In Google Ads

Top 36+ Google Ads Errors and How to Fix Them

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google ads errors

A well-optimized Google Ads campaign might still run into unexpected errors. These errors can stop your ads from running, disrupt tracking, or affect billing and account access. While many advertisers see these errors inside their Google Ads dashboard, they’re often unsure what each error means or how to fix it correctly.

Understanding the exact cause of these errors and resolving them promptly is crucial to maintaining active Google Ads campaigns.

In this guide, we’ll cover the most common Google Ads errors, ranging from conversion tracking and tagging issues to billing, account access, and ad disapproval problems. This guide also talks about practical steps to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve each error.

By the end, you’ll have a complete reference to help you fix Google Ads errors confidently and maintain smooth campaign performance without unnecessary downtime.

Table of Contents

Conversion Tracking Errors

Below are a few common errors advertisers face associated with conversion tracking. These errors occur at the code-level and within the account. 

Important: Errors 1 through 12 refer to the old Google_trackConversion snippet. Google now recommends using the Google Tag (gtag.js) or GA4 Event Import. If you are using modern tags, skip to Error 13. We’ve kept these here for users who have inherited very old tracking implementations. 

1. Missing HTTP Response

When you encounter this error, it indicates that a conversion tracking code is present on your website, but the script failed to run. The reason for this is that the code is not properly set up.

How to Fix?

  • Google Ads recommends that you remove the existing code completely and try copying and pasting the code from your Google Ads account.

2. Code Outside of Body Tags

The error clearly states that the code is identified on the website, but is placed outside the <body> tag. 

To fix this, move the conversion tracking code inside the closing of the </body> tag.

3. Google_Conversion_ID Not Set & Google_Conversion_Label Not Set

This error is also associated with the code not being set up properly. To fix this, verify that the google_conversion_id and google_conversion_label in the conversion tracking script on your page match the google_conversion_id generated in your account.

4. Missing Closing Script Tag

This error likely occurs if there isn’t a closing </script> tag at the end of the conversion tracking code. The resolution is to add the </script> tag at the end of the snippet.

5. Google_Conversion_Value Not Set

If you see this error, ensure the google_conversion_value variable does not have invalid characters. 

  • Invalid: var google_conversion_value = ;
  • Valid: var google_conversion_value = 0;

6. Improper Spacing or Line Breaks

Invalid spacing or line breaks in the code violate JavaScript syntax and prevent the code from executing. To fix this, remove the current snippet from your website and copy a new one from your Google Ads account and paste it into your store.

7. Using Secure Code on a Non-Secure Page or Using Non-Secure Code on a Secure Page

This error indicates that a security protocol, such as HTTP or HTTPS, present in the conversion tracking script doesn’t match the security protocol of the page containing the script. This simply means that your webpage and your Google Ads tracking script are using different types of URLs:

Your page might load with HTTPS, but your tracking script might be written to load with HTTP (non-secure).

8. Pixel-only Implementation

This error indicates that your code is only using the code with the <img> part and missed the main part of the code, which is in the <script> tag. 

Ensure you use the complete conversion tracking snippet instead of just the <img> tag.

9. Missing CDATA Comments

Your conversion tracking snippet must contain CDATA comments; ensure they are present in the code.

Similar to this:

<script type=”text/javascript”>

   /* <![CDATA[ */

  var google_conversion_id = 123456789;

  var google_conversion_language = “en”;

  var google_conversion_format = “2”;

  var google_conversion_color = “ffffff”;

  var google_conversion_label = “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA”;

  var google_conversion_value = 0;

  /* ]]> */

  </script>

10. Incorrect Script Attribute

This error means the script attribute is not defined properly in the snippet. Ensure your code has the script attributes defined properly and is the same as the code generated in your Google Ads account.

11. Incorrect Formatting for Dynamic Conversion

This error means the variable google_conversion_value should only contain numerical values and decimals.

It cannot contain a currency prefix or a comma.

12. URL Encoding Error

This error indicates that there are invalid characters in the URL(the request).

