Troubleshooting: Conversion Tracking & Retargeting

📊 Fix Meta & Google Ads Conversion Discrepancies

🔍 Why Conversion Numbers May Not Match If the conversion counts or cost-per-acquisition (CPA) figures in your Search Atlas reports look different from what you see inside Meta Ads Manager or Google Ads, you are not alone. Several factors can cause these gaps, and most can be resolved by following the steps below. ⚙️ Common Causes of Discrepancies - Attribution window differences: Meta and Google Ads each use their own default attribution windows (e.g., 7-day click, 1-day view). Search Atlas pulls data through the platform APIs, which may apply a different window than your native dashboard default. - Conversion action selection: Your native account may count multiple conversion actions (e.g., purchases and add-to-carts), while Search Atlas may be pulling only a subset, or vice versa. - Data sync timing: Conversion data is not always real-time. There can be a delay of up to 24–48 hours between a conversion being recorded in Meta or Google and it appearing in Search Atlas reports. - Date range and comparison periods: Reports that include a comparison date range require both periods to be explicitly selected. If only one date range is set, trend or delta indicators may be absent or show zero — this is expected behaviour. - Account connection issues: If the linked Meta or Google Ads account has expired credentials or limited API permissions, Search Atlas may receive incomplete conversion data. 🛠️ Steps to Troubleshoot the Discrepancy 1. Verify your date range. In Search Atlas, go to Left sidebar → Ads → Analytics. Confirm that the date range shown matches exactly what you have selected in Meta Ads Manager or Google Ads. 2. Check attribution settings. In your native Meta or Google Ads account, note the attribution window applied to your campaign or account. Compare this to any attribution settings available in your Search Atlas report view. 3. Review which conversion actions are counted. Inside Meta Ads Manager, open your campaign (e.g., Leads - 2026) and check the Columns → Customize Columns panel to see which conversion events are included. Ensure you are comparing the same events in Search Atlas. 4. Allow time for sync. If conversions appeared in Meta or Google Ads within the last 24–48 hours, wait and refresh the Search Atlas report before escalating. 5. Reconnect your ad account. Go to Left sidebar → Ads → Launchpad and select either Google Ads Campaign Hub or Meta Ads Launchpad. Check that your account is connected and the integration status shows no errors. If you see a connection warning, disconnect and reconnect the account. 6. Check for zero-conversion reports on active spend. If Search Atlas shows 0 conversions while Meta or Google reports conversions on the same spend, this is likely a sync or permissions issue. Reconnecting the account (step 5) usually resolves this. 📋 Specific Scenario: Meta Campaign Conversions Not Appearing If conversions from a specific Meta campaign are completely absent from your Search Atlas report despite being visible in Meta Ads Manager, follow these steps: 1. Navigate to Left sidebar → Ads → Analytics and confirm the correct Meta ad account is selected in the account selector at the top of the page. 2. Ensure the campaign name (e.g., Leads - 2026) is not filtered out. Clear any active campaign filters and reload the report. 3. Navigate to Left sidebar → Ads → Launchpad, open Meta Ads Launchpad, and confirm the account connection is active. 4. If the campaign still does not appear after 48 hours, contact our support team via the chat widget. 📊 Understanding CPA Differences Cost-per-acquisition (CPA) values in Search Atlas should closely reflect native platform data once the correct conversion actions and attribution windows are aligned. If CPA looks significantly lower in Search Atlas than in Meta (for example, $86 versus $300+), the most common cause is that Search Atlas is counting more conversion events than intended — such as including micro-conversions alongside primary lead events. Audit your conversion action settings in Meta and confirm which events are being passed to the Search Atlas integration. 💡 Best Practices to Keep Reports Aligned - Always set identical date ranges in both Search Atlas and your native platform when comparing figures. - Use the same attribution window in both tools where possible. - Periodically refresh your ad account connection inside Ads → Launchpad to ensure API tokens remain valid. - Limit conversion actions to your primary goal (e.g., lead form submissions only) to avoid inflated conversion counts. 🆘 Still Seeing a Discrepancy? If you have followed all steps above and the numbers still do not align, our team can investigate at the account level. 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.

