Google’s optimization score drops when you ignore their recommendations. Good. Here’s why that’s often the right decision.
Every time I take over a new Google Ads account, I find the same thing: the previous manager followed Google’s recommendations. Broad match is on. Auto-applied recommendations have been accepted. The optimization score is sitting at 85%.
The account is also bleeding money on irrelevant search terms.
Understanding why Google makes these recommendations makes you a more effective advertiser. It also helps you stop feeling guilty about ignoring them.
What Is Google’s Optimization Score Actually Measuring?
Google’s optimization score (0-100%) measures how closely your account follows Google’s recommendations. It does not measure performance. It does not measure ROI. It does not measure whether your campaigns are actually achieving your business goals.
A score of 95% means you’ve done almost everything Google suggested. It says nothing about whether those suggestions were good for your business.
Why Does Google Recommend Broad Match Specifically?
Here’s the plain truth: broad match spends more money than phrase or exact match. More spend means more revenue for Google.
Broad match casts a wider net. More clicks. More impressions. More spend. Google’s algorithm may find some genuinely good traffic in that wider net — but it will also spend on queries that have nothing to do with your business while it figures out what works.
For ecommerce with strong purchase signal data, Google’s algorithm can actually navigate broad match reasonably well. For lead generation, where a form fill doesn’t clearly signal purchase intent, broad match burns money while the algorithm learns — and it never learns as cleanly as it does with transaction data.
Which Google Recommendations Are Actually Worth Following?
Not all recommendations are bad. Some are genuinely useful.
Generally worth considering:
- Adding sitelinks and callout extensions (legitimate CTR improvements)
- Fixing broken URLs (obviously correct)
- Adding responsive search ad variations when you genuinely have few variations
Approach with skepticism:
- Broad match recommendations
- Auto-bidding strategy changes (especially moving to Maximize Clicks)
- Budget increase recommendations
- Target CPA or ROAS adjustments that seem aggressive
Usually ignore:
- ‘Add more keywords’ when your existing keywords are working
- Optimization score recommendations that require loosening match types
Does a Low Optimization Score Hurt Performance?
No. Optimization score has no direct relationship with ad quality, ad rank, or actual campaign performance.
Google will tell you that following their recommendations improves performance on average across all advertisers. That’s probably true in aggregate. It’s not necessarily true for your specific account, your specific goals, and your specific competitive landscape.
I manage accounts with optimization scores in the 50s that outperform competitors with scores in the 90s. The score reflects compliance with recommendations, not performance.
Optimize for customer acquisition cost. Let the optimization score be whatever it ends up being.