Rejected Keywords on Google Ads: Advanced Strategies from a Professional Consultant

When it comes to online advertising campaigns, Google Ads is an essential platform for generating qualified leads and maximizing return on investment (ROI).

However, even the most experienced Google Ads consultants encounter unexpected challenges, including the rejection of certain high-performing keywords. These obstacles, often caused by platform errors or algorithmic restrictions, require expertise and a strategic approach to overcome.

In this article, we'll explore a complex situation encountered by many advertisers: the refusal of keywords by Google Ads due to "Non-functional destination".

We'll describe how a Google Ads consultant can identify, solve and optimize this type of problem to maintain campaign performance.

Keyword rejection can occur for a number of reasons, but in the case of "Destination not functional", the diagnosis can be particularly frustrating. Here are the most common causes behind this type of problem:

• Incorrect or inaccessible URLs: Google's spiders can't access your landing pages.
• Technical problems: A missing SSL certificate, excessive redirects or slow pages can lead to refusal.
• Errors in Google Ads policy validation: Algorithmic errors or strict interpretation of Google policies can block your ads.

A Google Ads consultant begins by examining the following points:

• Check destination URLs to ensure they work correctly on all devices.
• Testing page speed and accessibility with tools like PageSpeed Insights.
• Review of error messages in the Google Ads interface.

The situation

For one customer, I was seeing his best-performing keywords, responsible for the majority of his qualified leads, systematically rejected by Google Ads on the grounds of "Destination not functional". Despite thorough checks and several return visits with Google Ads support, no clear solution was provided.

Negative impacts 

• Loss of conversions: An immediate drop in campaign performance.
• Time wasted with support: standardized answers with no real resolution.
• Customer frustration: The feeling that the problem came from a lack of control over the platform.

Response from Google Ads support

The solution proposed by support doesn't make sense. An experienced Google Ads consultant knows that we cannot reactivate keywords that have already been used in an ad group.

If you manually add a paused or deleted keyword to the same ad group, Google Ads will reactivate the historical keyword, with its associated refusal.

I'll let you read the answer below:

After the Google Ads response, I had to find my own workaround:

a. Create dedicated campaigns

To get around the problem without wasting time, as an experienced Google Ads consultant I decided to create duplicate campaigns specifically dedicated to rejected keywords. This makes it possible to :

• Test whether the problem persists in a separate structure.
• Manage the performance of individual keywords without affecting the main campaigns.
   

b. Budget breakdown

A budget split has been set up:

• Part of the budget remains allocated to the main campaigns to maintain overall performance.
• The other part is dedicated to new campaigns containing the rejected keywords, enabling testing without excessive financial risk.

c. Landing page optimization

Although the initial pages appear to be functional, minor adjustments may be enough to solve certain problems:

• Improve loading speed.
• Simplify redirects or shorten URLs.
• Check for 404 errors or HTTPS conflicts.

d. Proactive collaboration with Google Ads

Google Ads consultants know that support can be limited. However, providing screenshots, technical logs and precise details can sometimes speed up resolution. In such cases, a stand-alone approach is still the most effective.

Once these solutions have been implemented :

• The new campaigns made it possible to validate the rejected keywords.
• Lost conversions were recovered, with a 15% improvement in the conversion rate on the campaigns concerned.
• The customer has regained confidence in the proactive management of his campaigns.

Google Ads challenges, such as keyword rejection, require in-depth expertise that only an experienced Google Ads consultant can provide. Here's why:

a. Technical expertise

A Google Ads consultant has in-depth knowledge of the platform's rules and algorithms, enabling him or her to diagnose problems quickly.

b. Advanced strategy

Instead of relying solely on Google support, a consultant develops tailor-made solutions to avoid prolonged downtime.

c. ROI optimization

Thanks to a strategic approach, a consultant maximizes the impact of campaigns while minimizing budget losses due to technical problems.

A good Google Ads consultant doesn't just solve problems, he anticipates risks. Here are some recommended practices to avoid keyword rejections:

• Regularly monitor your URLs with tools such as Google Search Console or Screaming Frog.
• Test your landing pages on mobile and desktop to make sure they're working properly.
• Set up alerts in Google Ads to quickly identify anomalies.
• Document each corrective action to save time in the event of a recurrence.

Managing Google Ads campaigns requires a balance between technical expertise, creativity and responsiveness. In an environment where algorithms are sometimes unpredictable, the intervention of a Google Ads consultant can make all the difference.

The situation described here illustrates the importance of mastering the intricacies of the platform and being ready to adopt innovative solutions to maintain performance. Whether you're a small company or a large organization, a competent consultant will be able to turn challenges into opportunities.

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