Here’s an example of a URL with invalid characters:

http://googleads.g.doubleclick.net/pagead/viewthroughconversion/123456789/?value=0&label=AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA&guid=ON&script=0

Notice the ‘amp;’ characters in the URL; these are considered invalid.

In regions like the EU and UK, Google Ads tags may not fire if consent isn’t granted via a cookie banner.

To fix it, 

  • Implement consent mode v2.
  • Ensure your cookie collects and passes consent signals. 
  • Refer to Google’s official guide on Consent Mode setup to configure it properly.

14. Duplicate Conversion Tracking

This error occurs when the same conversion tag is installed more than once. For example, via Google Tag Manager and installed manually on the website’s HTML.

To fix this:

  • Use Google Tag Assistant to see all tags firing on the conversion page.
  • Identify duplicate tags by checking if the same conversion_id and conversion_label are firing multiple times.
  • Delete the manually installed tag or the GTM tag, depending on your implementation strategy.

15. Missing GCLID Parameter

This issue occurs when the GCLID parameter is missing from the landing page URL.

To fix it: 

  • Enable auto-tagging in your Google Ads account. Go to ‘Admin’ >> Account settings >> click on Auto-tagging dropdown >> check the box next to ‘Tag the URL that people click through from my ad.’ and save the changes.
  • If your site uses redirects, configure your server (or CMS) to preserve query parameters.
  • Use Google Tag Assistant and additionally test the landing page to verify that the GCLID is present.

16. Cross-Domain Tracking Missing or Misconfigured

This error occurs when a user clicks a Google ad and lands on Domain A, but the conversion occurs in Domain B. When you don’t set up cross-domain tracking, the second domain treats the session as “new,” losing attribution to the original click and breaking conversion tracking.

To fix it:

  • First, verify the session. To do so, use Tag Assistant or GA4 DebugView to test and ensure session continuity.
  • Look for _gl or gclid parameters passing between domains.
  • Ensure both domains have the same GTM container or GA4 setup.
  • Add the field name and value in your GA4 Configuration tag in GTM (if you use GTM).

17. Conversion Action Not Assigned to Campaign

Even if a conversion action is set up and firing correctly, it won’t be used in reporting or smart bidding unless it’s actively included in the campaign’s conversion settings.

To fix it:

  • Update conversion goals by choosing the account-default goal settings, or you can assign them through campaign-specific goal settings. You can do so in your Google Ads account by navigating to the Campaigns section.

18. Event Not Marked as Conversion in GA4

This error indicates that you haven’t marked the event as a conversion. To fix this, you must mark the event as a conversion in GA4. Otherwise, the event won’t be recognised or imported into Google Ads, leading to missing conversion data.

To do so, go to Admin in your GA4 property >> Under “Data display,” click Events >> Find the event you want to track as a conversion in the “All events” list >> select “Mark as key event,” or toggle the “Mark as conversion.”

19. Wrong GTM Container or Unpublished Changes

This error occurs when the wrong GTM container ID is installed on the website. 

To fix it:

  • Verify the container ID, and it should match the container in your GTM workspace.
  • Check for unpublished changes in your GTM account.
  • Avoid using multiple containers.
  • Use GTM preview mode to validate which tags are firing and from which container.
Read more: 

How to set up conversion tracking for your Shopify store?
Common conversion tracking issues

Stop Losing Valuable Conversions

to Tracking Errors

 

Install Google Tag tracking without editing any theme files.

Eliminate duplicate conversions and missing values instantly.

Rely on auto-updated code aligned with Google’s changes.

Billing & Payment Issues

There are several common errors associated with billing and payment issues in Google Ads. Most of these issues lead to declined payments and account suspensions.

Let’s look at all of them:

Note: You cannot run Google Ads until your payments go through the entire process. 

20. Declined Payments

20.1 Declined credit card/debit card or bank account payments

This error occurs when your credit/debit card has been declined. You can find that your credit card has been declined in your Google Ads account in your Billing Summary. You will find the following information:

  • Date of the declined payment. 
  • Amount of the declined payment. 
  • Reason for the decline (if available). 

