Ensuring Accurate Data Quality with Data Exclusions in Google Ads

The quality of data fed into our advertising accounts can make or break a campaign’s success. Today’s Smart Bidding strategies rely on consistent and accurate data to optimize bids and drive performance. However, at times when unforeseen anomalies—such as tracking issues or spikes in traffic—the data can be skewed and ultimately mislead the algorithms.

This is where Data Exclusions in Google Ads come into play. This advanced tool ensures that temporary irregularities in your account don’t derail your Smart Bidding strategies, safeguarding campaign performance and helping you stay on track. 

What Are Data Exclusions and Why Are They Important?

Data exclusions allow advertisers to signal to Google Ads that certain periods of data should be ignored by Smart Bidding strategies. Unlike removing or altering the data from reporting, data exclusions simply tell the system to disregard specified date ranges when making future optimization decisions. This can prevent short-term deviations from having long-term negative impacts on campaign performance. 

Key Features of Data Exclusions

Maintains Algorithm Integrity: By ignoring problematic data, Smart Bidding can make more informed decisions moving forward.

Non-destructive to internal data: The excluded data remains visible in reports for historical analysis.

Granular Control over using this setting: Advertisers can select specific campaigns, devices, or date ranges to target exclusions.

Keep in Mind

You can only set a maximum of a 14-day data exclusion.

They work best when you set a data exclusion as soon as you catch the data inconsistencies.

Data exclusions aren’t intended to be used frequently or for extended periods of time. Doing so could negatively impact Smart Bidding performance.

Use Cases for Data Exclusions

There are several scenarios where implementing data exclusions can be a game-changer:

Broken Conversion Tracking

Example: A bug on your checkout page prevents users from completing purchases for a day. Without data exclusions, Smart Bidding might incorrectly interpret these users as “low quality” and adjust bids downward, harming future performance.

Over-Reported or Under-Reported Data

Example: A technical glitch leads to inflated conversion numbers over a weekend. Without excluding this data, Smart Bidding might overspend based on false signals.

Unusual External Events

Example: A surge in traffic due to a one-time press feature or an unexpected event causes unusual conversion behavior. Something like Black Friday's shopping surges. Data exclusions ensure these outliers don’t skew future bidding decisions.

Unexplained Performance Drops

Example: For a brief period, conversion rates plummet due to server issues or other external factors. Excluding this data prevents the system from misinterpreting this anomaly as a broader trend.

How to Set Up Data Exclusions in Google Ads

Implementing data exclusions is a straightforward process. Here’s how to do it:

Log in to Google Ads

Go to Data Exclusions

Click on the Tools icon in the top-right corner.

Under Budgets and Bidding, select Data Exclusions.

Create a New Exclusion

Click the “+” button to create a new exclusion.

Configure Your Exclusion‍

Give your exclusion a name and description (e.g., “Checkout Bug 11/18”).

Specify the start and end dates for the exclusion.

Select the campaigns and devices that the exclusion should apply to.

Review and Save

Double-check your settings to ensure they’re accurate.

Click Save to apply the exclusion.

Data exclusions are an essential tool for any PPC marketer focused on maintaining the integrity of their campaigns. By filtering out misleading data during temporary disruptions, you can keep your Smart Bidding strategies informed and effective.

Remember, the goal of data exclusions is not to fix broader performance issues but to correct only short-term anomalies that don’t reflect typical account behavior.