Have you ever tweaked a keyword’s match type only to see its performance history vanish? You’re not alone. Many advertisers face this seemingly data-wiping scenario. But fear not. The truth is a little more nuanced.
Here’s What’s Happening
When you change a keyword’s match type, Google Ads doesn’t delete the old data. Instead, it treats it as a brand-new keyword with the desired match type. The original keyword with its previous type gets paused (but remains accessible). All the clicks, impressions, and conversions it generated stay attached to it.
Why it Feels Like You Lost Data
The new keyword you create starts collecting its performance data from scratch. This disconnect between the historical data and the new keyword can be misleading. You will see the pre-change performance reflected in your active campaigns or reports if you include your paused keywords in the view.
How to Mitigate Seemingly Lost Performance Data
Here are some strategies to keep your data tracking on point:
- Pause Before Editing: Instead of directly changing the match type, consider pausing the original keyword. This preserves its historical data while you test the new match type.
- Label It Up: Utilize labels to categorize your keywords based on their original match types. This allows you to filter reports and analyze performance before and after the switch.
- Download Reports: Need that historical data for reference or reporting? Download reports showcasing the keyword’s performance before modifying its match type.
Understanding How Google Ads Handles Match Types
By grasping how Google Ads handles match type adjustments, you can make informed decisions and minimize the impact on your data tracking and reporting. Remember, the valuable performance insights aren’t lost; they are just temporarily separated. You can organize your data and make more intelligent campaign optimizations with a few tweaks.
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