Google requires you to contact your credit card company if you find no reason for the decline of your credit card.

Note: Google doesn’t decline your payments or cards; your bank or credit card company is responsible for this.

How to resolve?

  1. Firstly, contact your credit card company or bank and get the issue fixed.
  2. Once the issue is resolved, Google provides you with several options to pay your overdue balance.
  3. To avoid such problems, add a backup payment option so that you can run ads smoothly without any interruption.

20.2 Declined payments for monthly invoicing accounts

This error occurs when you shift from automatic paymeet settings to monthly invoicing and haven’t paid an outstanding balance.

To resolve this issue, pay your outstanding balance and talk to your credit card company or bank. When the issue is resolved, pay your outstanding balance and start running your ads again.

Here’s how to pay your outstanding balance:

  • In your Google Ads account >> click Billing Icon >> click Billing transfers >> click the invoice setup >> click Summary >> and click Make a payment.

20.3 Check card information

This error is part of declined payments and occurs when the information provided in the Google Ads account and the bank account varies. 

For example, information such as name, billing address, or ZIP/Post code entered in the Google Ads billing profile does not exactly match the information the card-issuing bank has.

To fix this issue, one must verify that the details are accurate and identical in their account as well as the data held by their bank.

Apart from these, there are the most common declined payment reasons, ranging from insufficient funds to the bank not supporting strong customer authorization. Visit Google’s official doc on declined payment reasons for more information.

21. Pre-Payment Verification Hold

This is a specific issue for users who utilize the manual payment setting. This error occurs when the payment is initially accepted, but funds are not immediately available, and the account shows a status like “Transaction Pending” or the ads remain paused.

To avoid this error, wait for the funds to clear (usually 24 hours for cards, longer for bank transfers). For a new account, avoid zeroing out the balance entirely. Make the next manual payment before the current funds are exhausted.

22. Reached Internal Account Spend Limit

This error affects newer or smaller accounts, regardless of the bank’s ability to pay. To fix this error, run the account successfully for a few weeks with low, consistent spending to build trust. 

Once the account is verified and has a payment history, Google automatically raises or removes this invisible limit.

23. Billing & Payment Account Suspension

Your account may be suspended due to billing and payment issues, which are:

  • Unpaid balance or concerns about future payments: This suggests that if you do have an unpaid balance or if Google believes you’re incapable of making payments in the future based on your payment history, your account may be suspended.
  • Suspicious payment activity: Google suspends or restricts your account if it detects any suspicious or unauthorized payment activity in your account.
  • Requesting a chargeback: If Google finds out you requested a chargeback from your credit card company or bank after paying to a legitimate Google Ads balance, Google may suspend your account.
  • Promotional code abuse: Google may suspend your account if you try to sell promotional codes or use more than one promotional code on a single account.

How to Fix Account Suspensions due to Billing and Payment Issues?

If your account is suspended and you feel it was a mistake, you may appeal their decision.

As part of the account suspension appeal review, Google might ask you for some information to verify your payment method within 30 days. It might ask for your legal name, address, government ID, image of your payment method, and more information to verify your payment method. 

Additionally, Google might ask you to make a payment, upload relevant documents, and verify your payment method in your Google Ads account. 

For more information on the appeal process, refer to Google’s official document on account suspension appeals.

Tagging and Implementation Errors

Before tracking down errors and starting to resolve them. We recommend you do the following checks to rectify errors and resolve them properly:

Note: You may see some tagging-related issues mentioned earlier under “Conversion Tracking Errors.” Those refer to conversion-specific tag failures (like missing IDs, code placement, or incorrect formatting).

This section, however, focuses on broader tagging and implementation issues such as GTM publishing, triggers, sequencing, redirects, and sitewide tagging problems.

We separated these to prevent mixing conversion-specific errors with general tag implementation problems.

