If your account was hit with Compromised site and you’ve now successfully appealed, but impressions are still at zero, don’t panic. This guide covers exactly what to check and how to restart delivery—fast.
TL;DR (Quick Answer)
- After approval, allow up to 24 hours for full re-propagation across Google’s systems.
- If still at zero after 24 hours, make a small edit to the affected ads/asset (e.g., change one word), re-save, and let them re-review.
- Verify billing and account status (no outstanding balance, payment method valid, no other policy flags or account-level holds).
- Check campaign basics: budgets, bids/CPA tROAS, geo/ads schedule, exclusions, and keyword/targeting overlap.
- If impressions don’t resume after the above, contact support with recent change logs and policy case IDs.
Why Impressions Often Stay at Zero Right After a Reinstatement
When Google clears a policy flag like Compromised site, there’s a short reindexing/propagation window on the back end. During this time, your ads may show Eligible but still receive no auctions. This is temporary, but you should still perform a light health check.
10-Point Health Check (15 Minutes)
- Time Buffer (0–24h)
If approval was within the last hour or two, give it a little time. Track in real-time with the Top metrics view at the campaign level. - Nudge Review
Open the ad → change a single character/word in the headline or description → save. This triggers a fresh, quick review cycle without rewriting everything. - Billing & Payments
- No past-due balance
- Primary card not expired
- No suspicious payment activity flags
- Campaign Status & Delivery Settings
- Campaign/Ad group/Ad = Enabled
- Budget not throttling (too low for your CPCs/CPA)
- Bid strategy aligned (e.g., tCPA has realistic targets; Maximize Conversions has conversion tracking in place)
- Targeting Conflicts
- Geo targeting actually includes your buyers
- Ad schedule isn’t limiting to dead hours
- Negative keywords/audiences not over-blocking
- Brand safety or placement exclusions not too aggressive
- Policy & Asset Review
- Final URL is secure (HTTPS) and loads fast
- No malware/phishing remnants; pass a public malware scan
- All extensions (assets) approved (sitelinks, callouts, call, price, etc.)
- Conversion Tracking
- Tag fires correctly
- No major tag changes during the policy window (which can confuse smart bidding)
- Use Tag Assistant or your analytics platform to verify
- Auction Insights
- Compare impression share and overlap rate before vs. after the incident
- If competitors surged during your downtime, consider a short-term bid/budget boost to re-enter auctions
- Ad Strength & Relevance
- Maintain at least 2–3 RSA variants per ad group
- Include primary keywords in H1/H2 and path fields
- Keep high-quality, policy-safe copy
- Support Packet
If still stuck after edits + 24h:
- Note case ID from the appeal
- Export Change history and recent Policy notifications
- Include screenshots of Eligible status with zero impressions
- Contact Google Ads support and reference the earlier policy case
Fast Restart Playbook
- Wait 12–24 hours after the approval timestamp.
- Soft edit the ads (or re-upload one asset) to re-trigger fast review.
- Flush caches at your end: clear CDN cache, confirm SSL chain, and ensure the final URL renders identically for multiple geos/devices.
- Lift short-term constraints: temporarily loosen budget caps or raise tCPA caps to let auctions re-learn.
- Reinforce trust signals on page (security badges, uptime monitor badge, malware-free certification if applicable).
- Re-check remarketing lists and custom segments—some audiences can be paused or emptied after policy incidents.
Common Gotchas
- Account-level holds (not campaign-level): You’ll see “Eligible” but no delivery; verify at Tools & Settings → Billing → Settings and Policy manager.
- Disapproved assets inside an otherwise “Eligible” ad group can suppress delivery. Scroll through every asset.
- URL mismatches (tracking template, final URL, and auto-tagging). Keep them consistent.
- tCPA/tROAS too strict right after downtime. Loosen for a few days and then optimize down.
Prevent Recurrence: Security & Policy Hygiene
- Harden the site: patch CMS/plugins, enforce WAF, enable bot protection, require strong auth, set up daily malware scans.
- Uptime & security monitoring: real-time alerts to rollback quickly.
- Versioned deployments: quick revert if a plugin/theme introduces vulnerabilities.
- Policy checks: quarterly internal audit of assets, URLs, feeds, and disclaimers.
FAQ
How long should I wait before escalating?
Give it 24 hours post-approval, then perform soft edits. If still no impressions after another 6–12 hours, open a support case with documentation.
Do I need to rebuild campaigns?
No. Start with soft edits and delivery checks. Rebuild only if there are deeper structural issues.
Can billing pauses kill momentum?
Yes. Any billing failure can stall auctions. Ensure continuous payment validity during and after policy events.
Need Hands-On Help?
We fix policy disapprovals/suspensions and restart delivery every week. If you’d like us to audit and unstick your account (and harden your site), get in touch via the contact link on this page.