📊 Fix Conversion Data Mismatches in Ads Reports

🔍 Overview If you notice that conversions, CPA, or other key metrics in your Search Atlas Ads reports don't match what you see inside Meta Ads Manager or Google Ads, you're not alone. This article explains the most common causes of these discrepancies and what you can do to get accurate data. ⚠️ Common Causes of Conversion Discrepancies Several factors can cause mismatches between Search Atlas reports and the native ad platforms: - Attribution window differences: Meta and Google Ads each use their own default attribution windows (e.g., 7-day click, 1-day view). Search Atlas pulls data using the API settings tied to your connected account. If those windows differ from your native platform view, totals will not match. - Conversion event selection: Your native account may be tracking multiple conversion events (purchases, leads, page views). Search Atlas reports may be pulling a different subset of those events than you're viewing in the native dashboard. - Data sync timing: Conversion data is not always real-time. There can be a delay of up to 24–48 hours before conversions reported in Meta or Google Ads are fully reflected in Search Atlas. - Date range and comparison settings: Conversion totals change when different date ranges are applied. Make sure the date range selected in Search Atlas exactly matches what you're viewing in the native platform. Comparison period deltas (e.g., week-over-week changes) require a valid comparison date range to be set — without one, delta figures may be unreliable. - Account connection issues: If your Meta or Google Ads account was recently reconnected or if token permissions changed, some historical data may not have re-synced correctly. 🛠️ How to Troubleshoot Step by Step 1. Check your date ranges match exactly. In Search Atlas, go to Left sidebar → Ads → Analytics. Confirm the date range shown matches the date range you are viewing in Meta Ads Manager or Google Ads. Even a single day's difference can produce large discrepancies. 2. Verify the correct account and campaign are selected. Inside Ads → Analytics, use the account and campaign filters to confirm you are looking at the same campaign. For Meta, ensure the campaign name (for example, Leads - 2026) is selected and not an ad set or ad-level view. 3. Compare the same conversion event. In your native Meta or Google Ads account, note exactly which conversion event is being counted (e.g., Lead Form Submit, Purchase). Check whether Search Atlas is configured to pull that same event. If the platform is summing all conversion events while you are filtering to one in the native dashboard, totals will differ. 4. Refresh the report data. On the Ads → Analytics page, use the refresh or re-sync option if available, then wait a few minutes before comparing figures again. 5. Check for a valid comparison date range. If you are reviewing period-over-period deltas or trending arrows, make sure a comparison date range is explicitly set. Deltas shown without a comparison period selected may not be meaningful. 6. Review your account connection status. Go to Left sidebar → Ads → Launchpad and check both Google Ads Campaign Hub and Meta Ads Launchpad. Confirm your accounts show as connected and active. A broken or expired connection can cause missing or zero conversion data. 📋 Known Behaviours to Be Aware Of The following situations can produce numbers that look incorrect but have a known explanation: - Zero conversions with significant spend: If Search Atlas reports 0 conversions on a campaign that shows conversions in Meta, this is typically caused by a sync issue or a mismatch in which conversion event is being tracked. Re-check your account connection and the conversion event configuration. - Conversions appearing much higher than the native platform: In some configurations, conversion events can be counted more than once if multiple event types are included. Ensure only the intended conversion actions are included in your report view. - CPA figures that look too low or too good: A CPA that appears unusually efficient compared to your native platform is often a sign that conversion counts are inflated. Cross-reference total conversions first before acting on CPA data. ✅ Best Practices for Accurate Reporting - Always use identical date ranges in Search Atlas and your native ad platform when comparing figures. - Align on a single primary conversion event per campaign before analysing CPA. - Allow 24–48 hours after a campaign change or account reconnection before comparing conversion totals. - Set an explicit comparison date range any time you want to view period-over-period performance changes. 💬 Still Seeing a Discrepancy? If you have followed the steps above and your conversion data still does not match, our team can investigate the specific account and campaign configuration with you. 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.