Checklist

  • Check if Auto-tagging is enabled in your Google Ads account. This is a must to accurately track conversions. How? In your Google Ads account >> go to ‘Admin’ >> Account settings >> click on Auto-tagging dropdown >> check the box next to ‘Tag the URL that people click through from my ad’ and save the changes.
  • Check if all your pages on the website have a sitewide tag. You can verify this using the Google Tag Assistant extension.
  • If you’re using Google Tag Manager, enable conversion linker. You can do so using your GTM container.
  • If you have any old tags, consider removing them to prevent double-counting.
  • Check if you have multiple Google Tag containers installed on the same page; if so, remove them.
  • Ensure you’re using the full JavaScript code on your website and not just the <img> alone.
  • Check if cookies are available on your site before customers get to conversion pages. You can do so with the help of your developer team.
  • Google advises you not to implement tags within iframes. Ensure your tags are outside iframes. 
  • If the domain corresponding to the conversion page and your ad’s landing page are different, you must implement cross-domain tracking. Visit this link for more information on this.

24. GTM Container Not Published

This is a common error displayed as Tag Inactive” or “No Recent Conversions” in your Google Ads account. It occurs when you create a Google Analytics conversion tag and forget to hit ‘publish.’

The fix is to go to GTM and publish the workspace changes to make the new tag live.

25. GTM Tag Firing on Incorrect Trigger / Incorrectly Sequenced

This happens when the tag is firing too late, too early, or not at all, and you will see the status in the conversion table as ‘unverified’ or ‘Tag inactive.’

To fix this error, use GTM’s Preview Mode to verify the tag fires at the precise moment the conversion is completed and ensure the base Google Tag fires first via sequencing.

26. GCLID Removed by Website Redirects

When this happens, you will see errors like ‘No recent conversions.’

This error occurs when a user clicks an ad, lands on a URL with the GCLID, but the page immediately redirects to a clean URL before the Google Tag or Conversion Linker can execute. The GCLID is dropped in the process.

To fix this, reduce unnecessary redirects, especially on landing pages.

27. Unverified/Tag Inactive Conversions

Suppose you see that your conversions display a status of ‘unverified’ or ‘tag inactive.’ This error likely arises if the conversion tracking is not set up properly.

How to Fix Tagging Issues?

Using Tag Assistant

You can use the Google Tag Assistant to verify conversion actions on your website. It is a Chrome extension that you can integrate into Google Ads and directly launch from your account.

Connect it to your website and test the conversion actions from your website. Post this, close the tool and check the conversion actions status.

Here’s how to test conversion actions using Google Tag Assistant:

In your Google Ads account >> go to Goals >> Conversions >> Click Summary >> Click View all conversion actions >> Check Tracking Status column >> Click Troubleshoot > Click Get started to open Tag Assistant window >>Enter web page URL >> Click Connect >> Trigger conversion actions >> Click Finish.

view conversion actions in google ads
install tag assistant
enter website URL

Tag Assistant will show the results of all conversion actions you have tested, along with some additional information.

Once you have closed Tag Assistant, the conversion actions table will refresh. Verified conversion actions will appear as “no recent conversions”. When the web page receives conversions, the status will change to “Recording”.

If you’re facing issues with conversion actions not being recorded or the data is inaccurate, ensure your conversion tracking tag is implemented correctly.

Using Tag Diagnostics

You can also get a detailed report of a conversion action status categorized as excellent, good, needs attention, and urgent. The status includes the errors identified and a step-by-step process to resolve them. You can use the tag diagnostics tool in the Google Tag section in Google Ads, Google Analytics, and Google Tag Manager.

tag diagnostics

Source – MeasureSchool

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Account and Login Errors

28. Google Ads Login Common Errors

There are a number of Google Ads Login issues. Below, we have listed common errors along with their resolutions.

28.1 You don’t remember your username or email address.

For this issue, visit the account recovery page. Enter your email address, and Google will send you an email with steps to recover your account.

28.2 You don’t remember the password

Visit the password assistance page from Google, enter your email address/phone number, and click submit. On the next page, you will be prompted to answer a few questions regarding the issue you’re facing, and Google provides you with several options to reset your password.

