Check for awkward insertions
4. REFRESH AD COPY
□ Remove outdated messaging
□ Update for current promotions
□ Match current landing page
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
LANDING PAGE EXPERIENCE - IMPROVE
══════════════════════════════════
CAUSES OF LOW LANDING PAGE EXP:
├── Slow page load
├── Poor mobile experience
├── Content mismatch with ad
├── Difficult navigation
└── Missing trust signals
SOLUTIONS:
──────────
1. PAGE SPEED
□ Target: <3 sec load time
□ Use PageSpeed Insights
□ Optimize images
□ Minimize scripts
□ Enable caching
2. MOBILE EXPERIENCE
□ Responsive design
□ Tap targets large enough
□ No horizontal scrolling
□ Easy form filling
3. CONTENT RELEVANCE
□ Headline matches ad
□ Keyword in page title/H1
□ Clear path to conversion
□ No bait-and-switch
4. USER EXPERIENCE
□ Clear navigation
□ Trust signals (reviews, badges)
□ Contact info visible
□ Privacy policy linked
5. TECHNICAL SEO
□ HTTPS required
□ No broken links
□ Proper meta tags
□ Clean URL structure
```
### Diagnosis
```
QUALITY SCORE ANALYSIS
══════════════════════
QUALITY SCORE COMPONENTS:
──────────────────────────
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Component │ Weight │ What it measures │
├────────────────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────┤
│ Expected CTR │ ~40% │ Likelihood of click │
├────────────────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────┤
│ Ad Relevance │ ~20% │ Match query<>ad copy │
├────────────────────────┼────────┼───────────────────────┤
│ Landing Page Exp │ ~40% │ Page quality & match │
└────────────────────────┴────────┴───────────────────────┘
HOW TO ANALYZE:
────────────────
Add columns:
├── Quality Score
├── Quality Score (hist.)
├── Expected CTR
├── Expected CTR (hist.)
├── Ad Relevance
├── Ad Relevance (hist.)
├── Landing Page Exp
└── Landing Page Exp (hist.)
Filter on:
├── QS < 5 (priority fix)
├── High impression keywords with low QS
└── Keywords with QS decline vs previous month
STATUS INTERPRETATION:
──────────────────────
"Below average" = Problem, action required
"Average" = OK, room for improvement
"Above average" = Good, maintain
```
## Bidding Problems
### Smart Bidding Issues
```
SMART BIDDING TROUBLESHOOT
══════════════════════════
PROBLEM 1: DELIVERY STOPS/DROPS
────────────────────────────────
Symptom: Impressions suddenly dropped
Causes:
├── Target too aggressive
├── Budget too low
├── Competition increased
└── Tracking issue
Diagnosis:
├── Check bid strategy status
├── Compare target vs actual CPA/ROAS
├── Check conversion tracking
└── Review auction insights
Solution:
├── Relax target (20%)
├── Increase budget
├── Switch to "Maximize" (temporarily)
└── Fix tracking issues
PROBLEM 2: CPA/ROAS FAR FROM TARGET
─────────────────────────────────────
Symptom: Actual far above/below target
Causes:
├── Unrealistic target
├── Market changed
├── Insufficient conversions
└── Learning phase
Diagnosis:
├── Check historical CPA/ROAS
├── Compare target vs market benchmarks
├── Check conversion volume
└── Check learning status
Solution:
├── Adjust target to achievable
├── Use "Maximize" for data collection
├── Increase volume (budget/targeting)
└── Wait for learning complete
PROBLEM 3: ERRATIC PERFORMANCE
───────────────────────────────
Symptom: Large day-to-day swings
Causes:
├── Low conversion volume
├── Inconsistent demand
├── Budget limiting mid-day
└── Competitor auction dynamics
Diagnosis:
├── Check daily conversions (need 15+)
├── Check budget utilization pattern
├── Review hourly performance
└── Compare to historical volatility
Solution:
├── Increase conversions (budget/targeting)
├── Portfolio bid strategy (aggregate)
├── Smooth budget pacing
└── Accept some volatility (normal)
PROBLEM 4: NOT LEARNING
────────────────────────
Symptom: "Learning Limited" persists
See → "Learning Phase Tracker" skill
```
### Smart Bidding Issues
```
SMART BIDDING TROUBLESHOOT
══════════════════════════
PROBLEM 1: DELIVERY STOPS/DROPS
────────────────────────────────
Symptom: Impressions suddenly dropped
Causes:
├── Target too aggressive
├── Budget too low
├── Competition increased
└── Tracking issue
Diagnosis:
├── Check bid strategy status
├── Compare target vs actual CPA/ROAS
├── Check conversion tracking
└── Review auction insights
Solution:
├── Relax target (20%)
├── Increase budget
├── Switch to "Maximize" (temporarily)
└── Fix tracking issues
PROBLEM 2: CPA/ROAS FAR FROM TARGET
─────────────────────────────────────
Symptom: Actual far above/below target
Causes:
├── Unrealistic target
├── Market changed
├── Insufficient conversions
└── Learning phase
Diagnosis:
├── Check historical CPA/ROAS
├── Compare target vs market benchmarks
├── Check conversion volume
└── Check learning status
Solution:
├── Adjust target to achievable
├── Use "Maximize" for data collection
├── Increase volume (budget/targeting)
└── Wait for learning complete
PROBLEM 3: ERRATIC PERFORMANCE
───────────────────────────────
Symptom: Large day-to-day swings
Causes:
├── Low conversion volume
├── Inconsistent demand
├── Budget limiting mid-day
└── Competitor auction dynamics
Diagnosis:
├── Check daily conversions (need 15+)
├── Check budget utilization pattern
├── Review hourly performance
└── Compare to historical volatility
Solution:
├── Increase conversions (budget/targeting)
├── Portfolio bid strategy (aggregate)
├── Smooth budget pacing
└── Accept some volatility (normal)
PROBLEM 4: NOT LEARNING
────────────────────────
Symptom: "Learning Limited" persists
See → "Learning Phase Tracker" skill
```
## Google Ads Script: Performance Alert System
```javascript
/**
* Performance Troubleshoot Alert System
*
* Detects and reports performance anomalies.