📊 Google Ads Tracking and Blog Pages

🔍 Understand the issue This issue involves a Google Ads tracking script and a blog page that may not work as expected. The tracking script and blog page should be reviewed separately when reporting the problem. 📝 Check the affected pages 1. Record the affected website and exact blog page URL. 2. Note whether the blog page fails to load, displays incorrectly, or is unavailable. 3. Record whether the Google Ads tracking script is missing, fails to run, or records an unexpected result. 🚀 Prepare the issue for investigation If the problem continues, collect the affected site, exact page URL, Google Ads account or conversion action involved, the exact error message, and the date and time the issue occurred. Include steps to reproduce the problem and any screenshots or recordings available. This information allows the team to investigate the Google Ads tracking script and blog page issue. As a backend bug, resolution may require platform-side review rather than a customer-side configuration change. 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.

🔍 Fix Business Missing From Google Ads Retargeting Dropdown

🧭 Overview When launching a retargeting campaign in Google Ads through Search Atlas, your business profile should appear in the dropdown automatically if it is connected. If it does not appear, the cause is almost always one of four things: a sync delay, a permission gap, a mismatched account link, or a campaign settings conflict. Work through the steps below in order to isolate and fix the issue. ✅ Step 1: Verify Your GBP Sync Status Before checking Google Ads settings, confirm that your Google Business Profile is fully synced inside Search Atlas. 1. In the left sidebar, click Local. 2. On the Local Overview page, locate your business profile in the project list. 3. Check the sync status indicator next to the business name. It should show a green Connected status. 4. If the status shows Pending or Error, click the profile, then use the reconnect option to re-authorise the Google account. 5. After reconnecting, wait up to 5 minutes for the sync to complete, then return to your Google Ads campaign setup and recheck the dropdown. 🔑 Step 2: Validate Account Permissions The Google account used to connect your GBP must also have the correct access level on the linked Google Ads account. A mismatch here is the most common cause of the dropdown appearing empty. - Google Business Profile: The connected Google account must be an Owner or Manager of the GBP listing. Viewer-level access is not sufficient. - Google Ads: The same Google account must have at least Standard access on the Google Ads account you are targeting. Admin access is recommended. - If a team member originally connected the GBP but you are now running campaigns under a different Google login, you will need to reconnect using an account that has both permissions simultaneously. To update the connected Google account in Search Atlas, go to Left sidebar → Local → GBP Projects, open the relevant project, and use the account settings to disconnect and reconnect with the correct credentials. 🔗 Step 3: Confirm the GBP Is Linked to the Correct Google Ads Account Your GBP and your Google Ads account must be linked directly inside Google. Search Atlas surfaces this link, but does not create it on your behalf. 1. Log in to Google Ads at ads.google.com. 2. Navigate to Tools and Settings → Linked accounts → Google Business Profile. 3. Confirm your business listing appears there with a Linked status. 4. If it is not linked, click Link account, enter the GBP email or listing ID, and complete the linking process. 5. Once the link is confirmed in Google Ads, return to Search Atlas and refresh your campaign setup page. Your business should now appear in the dropdown. ⚙️ Step 4: Check Your Campaign Settings Certain campaign configuration choices can filter out eligible business profiles from the dropdown before you even see them. - Campaign type: Business profile assets are only available for Search, Performance Max, and Local campaign types. Display-only or Video campaigns will not show the dropdown at all. - Geographic targeting: If your campaign targets a region that does not match the service area or address on your GBP, the profile may be suppressed. Verify the location settings match. - Ad account currency and billing: An inactive or suspended Google Ads account will prevent profile assets from loading. Confirm your billing status is active in Google Ads before proceeding. 🔄 Step 5: Force a Manual Refresh If all permissions and links are correct but the dropdown is still empty, a cached state in Search Atlas may be responsible. 1. Save any campaign progress as a draft. 2. Log out of Search Atlas completely. 3. Clear your browser cache and cookies. 4. Log back in, navigate back to your campaign draft, and reopen the business profile dropdown. 5. If the business still does not appear after a full cache clear, proceed to escalation below. 🚨 When to Escalate Escalate to the Search Atlas support team if any of the following are true after completing all steps above: - The GBP shows Connected in Search Atlas but still does not appear in the dropdown. - The GBP is confirmed linked inside Google Ads but the dropdown remains empty. - The sync status returns to Error immediately after reconnecting. - Multiple business profiles are missing, not just one. 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.

