Because Google's revenue is your ad spend. That is not a conspiracy, it is just the arrangement, and it explains why the recommendations panel almost always points in one direction.

Some of the recommendations are genuinely useful. The skill is telling those apart from the ones that grow spend without growing enquiries.

The recommendations worth acting on

Fix conversion tracking. Always act. Nothing works without it.

Add negative keywords. Usually sensible, though check the suggestions rather than bulk-applying them.

Fix disapproved ads or policy issues. Act.

Add missing sitelinks or callouts. Generally worth it; they use more of the results page at no extra cost per click.

Remove conflicting negative keywords. These block your own ads and are worth clearing.

The recommendations to treat sceptically

Recommendation	What it usually does
Raise your budget	Increases spend, not necessarily leads
Switch to broad match	Widens reach into lower-intent searches
Enable Display expansion	Moves Search budget to lower-converting placements
Switch to Performance Max	Removes your visibility into where money goes
Raise target CPA	Buys more expensive conversions
Auto-apply recommendations	Changes your account without asking

That last one deserves attention. Auto-apply is a setting that lets Google change your account automatically, and it is on for several recommendation types by default in some accounts. Check it under Recommendations, then Auto-apply, and turn off anything you would not have approved yourself.

The optimisation score is not a performance score

The percentage at the top of your account measures how closely you follow Google's recommendations. It measures compliance, not results.

An account at 100% can lose money steadily. An account at 60% can be highly profitable because the advertiser declined the suggestions that would have broadened targeting beyond what converts.

Dismissing a recommendation raises your score just as accepting it does, which tells you what the number is really tracking.

When more budget genuinely is the right answer

Two numbers decide it, and both are in your account.

Cost per lead against customer value. If a lead costs R400, one in three becomes a customer worth R6,000, then each lead is worth about R2,000 to you. At R400 you should buy as many as you can.

Search impression share lost to budget. In the campaign columns, add "Search lost IS (budget)". If it shows 40%, you are missing 40% of available impressions purely because the budget runs out. That is genuine unmet demand.

When cost per lead is well below customer value and impression share is budget-limited, increasing spend is correct, and Google happens to be right. When cost per lead is already marginal, more budget buys more marginal leads.

Talking to Google's representatives

The calls are real people and some are genuinely helpful. But their objectives are tied to account growth, and the recurring advice is broader match types, higher budgets and Performance Max.

A useful question to ask them: "what will this do to my cost per lead?" If the answer is about impressions, clicks or reach rather than leads, you have your answer.

Juicy Designs manages accounts to cost per lead and will tell you when spending less is the better call. See Google Ads management or a free account audit. Related: Google reps vs an agency and setting a budget.

Frequently asked questions

Why does Google keep recommending I increase my budget?

Because Google's revenue is your ad spend, and the recommendations are generated automatically from what would increase impressions rather than from what would increase your profit. Some are genuinely useful, but none of them knows what a lead is worth to you.

Are the recommendations in my account trustworthy?

Treat them as suggestions from an interested party. Recommendations to add negative keywords or fix tracking are usually worth acting on. Recommendations to raise budgets, switch to broad match, or enable automatic extensions frequently increase spend without increasing enquiries.

What is the optimisation score?

A percentage showing how closely your account follows Google's recommendations. It is not a measure of performance. Accounts can sit at 100% and lose money, or at 60% and be highly profitable.

Should I take calls from Google's account representatives?

You can, but treat their advice the same way. Their targets are tied to spend growth, and the most common advice is to broaden match types and raise budgets, which usually increases cost per lead.

When is increasing the budget actually the right move?

When your cost per lead is comfortably below what a customer is worth and your impression share is limited by budget. Then more spend genuinely buys more profitable leads. Check those two numbers before acting.