Google apologizes to advertisers for major Shopping Ads glitch

Google Ads experienced a significant system glitch affecting its Shopping product serving late last month.

• This error resulted in advertisers’ products being displayed in other merchants’ ad accounts, potentially exposing sensitive business data to competitors.
• The incident has left many advertisers frustrated not only by the technical failure but also by Google’s inadequate communication in its aftermath.

Google comms. Google reached out to advertisers today about the issue and what they have done about the issue. Hana Kobzová shared the email she received:

Several advertisers aren’t happy with Google’s response.

Lack of transparency and timeliness. Many industry professionals have criticized Google for its delayed and opaque response to the issue.

Mike Ryan, Head of Ecommerce and a prominent voice in the digital advertising space, pointed out the use of euphemistic language in Google’s communications, such as referring to the incident as a “system issue.”

• Ryan argues that this vague terminology lacks accountability and fails to provide advertisers with a clear explanation of what transpired.

He is also displeased with the language used:

• “I also find the phrase ‘we apologize for the inconvenience this might have caused”‘ trite and insincere.”

Melissa Mackey, Director of Paid Search, a veteran with 22 years of experience in paid search, described the glitch as “one of the craziest things” she’s ever encountered in her career, emphasizing the bizarreness of the situation and the insufficient explanation provided.

Brett Bodofsky highlighted the initial lack of formal communication when the issue first arose, noting that while Ginny Marvin (Google’s Ads Liaison) provided updates via social media, more immediate and official communications would have been beneficial.

• Bodofsky stressed that “clients want and deserve answers in an expedited fashion when issues like this arise.”

Inconsistent messaging on compensation. The handling of compensation for affected advertisers has also been a point of contention.

Chris Ridley, Head of Paid Media, pointed out the lack of a clear timeline for issuing credits, with Google repeatedly stating they would be provided in “coming weeks” for over two weeks.

Adding to the confusion, Hana Kobzová, PPC Specialist, noted inconsistencies in the emails sent to different advertisers. While some received notifications about forthcoming credits, others impacted by the issue did not receive any mention of compensation, leading to further uncertainty and frustration.

• Kobzová noted – I am confused because there was supposed to be credit issued to impacted accounts. The subject of the email I received is “Your Shopping products serving and reporting were impacted,” but it doesn’t mention anything about credit.

Dids Reeve

Calls for detailed impact reports. Several advertisers have expressed a desire for more comprehensive information about the incident’s impact on their accounts.

McKenzie Davis, Senior SEM specialist, emphasized the need for “timely and transparent communication,” suggesting that Google should provide detailed reports outlining the percentage of spend, clicks, and impressions that went toward products from other Google Merchant Center accounts. Davis also noted:

• “The vague messaging that referenced ‘a small amount of ads traffic in your Google Ads Account [that was] showing products form other Google Merchant Center accounts’ came nearly three weeks after the incident, and effectively told us nothing.”
• “In the context of recent headlines regarding shady practices by the platform, there is not enough trust in the advertiser/Google relationship for this incident to be managed as it was”

James Foster Senior Paid Media Manager, echoed this sentiment, calling for “more information about the impact this had to my ad account, the data that other advertisers were able to see, and how much ad spend went through my account that was for other businesses/my competitors.”

Security and trust concerns. Odi Caspi, Founder and Digital Marketing specialist, raised concerns about the potential breach of confidentiality, noting that the glitch exposed data that should have been protected behind passwords and two-factor authentication.

• Caspi suggested that some form of compensation should be considered, not just for financial reasons, but as an acknowledgment of Google’s responsibility in the matter.

Moving forward. As the dust settles on this unprecedented glitch, the advertising community is calling for Google to:

• Provide a clearer, more detailed explanation of what caused the issue.
• Offer transparent reports on the impact to individual advertiser accounts.
• Communicate a definitive timeline for issuing credits to affected accounts.
• Outline measures being implemented to prevent similar incidents in the future.

This incident has underscored the critical importance of clear, timely and transparent communication from ad platforms, especially in crisis situations. As Google continue to be in the limelight for all the wrong reasons, maintaining trust between platforms and advertisers will be crucial for the industry’s continued growth and success.