Keyword Serving Diagnostics
Explains why keywords aren't serving: 'rarely served' low-search-volume keywords and manual-CPC keywords bidding below Google's first-page estimate.
by Dmytro Tonkikh·chiliad.io
Overview
Keyword Serving Diagnostics checks every enabled keyword for the two most common silent non-serving causes: Google's RARELY_SERVED status (low search volume — the keyword is inactive until demand appears; piles of these mean over-fragmented keyword lists) and manual-CPC keywords whose bid sits below Google's estimated first-page bid (they mostly serve on page 2, which in practice means barely at all). Both lists are grouped by campaign for batch fixing.
Setup
- 1Open your Google Ads account and go to Tools → Bulk Actions → Scripts.
- 2Click the + button to create a new script and paste the code below.
- 3Set EMAIL_ADDRESS to receive the report; leave blank for logs only.
- 4Preview once to verify, then schedule monthly.
Configuration Variables
| Variable | Default |
|---|---|
MAX_LISTED_PER_ISSUE | 50 |
EMAIL_ADDRESS | (empty) |
Expected Output
=== Keyword Serving Diagnostics === Enabled keywords checked: 1844 Rarely served (low search volume): 96 Below first page bid: 12 --- RARELY SERVED - low search volume (96) --- "bespoke artisanal sneaker restoration" (EXACT) in Shoes — Generic > Restoration ... --- BELOW FIRST PAGE BID (12) --- "trail running shoes" (PHRASE) in Shoes — Generic > Trail bid: 0.40 first page est: 1.10 Email sent to you@example.com
Notes
The below-first-page check only fires for keywords with an effective manual bid — campaigns on Smart Bidding set bids per auction and are exempt. Rarely-served keywords cost nothing to keep but clutter every audit; the standard fix is consolidating into broader match types.