# Ad Preview and Diagnosis Log

Canonical page: https://waitlist.crany.ai/marketing-templates/search-ad-preview-diagnosis-log

By Tangenix. Published 2026-10-23. Category: Paid search.

Record the context and diagnostic message when a search ad is missing, then choose a bounded investigation without distorting impression data.

## Task

Investigate a missing Search ad using a contextual preview and documented diagnostic evidence.

## When to use

Use this when a founder or teammate cannot find an ad and wants to know what to check next. Preserve the preview context and exact diagnostic before changing targeting or spending.

## Choose another approach when

You plan repeated self-searches or clicks to force delivery, take a single preview as a complete auction report, or bypass an account security or verification issue.

## Inputs

- The intended campaign, keyword context and current serving status.
- The search and available location, language or device preview settings.
- Permission to inspect the account without changing billing or security settings.

## Template

    Observation time and account timezone: [time]
    Campaign / ad / asset under investigation: [identifiers]
    Preview search and available context settings: [values]
    Observed preview: shown / absent / uncertain
    Exact diagnostic message: [copy accurately]
    Account and campaign status evidence: [read-only observations]
    Possible cause: [hypothesis, not conclusion]
    Next bounded check: [one diagnostic or owner question]
    Change proposed: [none or separately approved action]
    Retest context and result: [record]
    Limit: this preview does not represent all campaign activity.

## Illustrative example

This is not a Crany customer result. Replace example details with verified facts.

    Fictional founder says the handoff ad is missing. The reviewer uses the preview tool with the intended search and records “ad is not showing” with a reason that needs investigation.
    Read-only inspection shows the campaign is paused by its owner. Next step: confirm whether that pause is intentional. The reviewer does not increase the budget, unpause the campaign or repeatedly search Google.
    After an authorized restart, a new contextual preview and later campaign reports would provide separate evidence of delivery.

## How to use

1. Use the preview and diagnosis surface rather than repeated searches for your own ad.
2. Record context, diagnostic wording and account or campaign status before choosing a hypothesis.
3. Assign the smallest useful follow-up check and separate any proposed setting change from observation.

## Checks

- The log includes time and preview context.
- An unknown reason remains unknown until evidence resolves it.
- The review does not alter billing, account verification or security protections.

## What to measure

Track resolved diagnostic cases and time to a verified explanation. Use campaign reports for broader delivery analysis; a successful preview is an observation under its recorded conditions, not proof of continuous appearance.

## Research and sources

Google describes contextual preview, diagnostic limitations and the benefit of avoiding self-search impressions. The investigation log is original; no live campaign is inspected or modified by this template.

- [Google Ads: About the Ad preview and diagnosis tool](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/148778?hl=en) — checked 2026-10-23. Preview and diagnosis avoids self-search impressions; a preview is a contextual observation, not complete delivery evidence.

Prepared with AI assistance. Sources support the stated principles; they do not endorse Crany or guarantee performance.

## About Crany

Crany is an AI marketing co-founder in development for software founders and vibe coders. It is designed to strategize, execute approved marketing and improve based on results. These free resources are usable independently of app access. The public waitlist is at https://waitlist.crany.ai/.