Start with the evidence
Save the selected date range and time zone, campaign start/end dates, campaign and ad-group status, ad status, billing notices and recent change history. Check whether the complaint means zero impressions, impressions without clicks or simply spend below the budget. Those are different problems. Google’s troubleshooting guidance lists several possible delivery constraints; it does not establish which one applies to your account.
A worked example
Fictional sequence: an owner sees zero spend in a “today” view at 7 a.m. The campaign starts at 8 a.m. in its account time zone. A separate campaign has been active for a week but every ad is disapproved. Raising both budgets would address neither observed issue. The first needs a correct observation window; the second needs the actual policy reason reviewed and resolved through the official process.
Choose the next action
Work from broad eligibility to narrower constraints. Resolve a verified billing or status issue before modifying bids. For eligible campaigns with limited traffic, inspect service demand, locations, schedules, keywords, exclusions and bidding goals together. Record each hypothesis and make an intentional change rather than several speculative edits. Never create duplicate accounts or misleading content to evade a policy decision.
Check whether it worked
Recheck impressions and delivery status in the same time zone after the documented change and allow for the relevant platform review or learning period. Preserve Google’s actual messages. If delivery resumes, still review suitability and downstream outcomes; spending the entire budget is not the commercial objective. Escalate persistent unexplained eligibility issues with a concise record of checks already performed.
Put it to work
A record you can use
- Exact symptom: zero impressions, clicks or spend
- Date range, time zone and active dates
- Account and asset status evidence
- Recent change and hypothesis
- Follow-up observation and remaining constraint
Plain text. No email required. Store completed records in your approved business systems.
Next useful step
Need help applying this to your marketing? A strategy call starts with your business and the evidence you have.
Talk through your next step →For a general editorial question, email Chris. Please leave out customer details. Questions are private, and no response time is promised.