Google Ads to pause inactive Ad Groups starting March 11

Google Ads last month announced a major change that will automatically pause ad groups with no impressions in the past 13 months. This change begins on March 11, 2024, and will roll out to all accounts by April 30, 2024.

What This Means for Advertisers

• Automatic Pausing: Ad groups created at least 13 months ago that haven't generated any impressions in the last 13 months will be paused.
• Reviving Ad Groups: You can still unpause paused ad groups, but Google recommends only doing so if you expect them to get impressions soon.
• Staying Active: Unpaused ad groups without impressions in the following 3 months will be automatically paused again.

Why the Change?

Google states this is designed to improve campaign efficiency and help advertisers focus on active, high-potential ad groups.

What You Need to Do

• Review Ad Groups: Before March 11, check your Google Ads account for older ad groups that may be affected. If they're still valuable, make updates if necessary.
• Optional: Adjust Your Systems: Google Ads API developers can update their systems to better track why ad groups change to the "PAUSED" status.

Important Note: Even while paused, you can still edit and make changes to your ad groups.