The truth about Google Ads recommendations (and auto-apply)

Do you want to immediately raise the blood pressure of the Google Ads practitioner sitting next to you? Say one word: Recommendations.

If you’ve spent any time in the Google Ads platform, you’ve seen Recommendations jumping out at you on every screen: when you’re adding keywords, when you’re adjusting your campaign settings, when you’re changing your bid strategy, when you’re minding your own business! And we’ve all received that email from a client asking why their “Optimization Score” is falling.

In this article, I’ll explain what Recommendations actually are (and aren’t), where they come from, and how you should handle them.

Why does everyone hate Google Ads Recommendations?

First, let’s address the elephant in the room: Why do so many Google Ads practitioners dislike recommendations?

In my opinion, it’s a misalignment of understanding and expectations. While Recommendations are personalized for your account, they are not necessarily personalized for your business context and goals.

The Recommendations algorithm looks at your account data (keywords, bids, targeting, etc.) and identifies patterns where it thinks it can improve performance based on its own logic.

For example, if the system sees you are only using Exact and Phrase match keywords, it will likely flag a recommendation to “Test Broad Match.” It does this simply because the feature is available and you aren’t using it. It’s logical from a platform capability standpoint, but it might be terrible for your specific budget or niche.

To understand why this happens, it helps to know the history.

Recommendations actually started as an internal sales tool for Google Ads sales representatives. It was designed to help reps spot opportunities to provide support (and upsells) to clients. However, there was that “human filter” element to ensure that reps were only pitching relevant opportunities. Now that Recommendations surface automatically in every account, that human filter is gone.

Does Optimization Score actually matter in Google Ads?

One of the biggest sources of anxiety for business owners in Google Ads is the Optimization Score. It’s that 0%-100% number sitting prominently on your dashboard – and the one Google loves to highlight in its automated emails.

Many people treat this score like a report card. If they see a 60%, they panic, thinking their campaign is failing. This can lead to users blindly clicking “Apply All” just to get that number back up to 100%.

Do not do this.

Here is the secret that doesn’t need to be a secret: The optimization score is not a measure of how well your account is performing; it is a measure of whether you are reviewing your recommendations.

Don’t take my word for it – see for yourself! You do not have to accept a recommendation to increase your score. Dismissing a recommendation gives you the exact same score uplift as applying it. You can literally dismiss every single recommendation in the list and, like magic, you’ll have a 100% optimization score.

No, optimization score doesn’t really matter. Keep it at 100% if it makes you feel good, or if you need to maintain Google Partner status. Otherwise, feel free to ignore it.

What is a Recommendation vs. an actual performance issue?

Recommendations aren’t just confined to the Recommendations tab. Google has integrated them throughout the entire ad platform. You’ll see them when you are setting up a new account, adding keywords, adjusting bid strategies, or even just viewing your campaign overview.

It can be startling to see a warning symbol on your account, or even in your email inbox, so here’s what you need to know to distinguish a “friendly” recommendation from an actual performance issue in your account:

• Blue or Yellow Notifications: These are recommendations. They are the platform saying, “Hey, have you thought about trying this?” You can safely review these at your leisure and dismiss them if they don’t fit.
• Red or Purple Notifications: These are actual problems. If you see red, you potentially have a real issue, such as a billing failure or a disapproved ad.

Don’t let the blue and yellow icons scare you into making hasty, unnecessary changes. If you like the recommendation, accept it. If not, dismiss it.

Are Google Ads Recommendations just a money grab by Google?

When Google Ads practitioners complain that recommendations are just designed to make you spend more money, my response is: Yes, obviously.

Google is a for-profit company. They want you to spend more on Google Ads.

However, Google is smart enough to know that if you spend more money and get zero results, you will stop spending money. They need you to succeed so that you keep spending.

Therefore, not all recommendations are about spending more money. I split them into two categories:

1. Reach and Spend: Suggestions like changing your budget or adding broad match keywords. These are designed to cast a wider net, which usually results in higher spend.
2. ROI and Hygiene: Suggestions like fixing conversion tracking or adding a target to your bid strategy. These don’t necessarily increase ad spend, but they can potentially help you improve your return on investment.

Make sure you keep this setting off in your account!

No discussion about recommendations is complete without mentioning Auto-Apply Recommendations. For many years, Google pushed “AAR” heavily, encouraging users to let the system automatically apply changes without review.

Thankfully, this push seems to have slowed down recently, but you still need to ensure you have control over your account. You do not want Google making changes to your budget, bids, or keywords while you sleep.

Here’s what you need to do right now:

1. Go to the Recommendations tab.
2. Make sure you are in the All Campaigns view.
3. Click on Auto-Apply Settings.
4. Ensure all boxes are unchecked.

You want those boxes empty so that Google does not have permission to modify your account without your direct input.

All in all, recommendations aren’t “evil,” nor are they gospel truth. They are just a nudge. They are a starting point for testing.

Whether a recommendation comes from the Google Ads interface, an agency partner, or someone like me, the rule remains the same: You know your business best. Review the suggestion. If it aligns with your goals, test it. If it doesn’t, dismiss it and move on. 

This article is part of our ongoing Search Engine Land series, Everything you need to know about Google Ads in less than 3 minutes. In each edition, Jyll highlights a different Google Ads feature, and what you need to know to get the best results from it – all in a quick 3-minute read.