28.3 You remember the username and password, but can’t sign in

The problem for this particular issue might arise from various occasions, such as when you have recently set up an account, enabled 2-step verification, migrated Google Ads data, deleted a product, and more.

The resolution steps for each differ depending on the issue you’re facing. Google outlines all the possible causes along with the resolution steps in their official doc. We recommend you follow the steps in this article to resolve the issue.

28.4 You think someone else is using your account

First step is to go to the account recovery page and enter your Google Account email address to reset your password. Then, complete the CAPTCHA verification and select a preferred method to regain access to your account.

After successfully resetting your password, we strongly recommend that you take the following actions:

  • If you use Gmail, review your filters and forwarding settings to ensure your emails aren’t being sent to an unknown address.
  • Add additional recovery options to make it easier to regain access in the future. Enable 2-step verification for enhanced account security.

28.5 The previous owner has left the company

If you’re unable to sign in to Google Ads because your previous owner has left the company, fill out the lost account form on Google. Answer some questions related to the account to verify you’re the current owner.

28.6 Invalid Email/Username and Password do not match

You might see this error if you made a mistake while typing out your username or email address. You might accidentally capitalize or add additional spaces or misspell the word.

To fix it, check your email address, username, and password and ensure they are correct.

28.7 We are unable to process this request at the moment

If you see this error:

  • Try disabling the first-party and third-party cookies.
  • Clear cache.
  • Disable Internet security programs like Norton Internet Security or Zone Alarm.
  • Enable JavaScript.
  • Reset browser settings and log in from a different device.

28.8 Google Ads Account Deleted

If you have accidentally deleted your Google Ads account or it got deleted due to inactivity( for over a 2-year period), you can still recover it.

There are a few steps involved where Google asks you a few questions to verify it’s your account, and the following guide helps you troubleshoot this issue in various possible ways.

These include:

  • Account recovery
  • Creating a replacement Google account

Apart from these errors, ‘Google Ads account invalid’, an error message with random letters or characters, or a ‘Google Ads account disabled’ are some of the issues you will face when trying to log in to a Google Ads account. 

29. Account-level Google Ads Errors

29.1 No Access to the Linked Google Ads Accounts

You will likely see this error in your GMC account if it is configured as an advanced account or your Google Ads account is set up as a My Client Center (MCC).

To resolve this, you should add yourself as a standard user. 

  • To do so, sign in to your Google Ads account >> click Settings >> under “Account”, click Access and security >> Click the plus button and enter your email address and select the “Standard” access level for your invitee >> Click Send invitation.
admin in google ads account
enter email address

You’ll receive a confirmation email. To accept the invitation, click the appropriate link in the email and complete the steps that follow.

After accepting the invitation, you’ll receive a notification in your account.

29.2 No edit access to any linked Google Ads account

The solution to this specific error is to contact your Google Ads administrator to get access.

29.3 Missing 2-step verification for your account

This issue arises when your Google Ads account requires 2-step verification. Here’s how to do it:

  • In your Google Ads account >> Within the admin menu, go to Access and security page>> select Security tab >> Under the verification during sign-in section >> click 2-step verification drop-down>> click Turn on.
access and security in google ads

When you enable this, you will get a code via 

  • Call 
  • Google Authenticator app 
  • Google prompt on a compatible mobile device 
  • Security key
  • or text message (SMS) 

Of all these options, Google recommends that you use the Google Authenticator App.

29.4 Unable to view ad campaign information within a multi-client account

This error indicates that Google Ads campaign information cannot be displayed in a multi-client account. It is shown only with the sub-account that is running the ad.

29.5 Google Ads Account Not Connected Error

A Google Ads account that is not connected is an error you will encounter in your Google Ads account. It occurs when your Google Ads account loses its connection with Google products like Google Analytics, Google Merchant Center, or Google Tag Manager.

Note: The error slightly differs when it is shown in various platforms like GMC, GA4, etc. For example, in your GMC account, the error is worded as ‘No Google Ads Account Linked’, which indicates your GMC account and Google Ads are not connected.