🔧 Google Ads Conversion Tracking Not Recording — Troubleshooting

🧭 Overview If Google Ads is showing clicks and GA4 is recording pageviews, sessions, and form submissions — but your conversion column stays at zero — the tracking code itself is rarely the problem. The most common cause is a misconfigured conversion action: the URL path or trigger condition does not match what actually happens on your site. This article walks you through the exact steps to diagnose and fix that. ✅ Before You Start: Confirm the Basics Run through this quick checklist to rule out installation issues before diving deeper: - The Google tag (or Google Tag Manager container) fires on every page of your site, not just the homepage. - The conversion action tag fires specifically on the confirmation or thank-you page — not on the form page itself. - You are not using an ad blocker or privacy extension in the browser you used to test. - The conversion window has not expired (default is 30 days for clicks). - You have waited at least 24–48 hours after a test conversion — Google Ads data is not real-time. 🔍 Step 1: Audit Your Conversion Action Settings in Google Ads This is the most frequently overlooked step. Inside Google Ads, go to Goals → Conversions → Summary and click the conversion action you want to diagnose. Check each setting carefully: - Category: Confirm it matches the action type (Purchase, Submit lead form, Page view, etc.). - Conversion source: Note whether it uses a Google tag snippet or an imported GA4 goal. - Count: "Every" counts each conversion; "One" counts only the first per click. Make sure this reflects your intent. - Conversion window: If set too short, conversions from longer research cycles will be missed. - View-through conversion window: Disable this if you are not running display campaigns — it can inflate or confuse data. 🗺️ Step 2: Check URL Path Matching (Most Common Root Cause) A URL mismatch between your conversion action configuration and the actual confirmation page URL is the single most common reason conversions do not fire even when traffic is healthy. 1. In Google Ads, open the conversion action and find the tag setup section. Look for any URL or page-load condition that has been defined. 2. Copy the URL or path string that is configured as the trigger (for example, /thank-you or /order-confirmation). 3. Open your website and complete an actual test submission or purchase. 4. Check the exact URL in your browser address bar after the confirmation page loads. Common mismatches include: a trailing slash (/thank-you/ vs /thank-you), a query string appended by your CMS (/thank-you?ref=123), an https vs http difference, or a subdomain discrepancy (www vs non-www). 5. Update the conversion action URL condition to match the exact URL your site actually delivers. ⚙️ Step 3: Verify the Tag Is Firing With Tag Assistant 1. Install the Google Tag Assistant Chrome extension (or use Tag Assistant Companion). 2. Navigate to the page where your conversion tag should fire (your thank-you or confirmation page). 3. Complete a real test action — submit the form or trigger the event. 4. Open Tag Assistant and look for your conversion tag. A green status means it fired. A red or orange status means there is a firing problem — click the tag for the specific error message. 5. If using Google Tag Manager, open the GTM preview panel, complete the action, and confirm the conversion tag appears in the Tags Fired list, not Tags Not Fired. 📥 Step 4: If You Imported a GA4 Goal Into Google Ads When conversions are imported from GA4 rather than using a native Google Ads tag, there is an additional layer to check: - In GA4, go to Admin → Events and confirm the event you want to import is being recorded with the correct name (exact string match, case-sensitive). - In GA4, go to Admin → Conversions and confirm the event is marked as a conversion. - In Google Ads, go to Goals → Conversions → Summary and confirm the imported GA4 conversion shows a status of Recording conversions, not No recent conversions or Unverified. - Allow up to 72 hours after marking a GA4 event as a conversion before it begins populating in Google Ads. 🧪 Step 5: Send a Test Conversion Google Ads has a built-in test tool. In your conversion action settings, click Check installation. Enter your website URL and click Send test traffic. Google will attempt to detect the tag on that URL and report whether it found it. If the tag is not detected, revisit Steps 2 and 3 above. ⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid - Tag fires on every page: A conversion tag placed site-wide (not just on the confirmation page) will over-count and can trigger data discrepancies that suppress verified conversions. - Duplicate conversion actions: If the same action is tracked both via a native tag and an imported GA4 goal, conversions are double-counted. Use one source only. - Smart bidding relies on conversion data: Until conversions record correctly, any Smart Bidding strategy (Target CPA, Target ROAS) will not optimise properly. Pause Smart Bidding and switch to Manual CPC while troubleshooting. 💬 Need More Help? 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.

