🔍 Overview
If your Google Ads data appears incomplete or missing in Site Metrics or Site Explorer but displays correctly in Report Builder, you are not alone. This discrepancy is partly expected behavior and partly a known technical issue. This article explains how each tool handles Google Ads data, what counts as normal, and what steps to take if something is genuinely wrong.
⚙️ How Each Tool Handles Google Ads Data
Search Atlas surfaces Google Ads data differently depending on the tool you are using. Understanding the methodology behind each tool is the first step to diagnosing any gap you notice.
- Site Metrics (Left sidebar → Site Metrics): This tool uses a sampling methodology. It pulls data from the top 100 results for any given query or domain. Because it works with a sampled dataset rather than your full account, Google Ads metrics such as paid keywords, CPC, and ad spend estimates may appear partial or lower than expected. This is expected behavior, not a bug.
- Site Explorer (within Site Metrics): Site Explorer follows the same top-100 sampling logic as Site Metrics. Paid data shown here reflects what is visible within that sample window, so coverage will always be narrower than your full account data.
- Report Builder (Left sidebar → Reports): Report Builder connects directly to your linked Google Ads account via a native integration. It pulls data in full, without sampling limits. This is why the numbers here are more complete and accurate than what you see in Site Metrics or Site Explorer.
✅ What Is Expected Behavior
The following scenarios are normal and do not indicate a bug or account problem:
- Google Ads paid keyword counts are lower in Site Metrics than in Report Builder.
- CPC or impression data is missing for some keywords in Site Explorer but visible in Report Builder.
- Metrics vary between tools when your domain has a large paid keyword portfolio that exceeds the top-100 sample.
- Google Search Console (GSC) performance data in Report Builder appears more granular than organic metrics shown in Site Metrics, because GSC data is pulled directly from your connected property.
If your data differences match any of the above, no action is required. The tools are working as designed.
🚨 When Something Is Actually Wrong
There is a known technical issue where a project saving or account-linking problem can cause Google Ads data to appear blocked or entirely absent in Site Metrics and Site Explorer, even when your Report Builder data looks healthy. Signs that you may be experiencing this bug rather than expected sampling differences include:
- Google Ads data was previously visible in Site Metrics but has completely disappeared.
- No paid data shows at all in Site Explorer, not just reduced numbers.
- Your project appears unsaved, resets settings, or throws an error when you try to load it.
- Report Builder shows healthy data, but Site Metrics shows zero paid results for the same domain.
🛠️ Troubleshooting Steps
Work through these steps in order before escalating to the support team.
- Confirm your Google Ads account is connected. Go to your account settings and verify that your Google Ads integration is active and authorized. A disconnected or expired token will affect data across all tools.
- Check whether the issue is sampling or a true gap. In Report Builder (Left sidebar → Reports), open a report that includes your Google Ads data. If that data looks correct and complete, the difference you see in Site Metrics is likely sampling behavior, not a bug.
- Reload your Site Metrics project. Go to Left sidebar → Site Metrics, select your project, and reload the page. If the project fails to load or resets your settings, this points to the project-saving bug described above.
- Create a new project as a test. In Site Metrics, create a new project for the same domain. Check whether Google Ads data populates correctly. If it does, your original project may be corrupted and needs to be rebuilt or escalated.
- Clear your browser cache and try a different browser. Session or cache issues can occasionally cause display problems that look like missing data.
- Wait 24 hours if data was recently connected. New Google Ads integrations can take up to 24 hours to fully sync across all tools in the platform.
📋 Quick Reference: Expected vs. Bug
- Lower paid keyword counts in Site Metrics than Report Builder → Expected. Sampling limit of top 100 results.
- Some CPC data missing in Site Explorer → Expected. Same sampling methodology applies.
- Zero Google Ads data in Site Metrics, healthy data in Report Builder → Likely a bug. Follow troubleshooting steps above.
- Project not saving or resetting in Site Metrics → Known bug. Escalate to support.
- GSC data more detailed in Report Builder than Site Metrics → Expected. Direct integration vs. sampled data.
🆘 When to Escalate
Self-serve resolution covers most sampling-related questions. Escalate to the support team if:
- Your Site Metrics project fails to save or repeatedly resets.
- Google Ads data is completely absent in Site Metrics after confirming your integration is active.
- The new-project test in the troubleshooting steps also shows no Google Ads data.
- You have completed all troubleshooting steps and the issue persists.
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.