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Google Ad Preview Tool: A Guide to Checking Your Ads

What Is the Google Ads Preview Tool?

The Google Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool is designed to check your ads live. It allows you to view a search engine results page (SERP) to see if your ad appears and what it looks like.

You can view a SERP for specific parameters, such as keywords, location, language, device, and audience. The tool will display your ad as it appears to u



sers within the device mock-up of your choice.


Reasons to Use the Google Ad Preview Tool

The Google Ad Preview Tool helps you get an accurate ad preview, determine if your ad is running, diagnose issues, and find optimisation opportunities. It also ensures your ad looks good.


See Your Ad Without Hurting Performance

You should use this tool instead of searching for the keyword on Google. Repeated searches can trigger impressions without clicks, which lowers your click-through rate (CTR). This may signal Google to show your ad less often.

Eventually, this can decrease your ad visibility. Google may stop displaying ads that don’t receive clicks, and searching for your ad can skew performance metrics.


Diagnosing Ad Issues

If your ad isn’t running, the Google Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool will tell you why. Common reasons include:

  • Your ad is still under review.

  • The chosen keyword is not in your account.

  • Your campaign doesn’t have sufficient budget.

  • Your ad isn’t enabled.

  • Your daily budget has been exhausted.

  • The location you’ve chosen isn’t being targeted.

The preview tool always displays the SERP's current appearance, even if your ad isn’t currently running.


See How Your Ad Looks

Despite its name, this tool doesn’t let you preview an ad that isn’t live. Instead, it lets you see how your live ad appears. You can filter your SERP view by:

  • Keyword

  • Location

  • Language

  • Device

  • Audience

Audience filters will only appear if your campaigns target specific audiences. You'll know your ad needs adjustments if you see issues like truncated text or incorrect URLs (e.g., ellipses after your title due to character limits). Note that some extensions might not appear in the tool, even if they’re live. Check your ad extension performance dashboard for confirmation.


Optimising Ads for Better Performance

Based on insights from the Ad Preview Tool, you can tweak your ads. For example:

  • Your local ads might show for general keywords, lowering your CTR.

  • An ad with the wrong message might reach the wrong audience.

  • Your ad might not rank in the No. 1 position for a given SERP.

  • Sitelinks might direct users to irrelevant pages based on search intent.

  • Ad copy might appear truncated or confusing.

All these are opportunities to optimise your ads for better results.


How to Use the Google Ad Preview Tool


Log in to Google Ads and Find the Tool

To use the Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool, log into your Google Ads account. Once logged in, navigate to the dashboard. On the left-hand side, click “Tools” to open the menu. Then, select “Troubleshooting” and click “Ad Preview and Diagnosis.”


Choose Your Keyword and Filters

Select SERP parameters such as keyword, location, language, and device. If your campaigns use audience targeting, you can also choose an audience. When you start typing a keyword, the tool will suggest related terms based on impressions and volume.

For location, click the pencil icon next to “Location” and type a place (e.g., “Sydney”). Google will offer suggestions ranging from broad areas (e.g., a country) to specific cities.

The same applies to language. Select from the dropdown menu or type your preferred language. Finally, choose “Desktop,” “Mobile,” or “Tablet” for the device.

Once you’ve set your parameters, you can view the corresponding SERP.


View Results for Different Parameters

Changing the parameters alters the SERP. For instance, if you search for “fine jewellery” in Sydney on mobile, the SERP will look different compared to searching for the same term in Paris on a tablet.


Diagnose Issues

If your ad doesn’t appear, click “Results” above the SERP to view a diagnosis. For example, if “fine jewellery” isn’t in your campaign’s keywords, the tool will highlight this issue. If your ad is running, you’ll see a green message: “Your ad is showing.”


Share Ad Previews

You can share ad previews without granting account access. Click “Share” in the top right corner of the tool and copy the link provided. This lets colleagues view the SERP. Note that ads might not show if your daily budget has been depleted.


See a SERP Across Different Time Frames

Adjust time frames in the upper right-hand corner to view historical SERPs. However, you can only access SERP history for the duration your account has been active.


Create Quality Ads That Perform

It’s crucial to ensure your ads appear and perform as intended. Additionally, you can use this tool to analyse competitors’ ads without guessing their keywords. Tools like Semrush’s Advertising Research and Ads History can complement Google’s tool to provide a deeper understanding of competitors’ paid search strategies.

For instance, if you’re an online flower retailer, you might analyse a competitor like 1-800-Flowers.com. Using the Advertising Research tool, enter their domain to see their paid search strategy, including keywords and estimated costs. Drill down further by viewing their ad creatives and keyword positions. You can also explore keyword seasonality and competitor rankings over time using the Ads History tool.


Google’s Tool: More Than a Preview

The Google Ad Preview and Diagnosis Tool is more than just a preview. It segments your view by audience, device, and location while helping you diagnose issues that block your ad’s performance. Combine this with tools like Semrush for comprehensive insights into competitor strategies and keyword trends, and you’ll have everything you need to launch optimised, high-performing campaigns.

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