🔍 Fix Google Ads Conversion Tracking Not Working

🧩 Why This Happens A common source of confusion is that Google Analytics 4 (GA4) and Google Ads use separate tracking systems. GA4 tracking a pageview or form submission does not automatically mean Google Ads is recording a conversion. Each platform needs its own correctly configured tracking to report results independently. If your Google Ads conversion tracking appears broken while GA4 is working fine, the issue is almost always in one of the areas covered below. ✅ Step 1: Confirm You Are Using the Right Tag Google Ads requires its own conversion tracking tag — not the GA4 tag. Make sure you have placed the Google Ads Global Site Tag (gtag.js) and the corresponding event snippet on your website. These are two separate code snippets: - Global Site Tag: Goes in the <head> section of every page on your site. - Event Snippet: Goes on the specific page or fires on the specific action you want to track (e.g., a thank-you page after a form submission). Do not confuse the GA4 measurement tag with the Google Ads conversion tag. They look similar but serve different purposes. ⚙️ Step 2: Check Your Conversion Action Settings in Google Ads Log in to your Google Ads account and review the conversion action itself: 1. Click Goals in the top navigation, then select Conversions → Summary. 2. Find the relevant conversion action and click its name to open the details. 3. Check the Tracking status field. It should read Recording conversions. Common status messages that indicate a problem include: - Unverified: The tag has not yet been detected. This can take up to 24 hours after installation. - No recent conversions: The tag was detected previously but has not fired recently. This may be normal if no one has converted, or it may signal a broken tag. - Tag inactive: Google cannot detect the tag on your site. Revisit your tag installation. 🛠️ Step 3: Verify Tag Installation with Google Tag Assistant Use the free Google Tag Assistant Chrome extension or the Tag Assistant companion at tagassistant.google.com to confirm your tags are firing correctly: 1. Open Tag Assistant and enter your website URL. 2. Navigate to a page where the event snippet should fire (e.g., your thank-you or confirmation page). 3. Complete the action that should trigger a conversion (submit a test form, click a button, etc.). 4. Check Tag Assistant for your Google Ads conversion tag — it should appear with a green or blue status. A red status or a missing tag confirms a tracking gap. If the Global Site Tag appears but the event snippet does not, the event snippet is either missing from that page or is not being triggered by the correct user action. 🔗 Step 4: Check for Tag Manager Conflicts If you use Google Tag Manager (GTM) to deploy your tags, verify the following: - The Google Ads conversion tag is published inside GTM — saved drafts do not go live. - The trigger assigned to the tag matches the exact action you want to track (e.g., a form submission confirmation, a specific button click, or a thank-you page URL). - You are not deploying the Google Ads tag both via GTM and hardcoded in your site HTML, which can cause duplicate or conflicting firing. ⏱️ Step 5: Account for Conversion Windows and Delays Even after fixing your tag, keep these timing factors in mind: - Tag verification delay: It can take up to 24–48 hours for Google Ads to detect a newly installed or updated tag. - Conversion delay: Conversions are recorded based on the date of the click that led to them, not the date the conversion happened. This can cause conversions to appear later than expected in your reports. - Attribution window: Check your conversion action's attribution window. If it is set to 7 days, a user who clicked your ad 8 days ago and converted today will not be counted. 🔄 Step 6: Import GA4 Goals as a Backup (Optional) If you want to use GA4 event data inside Google Ads, you can link your GA4 property to Google Ads and import GA4 conversions directly: 1. In Google Ads, go to Goals → Conversions → Summary and click New conversion action. 2. Select Import, then choose Google Analytics 4 properties. 3. Select the GA4 events you want to use as conversions and import them. This is a reliable fallback, but note that imported GA4 conversions and native Google Ads conversion tags may count differently due to attribution model differences. Use one method consistently per conversion action. 💡 Quick Troubleshooting Checklist - Global Site Tag present on all pages? Confirm it is in the <head> section site-wide. - Event snippet on the correct page or firing on the correct trigger? Double-check placement or GTM trigger rules. - Conversion action status in Google Ads showing an error? Revisit tag installation. - Tag Assistant showing the tag as missing or broken? Reinstall or republish via GTM. - Waited at least 48 hours after installation? Allow time for Google to verify the tag. - GA4 linked to Google Ads if using imported conversions? Confirm the property link is active. 💬 Still Need Help? 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.

