Immediate Steps After Ad Submission

Step 1: Ad Review Process

1. After submitting your ad, Google will review it to ensure compliance with their advertising policies.
2. The review process typically takes 1-2 business days, but can be longer for certain industries or content types. Source
3. During this time, your ad's status will show as "Under review" in your Google Ads account.

Step 2: Ad Approval

1. If your ad meets Google's advertising policies, it will be approved and eligible to run.
2. You will receive a notification in your Google Ads account and via email once your ad is approved.
3. Approved ads can typically start running within 24 hours, but the exact timing depends on your targeting and budget settings.

Step 3: Ad Auction

1. When your ad is eligible to appear for a search query, it enters the ad auction.
2. Ad Rank is calculated based on your bid amount, ad relevance, and landing page experience. The formula is:

   Ad Rank = Bid Amount × Quality Score

   where Quality Score is a metric from 1-10 reflecting ad relevance and landing page experience. Source
3. For example, if your bid is $2 and Quality Score is 8, your Ad Rank would be 16. Higher Ad Rank means better ad positioning.
4. After submission and approval, most ads are eligible to compete in auctions within 1 day, but it can take up to 3 days in some cases.

Step 4: Reporting Delays

1. Once your ads start receiving impressions and clicks, this activity is recorded in your Google Ads reports.
2. However, reporting data is not real-time. Most metrics have a 3-hour delay, while view-through conversions and multi-channel funnels have a longer lag. Detailed Discussion
3. For example, if your ad receives a click at 2pm, that click may not show up in your reports until after 5pm the same day.
4. Keep this delay in mind when evaluating initial ad performance to avoid making premature decisions.

Common Reasons for Delays

Extended Ad Review

• Certain sensitive content categories (such as political ads) and regulated industries (like financial services) may require a more extensive review process. Source
• In these cases, ad approval can take several days or even longer.
• The review time depends on the specific content and context of your ad. Providing additional documentation or information can help expedite the process.

Ad Policy Violations

• If your ad violates any Google Ads policies, it will be disapproved.
• Common violations include prohibited content, unclear relevance to keywords, or unacceptable landing page experiences. Source
• If disapproved, you will need to revise the ad to comply with policies and resubmit it for review, which can add delays.

Initial Setup and Learning Phase

• When you first set up a new ad campaign, Google's machine learning algorithms go through an initial "learning" phase to optimize your ads.
• During this phase, the algorithms test different ad variations and collect performance data to determine optimal targeting and delivery.
• The learning phase can last up to 7 days, during which ad performance may be less stable and delays in ad serving are more likely.

When to Expect Your Google Ads to Appear

1. Typical Review Timelines

The time it takes for your Google Ads to appear depends on the complexity of your ads and your industry. According to Chatter Buzz Media Insights, the standard review process typically takes 1-2 business days. However, for more complex industries like healthcare or finance, the review may take up to 3 days.

2. Factors Impacting Ad Appearance

Several factors can impact how quickly your ads appear:

• Industry and content complexity: Ads in highly regulated industries or those with sensitive content may require additional review time.
• Ad quality and relevance: High-quality, relevant ads that align with Google's policies are more likely to be approved quickly.
• Budget and bid strategy: Your budget and bid settings can influence how often and when your ads appear. Higher bids and budgets generally lead to faster ad appearance.

3. Real-Time Reporting and Delays

While Google Ads provides real-time reporting, there may be slight delays in data aggregation. Typically, you can expect to see your ads' performance data within a few hours of them beginning to run. However, for certain metrics like conversions, the data may take up to 24 hours to appear in your reports.

Factors Extending Waiting Period

1. Market Competition

The competitiveness of your industry can significantly impact how quickly your ads appear. In highly competitive markets, it may take longer for your ads to gain visibility as they compete with established advertisers for ad space. Monitoring your ads' performance and adjusting bids and budgets accordingly can help improve their visibility.

2. Bidding Strategy and Budget Settings

Your bidding strategy and budget settings play a crucial role in determining when your ads appear. If your bids are too low or your budget is constrained, your ads may not appear as frequently or may take longer to start showing. Ensure your bids are competitive for your target keywords and that your daily budget is sufficient to allow for consistent ad appearance.

3. Optimization and Adjustments

Continuously optimizing your ads can help speed up their appearance and improve their performance. Key factors to consider include:

• Ad relevance: Ensure your ad copy and keywords are highly relevant to your target audience and landing pages.
• Landing page experience: Provide a seamless, relevant landing page experience to improve ad quality scores and performance.
• Bid adjustments: Regularly review and adjust your bids based on performance data to ensure your ads remain competitive.

Setting Realistic Expectations for Google Ads

1. Summary of Key Timelines

To recap, here are the key timelines to keep in mind when setting expectations for your Google Ads:

• Ad review process: 1-3 business days, depending on industry and complexity
• Ad appearance: Varies based on factors like industry competition, ad quality, and budget settings
• Reporting data: Real-time data with potential delays of a few hours to 24 hours for certain metrics

2. Tips for Reducing Wait Time

To minimize the time it takes for your ads to appear and start generating results, follow these best practices:

• Ensure compliance with Google Ads policies to avoid review delays or disapprovals
• Create high-quality, relevant ads and landing pages to improve ad rankings and performance
• Set competitive bids and allocate sufficient daily budgets to allow for consistent ad appearance
• Continuously monitor and optimize your campaigns based on performance data to improve ad visibility and results

By understanding the factors influencing ad appearance timelines and implementing these strategies, you can set realistic expectations for your Google Ads campaigns and work towards achieving your advertising goals more efficiently.