*
* Setup:
* 1. Adjust CONFIG
* 2. Schedule: Daily at 8:00
*/
var CONFIG = {
EMAIL: 'you@example.com',
// Lookback periods
COMPARE_DAYS: 7,
BASELINE_DAYS: 14,
// Alert thresholds (percentage change)
ALERTS: {
// Critical alerts (immediate attention)
CONVERSIONS_DROP_CRITICAL: -0.50, // -50%
SPEND_ZERO: true, // No spend
TRACKING_BROKEN: true, // 0 conversions
// Warning alerts
CPA_SPIKE: 0.30, // +30%
ROAS_DROP: -0.25, // -25%
CTR_DROP: -0.20, // -20%
IMPRESSIONS_DROP: -0.30, // -30%
CONVERSIONS_DROP: -0.25 // -25%
},
// Minimum data for alerts
MIN_IMPRESSIONS: 100,
MIN_CLICKS: 20,
MIN_CONVERSIONS: 3
};
function main() {
var report = {
critical: [],
warnings: [],
info: [],
summary: {}
};
var campaigns = AdsApp.campaigns()
.withCondition('Status = ENABLED')
.get();
var campaignCount = 0;
var alertCount = 0;
while (campaigns.hasNext()) {
var campaign = campaigns.next();
var alerts = analyzeCampaignPerformance(campaign);
report.critical = report.critical.concat(alerts.critical);
report.warnings = report.warnings.concat(alerts.warnings);
report.info = report.info.concat(alerts.info);
alertCount += alerts.critical.length + alerts.warnings.length;
campaignCount++;
}
report.summary = {
campaignsAnalyzed: campaignCount,
criticalAlerts: report.critical.length,
warnings: report.warnings.length,
timestamp: new Date().toISOString()
};
// Always send if critical alerts, otherwise only if warnings
if (report.critical.length > 0 || report.warnings.length > 0) {
sendAlertEmail(report);
}
Logger.log('Performance analysis complete');
Logger.log('Campaigns: ' + campaignCount + ', Alerts: ' + alertCount);
}
function analyzeCampaignPerformance(campaign) {
var name = campaign.getName();
var alerts = { critical: [], warnings: [], info: [] };
// Get stats for comparison periods
var currentStats = campaign.getStatsFor('LAST_7_DAYS');
var baselineStats = campaign.getStatsFor('LAST_14_DAYS');
// Calculate current vs baseline
var current = {
impressions: currentStats.getImpressions(),
clicks: currentStats.getClicks(),
cost: currentStats.getCost(),
conversions: currentStats.getConversions(),
convValue: currentStats.getConversionValue()
};
// Baseline (previous period = last 14 days minus last 7 days)
var baseline = {
impressions: baselineStats.getImpressions() - current.impressions,
clicks: baselineStats.getClicks() - current.clicks,
cost: baselineStats.getCost() - current.cost,
conversions: baselineStats.getConversions() - current.conversions,
convValue: baselineStats.getConversionValue() - current.convValue
};
// Calculated metrics
current.ctr = current.impressions > 0 ?
current.clicks / current.impressions : 0;
current.cpa = current.conversions > 0 ?
current.cost / current.conversions : 0;
current.roas = current.cost > 0 ?
current.convValue / current.cost : 0;
baseline.ctr = baseline.impressions > 0 ?
baseline.clicks / baseline.impressions : 0;
baseline.cpa = baseline.conversions > 0 ?
baseline.cost / baseline.conversions : 0;
baseline.roas = baseline.cost > 0 ?
