"I've googled these keywords, and we're not appearing for any of them, what are we even paying for?"
Sound familiar? You've either sent or received that email.
Let's break down why the ads didn't appear for the search query:
- You're not actually targeting that keyword. Maybe it used to be in the campaign but doesn't convert so it doesn't meet the campaign objectives.
- It's a niche keyword with low search volume so Google rarely displays ads for it.
- Impression share is low (budget is limited, quality score issues due to poor keyword/ad copy/landing page synergy. Poor landing pages = poor user experience and your ads will be penalised.)
- The ads are on a schedule.
- Budget is limited.
- Geographically mismatched — you searched from a location your campaigns don't target. (VPNs also affect this.)
- Your keyword competitors have better websites — they've nailed quality score, mobile and desktop performance scores really high and users engage more on their website.
- The ad copy is bad. Check click through rate. What's a good CTR? It depends on the industry & location but assume if you're getting >10% on non-brand campaigns, you're doing okay.
Don't assume the worst. Review everything above, agree what is important to the business — conversions, or vanity metrics to appease someone? — and move forward.
And stop googling yourself.