Google Ads disapproves of ads or might suspend your account primarily due to policy violations. These policy violations can range from exceeding the character limit to advertising prohibited content. Let’s look at these errors that cause disapproval/suspensions.

In addition to this, Google Ads policies are broadly classified into 4 types:

  • Prohibited content
  • Prohibited practices
  • Restricted content and features
  • Editorial and technical

Head over to this article on Google Ads policies and guidelines to learn more about their policies.

Note: If your ads violate Google Ads policies, you might see that your ads are disapproved. If you are found violating the Google Ads policies repeatedly, your account will be suspended. In some cases, if you violate egregious policies (for example, circumventing systems), your account is suspended without any prior warning. Learn more about Google Ads account suspensions.

30. Errors Violating Editorial & Technical Policy 

  • Character Limit Violations: Character limit violations in Google Ads are considered policy violations and lead to ad disapproval. Google Ads has strict character limits for ad copy. The prescribed character limits for the headline are 30 characters, and for the description, they are 90. If your ads exceed this limit, they will not be published and show an error like ‘Line too wide’ or ‘too long’ in your Google Ads account.
  • Spelling or Grammatical errors: If an ad in Google Ads has any errors in spelling or grammar, it will be declined.
  • Capitalization: If you do not capitalize the first letter of proper nouns, capitalizing non-proper nouns, or using random capitalization might lead to these errors. To fix this, capitalize only when needed, for example, when starting a sentence or denoting proper nouns in your ads.
  • Unsupported Language: Google disapproves of your ad if you use unsupported language in your ads. To resolve this, know the languages Google supports, and translate your ads.
  • Repetition: Using the same word or phrase excessively in the ad copy.

Important: Google’s documentation suggests that editorial issues like formatting or misspelled words alone do not lead to an account suspension for repeated violations. Ad disapprovals are a direct result, but they are not treated with the same severity as policy violations, such as “Prohibited Practices,” in terms of account suspension risk.

31. Errors Violating Prohibited Content

Important: You cannot advertise the products/services listed under this policy. If you do, you might face a few errors, such as:

  • Malicious software/Malware: Ads or landing pages that contain viruses, ransomware, or other malicious code.
  • Hacking/Academic Cheating Services: This error indicates you’re promoting products/services like hacking software, fake documents (IDs, passports), or academic cheating services (essay writing services for school).
  • Inappropriate Content: This error occurs when ads or landing pages display graphic violence, profanity, hate group paraphernalia, or content that promotes discrimination.
  • Counterfeit Goods: Promoting products that mimic the brand features of another company.

32. Errors Violating Prohibited Practices

  • Circumventing Systems: This error indicates that a merchant is trying to create new accounts to bypass suspension.
    • Important: This error is a serious violation, and your account will be suspended immediately.
  • Misleading/False Claims: False claims, unclear billing models, or bait-and-switch tactics where the ad promises one thing, and the landing page delivers another.

Note: Irresponsible data collection and multiple account violations are a few more errors that fall under this category and often lead to account suspension.

33. Errors Violating Restricted Content

The restricted content policy refers to content you are allowed to promote, but with certain limitations. Issues that are associated with this policy violation will be flagged as ‘Eligible (limited).’

  • Alcohol/Gambling: While Google allows you to promote products/services related to alcohol/gambling, it imposes certain restrictions, such as age, location, or certification requirements. If Google finds you’re violating this policy, Google displays an error similar to ‘Advertising Alcohol/Gambling.’
  • Healthcare/Prescription Drugs: Advertising pharmaceuticals or certain medical devices without the required Google certification, which varies by country.
  • Political Content: Promoting political candidates, parties, or issues without completing the mandatory Advertiser Verification process.
  • Usage of Unauthorized Trademark: Using a trademarked term in your ad copy (not URL) that is not your own, and for which the trademark owner has filed a complaint against your account.

Poor image quality, punctuation and symbols, non-standard spacing, and duplicate content are also common errors in Google Ads that can lead to ad disapprovals.

How to Fix Ad Disapproval/Account Suspension in Google Ads?