🛠️ Fix OTTO Conversion Tracking Launch Failures

🔍 Overview When OTTO attempts to launch conversion tracking, it may flag items that require attention before it can proceed. This article explains what to do if OTTO is unable to launch conversion tracking on your site, and how to get the right support to resolve it. ⚙️ What Happens During a Conversion Tracking Launch Failure If OTTO cannot launch conversion tracking, resolving the issue typically requires a backend action from our team — it may not be something you can fully resolve on your own through the platform interface. 🚀 What to Do If OTTO Flags a Launch Failure Because resolving this issue requires a backend action from our support team, please gather the following information before reaching out: 1. Note the exact error message or flag that OTTO is displaying when the launch failure occurs. 2. Record your project name and the domain associated with the site where conversion tracking is failing. 3. Note the timestamp of when the failure occurred or was first noticed. 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.

🛠️ Fix OTTO Pixel False Negatives and Google Ads Sync

🔍 Overview Two separate but related issues can block your OTTO setup: the pixel verification tool reporting a false negative (showing the pixel as missing even though it is correctly installed), and the Google Ads account failing to connect inside Campaign Hub. This article explains why each issue occurs and walks you through the steps to resolve both. ⚠️ Understanding OTTO Pixel False Negatives A false negative means the OTTO pixel scanner reports that your pixel is not detected, even though you have installed it correctly. This is typically caused by one or more of the following: - Third-party script collision: Another script on your site shares a similar src attribute path, causing the scanner to misidentify the pixel's origin domain. - GTM caching: Google Tag Manager caches container snapshots. If the pixel was recently added to GTM, the cached version may not yet include it, so the scanner reads an outdated snapshot. - WAF or CDN blocking: A Web Application Firewall (WAF) or content delivery network (CDN) may block the verification request before the scanner can read the pixel response. - Direct install mislabelled as GTM: The diagnostic tool may incorrectly classify a direct (hard-coded) pixel installation as a GTM-managed install, which can trigger a domain-mismatch warning. 🛠️ Steps to Resolve Pixel False Negatives 1. Navigate to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → SEO Automation (URL: /seo-automation-v3) and open the site showing a pixel error. 2. Confirm the pixel snippet is placed in the <head> section of every page, either hard-coded directly in your theme or published through GTM. 3. If you are using GTM, publish a new container version to force a cache refresh, then wait 5–10 minutes before re-running verification. 4. Temporarily disable your WAF or CDN caching rules for your domain (or whitelist the Search Atlas verification user-agent), then re-run the pixel check. 5. If you installed the pixel directly (not through GTM), ensure no other third-party scripts on the page use a src URL that contains a similar path or domain fragment to the OTTO pixel URL, as this can cause a source collision. 6. After making changes, return to Left sidebar → OTTO SEO → SEO Automation (All Sites), select your site, and trigger a fresh verification scan. Allow up to 15 minutes for the two-tier scanner to complete both its primary and fallback checks. 📊 Understanding Google Ads Account Sync Failures in Campaign Hub If you cannot connect your Google Ads account inside Campaign Hub, the most common reasons are: - Incorrect Google account permissions: The Google account used to authorise the connection must have at least Standard access to the Google Ads account you want to link. - OAuth consent not completed: The authorisation flow was interrupted or the required permissions were not accepted. - Multiple Google accounts logged in: Browser sessions with multiple Google accounts can cause the wrong account to be authorised. - Terminology mismatch: Campaign Hub uses the term "Connect Account" rather than "Install Pixel." If you see a banner or button referencing pixel installation in the Reports tab, this is a display label and does not affect Google Ads connectivity — proceed with the account connection flow regardless. 🔗 Steps to Resolve Google Ads Connection Failures 1. Before starting, sign out of all Google accounts in your browser and sign back in using only the Google account that has Standard or Admin access to your Google Ads account. 2. Inside Search Atlas, go to Campaign Hub and select the option to connect a Google Ads account. 3. Complete the full OAuth flow — accept all requested permissions when prompted by Google. Do not close the pop-up window before it confirms success. 4. If the connection still fails, try using an incognito or private browser window to eliminate cached session conflicts, then repeat the OAuth flow. 5. Verify that the Google Ads account you are connecting is active and not suspended in the Google Ads dashboard before attempting to link it again. 6. After a successful connection, refresh Campaign Hub and confirm your account appears under connected accounts. ✅ Quick Checklist - Pixel is in the <head> on all pages and matches the correct domain - GTM container published after pixel was added - WAF/CDN not blocking the verification request - No conflicting third-party scripts with similar src paths - Single Google account with Standard access used for OAuth - Full OAuth consent accepted without interruption - Google Ads account is active (not suspended) 💬 Still Need Help? If you have followed all steps above and are still experiencing a false negative or a Google Ads sync failure, our team can review your specific site configuration and account logs. 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.

