--- title: How Google's Autocomplete Impacts AdWords Impressions description: Google shows ads even before a user hits enter while performing a search query. Do these ad views count as impressions? Find out. image: https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Autocompleteedit4-3.png --- [![Group 139 (1)](https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/Group%20139%20(1).svg "Group 139 (1)")](https://commonmind.com) [![CommonMind Logo](https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/CommonMind%20Logo.svg "CommonMind Logo")](https://www.commonmind.com/) - [Solution](https://www.commonmind.com/solution) - [Results](https://www.commonmind.com/results) - [Pricing](https://www.commonmind.com/pricing) - [Authority Blueprint](https://www.commonmind.com/pricing/ai-authority-blueprint) - [Growth Programs](https://www.commonmind.com/pricing/growth-programs) - [AI Visibility Snapshot](https://www.commonmind.com/ai-visibility-snapshot) - [Learning Center](https://www.commonmind.com/learning-center) - [About](https://www.commonmind.com/about) - [Meet the Team](https://www.commonmind.com/about/team) - [Contact Us](https://www.commonmind.com/contact) More results En - [English](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/google-autocomplete-adwords#) - [Español](https://www.commonmind.com/es/blog) [ Book a discovery call ](https://www.commonmind.com/contact) [ Book a discovery call ](https://www.commonmind.com/contact/book-discovery-call) - [ Solution ](https://www.commonmind.com/solution) - [ Results ](https://www.commonmind.com/results) - [ Pricing ](https://www.commonmind.com/pricing) - [ Authority Blueprint ](https://www.commonmind.com/pricing/ai-authority-blueprint) - [ Growth Programs ](https://www.commonmind.com/pricing/growth-programs) - [ AI Visibility Snapshot ](https://www.commonmind.com/ai-visibility-snapshot) - [ Learning Center ](https://www.commonmind.com/learning-center) - [ About ](https://www.commonmind.com/about) - [ Meet the Team ](https://www.commonmind.com/about/team) - [ Contact Us ](https://www.commonmind.com/contact) [ Book a discovery call ](https://www.commonmind.com/contact/book-discovery-call) [PPC](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/tag/ppc) # How Google’s Autocomplete Impacts AdWords Impressions by [Kat Cancio](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/author/kat-cancio) 2 min read April 30, 2019 **If an ad appears and no one hits enter, does it make an impression?** Google’s Autocomplete feature allows users to save ample time by predicting their search queries, acting as a spell check, and repeating favorite searches so that users can conveniently find and click on links they have visited in the past. Autocomplete has become a popular tool for users looking to reach their favorite products or websites in the quickest way possible. [![Autocompleteedit4](https://www.commonmind.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Autocompleteedit4-3.png?width=556&height=296&name=Autocompleteedit4-3.png)](https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Autocompleteedit4-3.png) But for PPC advertisers, Google’s Autocomplete has left an air of mystery about whether ads that appear in incomplete search results are officially counted as impressions. Since a Google search revealed little information on the subject, I decided to contact Google directly for insight that might help advertisers better understand Autocomplete in the scope of managing PPC, or more specifically AdWords, campaigns. According to Google AdWords’ Support team, the answer to whether ads shown in Autocomplete count as impressions is *it depends. *If a user continuously types out their search query without hesitation, and the search results continue to dynamically change, the impression will be filtered out and not counted. If, on the other hand, mid-way through their search, the user pauses to view the results, ads on that search page would count as receiving a valid impression. However, Google will not reveal an exact amount of time that the user would need to have stopped to view the ad for it to count as an impression. The official word is that the timing is “dynamic” and Google isn’t saying anything more. While the response I received from Google AdWords’ Support team definitely cleared a bit of the mystery behind Autocomplete and its connection to PPC ad impressions, there is no exact way to judge whether an ad will receive a valid impression in Autocomplete, especially if Google does not specify a minimum amount of time a user would need to view a dynamic search page. However, what we can rely on is the fact that impressions are not counted for those ads that appear in the middle of uninterrupted search queries. ## Key Takeaways: - If Google shows an ad while a user types out their search query without pausing, Google does not count it as a valid impression - If a user pauses mid-way through typing their search query, Google counts it as a valid impression - Google does not specify the amount of time a user would need to pause in the middle of their search for it to count as a valid impression #### Share this [Share on X ](https://x.com/intent/post?url=https://www.commonmind.com/blog/google-autocomplete-adwords&text=How+Google%27s+Autocomplete+Impacts+AdWords+Impressions) [Share on Facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.commonmind.com/blog/google-autocomplete-adwords&t=How+Google%27s+Autocomplete+Impacts+AdWords+Impressions) [Share on LinkedIn ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.commonmind.com/blog/google-autocomplete-adwords&t=How+Google%27s+Autocomplete+Impacts+AdWords+Impressions) Next story [The importance of Mobile Web Performance →](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/importance-of-mobile-web-performance) ### You May Also Like These Related Stories [Google Improves Mobile Search Ads](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/improved-mobile-search-ads) ![](https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Untitled+drawing+(64)-3.png) [PPC](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/tag/ppc) #### Google Improves Mobile Search Ads Aug 20, 2019 12:00:00 AM 1 min read [Our most important Google AdWords Predictions for 2018](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/google-adwords-predictions-for-2018) ![](https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/targeting-age-adwords-556x304-Jan-18-2023-04-31-39-6915-PM.png) [PPC](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/tag/ppc) #### Our most important Google AdWords Predictions for 2018 Jul 14, 2019 12:00:00 AM 5 min read [Google’s Responsive Search Ads: Best Practices & How-To](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/googles-responsive-search-ads-best-practices) ![](https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Be-Creative-556x387-3.jpg) [PPC](https://www.commonmind.com/blog/tag/ppc) #### Google’s Responsive Search Ads: Best Practices & How-To Aug 20, 2019 12:00:00 AM 6 min read [![CommonMind Logo (1)](https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/CommonMind%20Logo%20(1).svg "CommonMind Logo (1)")](https://commonmind.com) ###### **About our agency** Founded in 2001, CommonMind helps vertical SaaS companies turn deep expertise into market authority — so small marketing teams can drive real pipeline, not just traffic. 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All Rights Reserved Boston | [Privacy Policy](https://www.commonmind.com/privacy-policy) | [(617) 765-1777](tel:6177651777) ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Kat Cancio", "url" : "https://www.commonmind.com/blog/author/kat-cancio" }, "dateModified" : "2023-12-20T18:10:05.736Z", "datePublished" : "2019-04-30T04:00:00.000Z", "headline" : "How Google's Autocomplete Impacts AdWords Impressions", "image" : [ "https://www.commonmind.com/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/Autocompleteedit4-3.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://www.commonmind.com/blog/google-autocomplete-adwords", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject" }, "name" : "CommonMind" } } ```