To fix the ad disapproval error in Google Ads, there’s a systematic process:

  • Firstly, identify the root cause of the errors. To do so, go to Campaigns >> Ads or Ad groups >> In the “Status” column, hover over the “Not eligible” status for more information >> select the specific error shown to know more information about the policy.
  • After identifying the error, make changes to your ads depending on the type of policy violation. If it is a destination mismatch error, you should consider making changes to your ad or landing page. Here’s how to make changes to your ad: Go to Campaigns >> Ads >> Hover over the ad or asset and select Edit >> Edit the ad to comply with the policy. Select Save to resubmit for review.
  • After fixing your ad, resubmit it for review. Google will review your ad again and update the status.
ad groups status

If you believe the disapproval/account suspension was an incorrect decision, you can appeal it in 2 ways. Here’s how:

  1. Go to Tools >> Troubleshooting >> Policy manager >> Click Policy issues tab >> select Appeal >> Under “Reason for appealing,” select Dispute decision or Made changes to comply with policy >> Select Submit.
  2. Go to Campaigns >> Ads >> select disapproved ad >> select Edit >> select Appeal policy decision >> Under “Reason for appealing,” select Dispute decision or Made changes to comply with policy >> Select Submit.
enter details

Important: Google allows you to appeal an ad 3 times. If you exceed the limit and your ad is not approved, you will have to contact customer support. Ensure you are submitting an appeal within a 24-hour time frame to prevent Google from marking your appeal as a duplicate.

Invalid Clicks

34. Invalid Clicks

Invalid clicks in Google Ads refer to clicks recorded in ads that are not a result of genuine user interest. These clicks could include fraudulent traffic, accidental or duplicate clicks, or clicks generated by automated tools.

Note: Google automatically filters invalid clicks even before they enter your account. However, few clicks are so similar to regular clicks that they evade Google’s auto-detection systems. In those cases, you should jump in to track them down, request a refund if Google charged you for invalid clicks, and avoid them at any cost.

How to Identify Invalid Clicks?

You can identify invalid clicks using Google Ads reports. To access reports, go to Insights & reports >> select Report editor to analyze metrics such as CTR and conversions.

A few ways you can identify invalid clicks are:

  • High CTR with low conversions
  • Multiple clicks from the same IP address in a short period of time
  • Spike in clicks during off-hours
  • Check bounce rate, session duration

When you analyze the metrics mentioned above, you will be in a position to confirm that the clicks are invalid.

How to fix Invalid Clicks?

  1. Check your web server logs to locate the IP address associated with suspicious activity and block it in your Google Ads account.
  2. Block IP addresses directly in your Google Ads account. Go to campaigns >> select a campaign >> click on its settings>> scroll down to find the IP exclusions section and manually enter the IP address.
  3. Enable the auto-tagging feature.
  4. Ensure to review your Google Ads account to find the root cause of the increase in clicks and impressions.
  5. Check the search terms report.

There are various other steps you can follow to avoid invalid clicks. For more information, we have curated a detailed guide on how to handle invalid clicks in your Google Ads account. Do check it out to get rid of invalid clicks. 

[BONUS SECTION]: Other Relevant Google Ads Errors

Note: The errors in this bonus section are more advanced and depend on how your site, SDK, or API is set up. Because every setup is different, we’ve listed these errors for awareness only. We recommend checking Google’s developer documentation for exact fixes.

35. Google Ads API Errors

google.rpc.ErrorInfo, google.auth.exceptions.RefreshError, AdError, AdGroupAdError, AdGroupCriterionError, AdGroupError, AssetError, AuthenticationError, AuthorizationError, BiddingError, CampaignBudgetError, CampaignError, CriterionError, Distinct Error, Internal Error, InvalidGrantError, MutateError, NotEmptyError, QuotaError, RangeError, RequestError, and ResourceCountLimitExceededError are common errors one might encounter when using the Google Ads API.

For detailed information on errors that fall under each category, along with resolution and prevention tips, go through this Google Ads API errors article by Google.