baseline.convValue / baseline.cost : 0;
// CRITICAL ALERTS
// Zero spend
if (current.cost === 0 && baseline.cost > 0) {
alerts.critical.push({
campaign: name,
type: 'NO_SPEND',
message: 'No spend in last 7 days',
baseline: baseline.cost.toFixed(2) + ' (previous week)'
});
}
// Tracking broken (had conversions, now 0)
if (current.conversions === 0 && baseline.conversions > 3) {
alerts.critical.push({
campaign: name,
type: 'TRACKING_ISSUE',
message: '0 conversions while previous period had ' + baseline.conversions.toFixed(0),
action: 'Check conversion tracking'
});
}
// Conversion drop critical
if (baseline.conversions >= CONFIG.MIN_CONVERSIONS) {
var convChange = (current.conversions - baseline.conversions) / baseline.conversions;
if (convChange <= CONFIG.ALERTS.CONVERSIONS_DROP_CRITICAL) {
alerts.critical.push({
campaign: name,
type: 'CONVERSION_CRASH',
message: 'Conversions dropped by ' + (convChange * 100).toFixed(0) + '%',
current: current.conversions.toFixed(0),
baseline: baseline.conversions.toFixed(0)
});
}
}
// WARNINGS
// Skip if insufficient data
if (baseline.impressions < CONFIG.MIN_IMPRESSIONS) {
return alerts;
}
// CPA spike
if (baseline.cpa > 0 && current.cpa > 0) {
var cpaChange = (current.cpa - baseline.cpa) / baseline.cpa;
if (cpaChange >= CONFIG.ALERTS.CPA_SPIKE) {
alerts.warnings.push({
campaign: name,
type: 'CPA_SPIKE',
message: 'CPA increased by ' + (cpaChange * 100).toFixed(0) + '%',
current: current.cpa.toFixed(2),
baseline: baseline.cpa.toFixed(2)
});
}
}
// ROAS drop
if (baseline.roas > 0 && current.roas > 0) {
var roasChange = (current.roas - baseline.roas) / baseline.roas;
if (roasChange <= CONFIG.ALERTS.ROAS_DROP) {
alerts.warnings.push({
campaign: name,
type: 'ROAS_DROP',
message: 'ROAS dropped by ' + (Math.abs(roasChange) * 100).toFixed(0) + '%',
current: (current.roas * 100).toFixed(0) + '%',
baseline: (baseline.roas * 100).toFixed(0) + '%'
});
}
}
// CTR drop
if (baseline.ctr > 0) {
var ctrChange = (current.ctr - baseline.ctr) / baseline.ctr;
if (ctrChange <= CONFIG.ALERTS.CTR_DROP) {
alerts.warnings.push({
campaign: name,
type: 'CTR_DROP',
message: 'CTR dropped by ' + (Math.abs(ctrChange) * 100).toFixed(0) + '%',
current: (current.ctr * 100).toFixed(2) + '%',
baseline: (baseline.ctr * 100).toFixed(2) + '%'
});
}
}
// Impressions drop
var impChange = (current.impressions - baseline.impressions) / baseline.impressions;
if (impChange <= CONFIG.ALERTS.IMPRESSIONS_DROP) {
alerts.warnings.push({
campaign: name,
type: 'IMPRESSIONS_DROP',
message: 'Impressions dropped by ' + (Math.abs(impChange) * 100).toFixed(0) + '%',
current: current.impressions,
baseline: baseline.impressions
});
}
return alerts;
}
function sendAlertEmail(report) {
var subject = '[ALERT] Performance Issues - ' + AdsApp.currentAccount().getName();
if (report.critical.length > 0) {
subject = '[CRITICAL] ' + subject;
}
var body = 'Google Ads Performance Alert Report\n';
body += '====================================\n';
body += 'Generated: ' + new Date().toLocaleString() + '\n\n';
body += 'SUMMARY:\n';
body += '- Campaigns analyzed: ' + report.summary.campaignsAnalyzed + '\n';
body += '- Critical alerts: ' + report.summary.criticalAlerts + '\n';
body += '- Warnings: ' + report.summary.warnings + '\n\n';
if (report.critical.length > 0) {
body += 'CRITICAL ALERTS (Immediate Action Required):\n';
body += '─────────────────────────────────────────────\n';
for (var i = 0; i < report.critical.length; i++) {
var alert = report.critical[i];
body += '- ' + alert.campaign + '\n';
body += ' Issue: ' + alert.message + '\n';
if (alert.current) body += ' Current: ' + alert.current + '\n';
if (alert.baseline) body += ' Baseline: ' + alert.baseline + '\n';
if (alert.action) body += ' Action: ' + alert.action + '\n';
body += '\n';
}
}
if (report.warnings.length > 0) {
body += 'WARNINGS:\n';
body += '─────────\n';
for (var j = 0; j < report.warnings.length; j++) {
var warning = report.warnings[j];
body += '- ' + warning.campaign + '\n';
body += ' ' + warning.message + '\n';
body += ' Current: ' + warning.current + ' | Baseline: ' + warning.baseline + '\n\n';
}
}
body += '\n---\nGenerated by Performance Troubleshoot Alert System';
body += '\nRecommendation: Review campaigns in Google Ads UI for full diagnosis.';
MailApp.sendEmail(CONFIG.EMAIL, subject, body);
}
```SHA-256: 4aef8a0b9755f95c6411327228c870b298fd7b37d0562def8c6c536f66498ddf