🔍 Overview
If your Google Ads features are not working inside Search Atlas, the most common cause is a billing account misconfiguration on your connected Google Ads account. This can also result in unexpected charges or missed billing cycles. This article explains how to identify the problem, fix the connection, and request a billing review if needed.
⚠️ Common Symptoms
- Google Ads data is not loading or showing errors inside Search Atlas
- The integration status shows as disconnected or unverified
- You were charged an incorrect amount in a recent billing cycle
- Google Ads features are greyed out or inaccessible
🛠️ Why This Happens
Google Ads integration failures are typically caused by one or more of the following:
- Billing account mismatch: The Google Ads billing account linked to Search Atlas does not match the active billing profile in your Google account.
- Payment method issue: Your Google Ads payment method was declined, expired, or removed, which suspends API access.
- Permissions change: Standard (or Admin) access to the connected Google Ads account was modified or revoked.
- OAuth token expiry: The authorisation token used to connect your Google account has expired and needs to be refreshed.
✅ How to Fix the Integration
- Log in to your Search Atlas account.
- Go to your account Settings by clicking your profile icon in the top-right corner.
- Navigate to the Integrations section and locate Google Ads.
- Click Disconnect to remove the current connection.
- Click Connect Google Ads and follow the on-screen prompts to re-authorise your Google account.
- When prompted, make sure you select the correct Google Ads account that has an active billing profile attached.
- Confirm the connection status changes to Connected.
After reconnecting, allow up to 15 minutes for your Google Ads data to begin populating inside the platform.
💳 How to Verify Your Google Ads Billing Is Configured Correctly
- Open Google Ads in a separate browser tab and sign in with the same Google account linked to Search Atlas.
- Click the Tools and Settings icon (wrench) in the top-right corner and select Billing & Payments.
- Confirm that a valid payment method is on file and that the billing account status is Active.
- Check that the billing account ID matches the account you selected during the Search Atlas integration setup.
- If you see any warnings or a suspended status, resolve them directly in Google Ads before reconnecting to Search Atlas.
💰 What to Do If You Were Charged Incorrectly
If you believe you were billed incorrectly on your Search Atlas account — for example, unexpected charges in April or May — please take the following steps:
- Click your avatar in the top-right corner and select Billing (then use the Invoices tab) to review your invoice history.
- Note the specific invoice dates, amounts, and any discrepancies you can identify.
- Contact our support team directly using the live chat widget (see below) and provide the invoice details so a billing specialist can investigate and process any eligible refund.
Please note: Search Atlas support can only review charges made directly through your Search Atlas subscription. Charges made directly through your Google Ads account must be disputed with Google.
🚫 Integration Still Not Working?
If you have followed all the steps above and your Google Ads integration is still failing, it is possible there is an account-level configuration issue that requires manual review. Do not attempt to reconnect multiple times, as this may create duplicate token requests.
💬 Contact Support
If you need further assistance, open the chat widget in the bottom-right corner of the platform and type human teammate to be connected with a member of our team.