Starting June 10, 2024, Google will implement a new policy for managing low-activity keywords within Google Ads campaigns. Keywords that have not registered any impressions over the past 13 months will be automatically paused. This change is set to be fully rolled out to all production Google Ads accounts by August 2024.
Google Ads will automatically pause keywords in search ad campaigns that have shown no activity—defined as having zero impressions—over the preceding 13 months. This move is part of Google's ongoing efforts to streamline advertisers' accounts and ensure that focus is placed on keywords that generate meaningful results.
The primary goal of this update is to simplify account management for advertisers by removing clutter caused by inactive keywords. By focusing on active and performing keywords, advertisers can better optimize their campaigns and potentially improve their return on investment (ROI).
Advertisers retain the ability to unpause keywords if they deem them necessary for their campaigns. However, Google strongly advises that only those keywords that are expected to gain impressions in the near future should be reactivated. If an unpaused keyword remains inactive for another three months, it will be automatically paused again.
For developers using the Google Ads API, no immediate code changes are required. However, to maintain transparency regarding the status of keywords, developers can enhance their applications by incorporating checks for the ad_group_criterion.status field. This can help identify when keywords are automatically paused.
Google recommends querying the change history to monitor the status of keywords. Specifically, if the change_event.changed_fields contains "status," which indicates a keyword that Google has paused due to low activity. Moreover, with the release of version 17 of the Google Ads API, the ad_group_criterion.primary_status field can be utilized to determine if a keyword has been paused automatically. Keywords with this field set to "PAUSED" and ad_group_criterion.primary_status_reasons, including AD_GROUP_CRITERION_PAUSED_DUE_TO_LOW_ACTIVITY are those affected by this new policy.
Advertisers and developers can still make updates to paused keywords, ensuring their campaigns remain adaptable to changing needs. For any queries or support related to this update, Google provides assistance through the support form or via email at googleadsapi-support@google.com.
This update represents a significant step in enhancing the usability and efficiency of Google Ads. By automating the management of low-activity keywords, Google aims to help advertisers maintain cleaner, more effective accounts, ultimately driving better campaign performance.
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