🛠️ OTTO PPC Tracking Parameters in Imported Campaigns

🔍 What Happened Some customers noticed unexpected otto_prod parameters added to their Google Ads campaign tracking templates after connecting their accounts to OTTO PPC. These parameters were injected automatically by OTTO PPC and were not added manually by you or your team. This was caused by a bug in which OTTO PPC incorrectly applied its internal tracking tokens to imported campaigns — campaigns that should have remained untouched. Search Atlas has identified this issue and deployed fixes to prevent it from happening going forward. ✅ What Has Been Fixed Our engineering team has resolved the underlying issue. OTTO PPC no longer incorrectly injects otto_prod tracking parameters into campaigns that were imported into OTTO PPC rather than created by it. ⚙️ How to Audit Your Campaigns Even with the fix in place, we recommend auditing your Google Ads campaigns to confirm no unexpected tracking parameters remain. Follow these steps: 1. Log in to your Google Ads account. 2. Navigate to Campaigns and select each campaign you manage through OTTO PPC. 3. Review the tracking template settings for any values containing otto_prod that you did not add yourself. 4. If you find any unexpected parameters, manually remove them or update the tracking template to your preferred value and save the changes. 5. Repeat this check at the ad group and individual ad level, as tracking templates can be set at multiple levels in Google Ads. 🚫 How to Prevent This in the Future The platform-level fix described above is your primary protection. In addition, consider this best practice: - Review tracking templates after connecting a new account: Any time you connect a Google Ads account to OTTO PPC, check your tracking templates in Google Ads to confirm no unintended changes were made. 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.

📊 Fix Meta Conversions Not Aggregating at Campaign Level

🔍 Overview When reviewing Meta Ads performance in Search Atlas, you may notice that conversions appear correctly at the ad set level but are missing or incomplete when you view data aggregated at the campaign level. This discrepancy can make it seem like your campaign has fewer conversions than Meta Ads Manager reports — even when Meta shows a healthy total, such as 125 conversions for a campaign like Leads - 2026. This article explains why this happens and what you can do to get accurate campaign-level conversion data in Search Atlas. ⚙️ Why This Happens There are a few known reasons why Meta conversions may not roll up correctly to the campaign level in Search Atlas reports: - Aggregation fallback behavior: Search Atlas attempts to pull conversion data directly from Meta's API. If Meta's API is rate-limited or temporarily unavailable for your account, the platform falls back to its own database aggregation. In some cases, this fallback does not yet produce a complete campaign-level total. - Custom conversion events: If your campaign uses custom Meta conversion events (rather than standard Meta events like Lead, Purchase, or CompleteRegistration), these may not be fully supported in all reporting views. Some features — such as automated routines — currently support only standard Meta events. - Conversion tracking not fully configured: Campaign-level aggregation depends on Meta conversion tracking being properly set up and connected within Ad Studio. If this setup is incomplete, data may only surface at the ad set level where it is directly attributed. - Report Builder limitations: Meta Ads conversion data may not yet appear in the Search Atlas Report Builder even if it is visible in the Ads Analytics section. This is a known issue currently in development. 🛠️ How to Troubleshoot 1. Check your Ads Analytics view: Navigate to Left sidebar → Ads → Analytics. Select your campaign from the dropdown and confirm whether campaign-level conversion totals appear here. This view uses direct Meta API data and is the most reliable source within Search Atlas. 2. Verify your conversion event type: In Left sidebar → Ads → Campaigns, open the campaign in question and review which conversion event is assigned. If you are using a custom event, note that campaign-level aggregation for custom events has limited support at this time. 3. Confirm Meta conversion tracking is connected: Go to Left sidebar → Ads → Campaigns and ensure your Meta account is fully connected and that conversion tracking has been configured inside Ad Studio. An incomplete setup can cause data to appear only at the ad set level. 4. Cross-reference with Meta Ads Manager: Compare the conversion breakdown in Meta Ads Manager at both the campaign and ad set levels. If Meta Ads Manager shows the correct campaign total but Search Atlas does not, this confirms the issue is in how Search Atlas is aggregating the data — not in your campaign setup. 5. Wait and refresh: If Meta's API was recently rate-limited, data may be delayed. Wait 30–60 minutes and refresh your Ads Analytics view to see if campaign-level totals update. 📋 What Is Currently Supported It helps to understand the current scope of Meta conversion reporting in Search Atlas: - Standard Meta events (Lead, Purchase, AddToCart, CompleteRegistration, etc.) are supported for campaign-level aggregation and automated routines. - Custom conversion events have limited support — they may appear at the ad set level but not always at the campaign level in all views. - Report Builder does not yet display Meta Ads conversion data; this capability is currently in development and will be available in a future update. - Ads Analytics (Left sidebar → Ads → Analytics) is the recommended view for the most complete Meta conversion data available in Search Atlas today. ✅ Best Practices Going Forward - Use standard Meta conversion events wherever possible to ensure the broadest compatibility with Search Atlas reporting and automation features. - Always verify campaign-level data in Left sidebar → Ads → Analytics rather than the Report Builder until full Report Builder support is released. - Keep your Meta account connection active and authorised to avoid API rate-limiting that can cause aggregation fallbacks. 💬 Still Seeing a Discrepancy? If you have followed the steps above and campaign-level conversions are still not aggregating correctly in Search Atlas, our team can investigate your specific account and campaign configuration. 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.