36. Google Ads SDK Errors

Error codes displayed on Android

  • ERROR_CODE_INTERNAL_ERROR
  • ERROR_CODE_INVALID_REQUEST
  • ERROR_CODE_NETWORK_ERROR
  • ERROR_CODE_NO_FILL

Error codes on iOS

  • GADErrorServerError
  • GADErrorInvalidRequest
  • GADErrorNetworkError
  • GADErrorNoFill

For more detailed information about these errors and resolution steps, visit this official Google document on Google Ads SDK Errors.

Line Item Not Delivering (Google Ad Manager):

If you’re using Google Ad Manager (publisher side) rather than Google Ads, you might see “Line item not delivering” or “Ready but not serving” errors. These relate to ad-serving configurations (not Google Ads account issues) and typically occur due to missing creatives, restrictive targeting, or conflicting priorities.

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Conclusion

Running Google Ads successfully requires more than just setting up campaigns — it means being able to identify, interpret, and fix errors as soon as they appear. Whether it’s a conversion tracking tag that isn’t firing, a declined payment that pauses your ads, or a policy disapproval that prevents ad delivery, understanding these issues allows you to maintain uninterrupted campaign performance.

Key Takeaways

  • Most Google Ads errors are fixable once you identify their cause, from tracking tag misplacements to billing verification issues.
  • Always rely on Google’s diagnostic tools, such as Tag Assistant, Tag Diagnostics, and the Policy Manager, to pinpoint and verify problems.
  • Billing and account access errors can temporarily suspend ads, so ensure your payment methods, 2-step verification, and account permissions are up to date.
  • Ad disapprovals usually relate to policy violations. Reviewing the “Disapproved” status details and appealing within Google’s system can restore your ads quickly.
  • Prevent errors proactively by keeping your website’s code, tags, and payment information accurate and aligned with Google’s most recent guidelines.

FAQs

What are the most common Google Ads errors advertisers encounter?

Common Google Ads errors include conversion tracking not properly set up, policy violations, inadequate campaign management, and incorrect targeting.

Why was my Google ad disapproved?

Your ad may be disapproved if it violates Google Ads’ policies. These policies include prohibited content, misleading claims, destination mismatch, and policy violations related to capitalisation and punctuation. 

How can I fix a disapproved ad in Google Ads?

To fix a disapproved ad, visit the Policy Manager in your Google Ads account. Identify the reason for disapproval and edit your ad accordingly to address the violation. You can also appeal Google’s decision if you believe they made a mistake in disapproving of your ad.

What does the “Destination not working” error mean in Google Ads?

“Destination not working” in Google Ads means that there is an error in the landing page URL, and Google is unable to access it. To fix it, ensure the URL is correct and that it works properly when a user visits the link.

Why is my Google ad not showing even though it’s approved?

Your approved Google ad may not be showing due to factors like a new account, payment issues, low bids, insufficient budget, or specific ad/keyword issues.

What causes the “limited by budget” warning in Google Ads?

The “Limited by budget” warning in Google Ads means your daily budget is too low to capture all the potential traffic your campaign could be eligible for

How do I resolve keyword conflicts within my Google Ads campaigns?

To resolve keyword conflicts, use the “Recommendations” feature in Google Ads to identify and remove conflicting negative keywords, manually edit or remove keywords in your account, and avoid mixing different match types within the same ad group.

What should I do if my Google Ads payment fails?

If your payment method fails, contact your bank or credit card company to see if there’s an issue.

Why did Google flag my site for “malicious software”?

This issue occurs when Google detects potentially harmful code or content, which may be the result of a hack, malware, or suspicious links.

How can I appeal a disapproved ad or a policy violation decision?

You can appeal in two ways: One way is to go to the Policy Manager in your Google Ads account, select multiple ads from the Assets page, and use the Edit menu. The second way is to locate your ads, hover over their status, and click ‘Appeal’.

Author

Shanthi has over 2 years of experience in writing and has produced content for SaaS and Healthcare industries. She focuses on writing customer-centric and in-depth blogs for Shopify Merchants. Apart from writing, she enjoys a little dance and Netflix.

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