🔍 Fix OTTO Retargeting Ads Stuck in Queue

🧭 Overview When OTTO generates retargeting ads, they go through an activation pipeline before they go live. In most cases, activation completes automatically within a few minutes. However, some ads can get stuck in the Queued for activation status for an extended period — sometimes days or even a week. This article explains why this happens and what steps you can take to resolve it. ⚠️ Why Ads Get Stuck in 'Queued for Activation' The Queued for activation status means OTTO has prepared your retargeting ads and is waiting to push them through the activation pipeline. Ads can remain in this state for several reasons: - A temporary delay or backlog in the activation queue - A connection issue between OTTO and the ad platform - Missing or incomplete account permissions for the connected ad channel - An underlying sync error that silently halted the process Waiting longer will not resolve most of these cases. If ads have been in this status for more than 24 hours, you should take action. 🛠️ How to Manually Activate Queued Ads If your retargeting ads have been stuck in Queued for activation for more than 24 hours, you can trigger activation manually. Follow these steps: 1. In the left sidebar, click OTTO SEO, then open SEO Automation inside it. 2. Locate the OTTO project that contains the stuck retargeting ads. 3. Navigate to the Retargeting Ads section within that project. 4. Find the ads showing the Queued for activation status. 5. Click the Activate button next to each queued ad (or use the bulk-select option if available) to manually trigger the activation. 6. Wait 2–5 minutes and refresh the page to confirm the status has updated. In most cases, manually triggering activation will push the ads through the pipeline immediately. ✅ What to Check Before Activating Before clicking Activate, make sure the following conditions are met to avoid the ads getting stuck again: - Ad platform connection is active: Confirm that your Google Ads or Meta Ads account is still connected and authorised inside Search Atlas. - Account permissions are correct: Ensure the connected ad account has sufficient permissions to create and publish ads. - Billing is up to date: A suspended or over-budget ad account can block activation on the platform side. - No duplicate campaigns: If a campaign with the same name already exists in the ad platform, it can cause a conflict that stalls activation. 🔄 If Ads Get Stuck Again After Manual Activation If the ads return to Queued for activation after you manually trigger them, this usually indicates a deeper sync or permissions issue that requires investigation. Do not repeatedly click Activate, as this may create duplicate entries. Instead, take note of the ad names and the connected ad account, then contact our support team for assistance. 💬 Need Further Help? 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.