Once you set up your set of candidate ads using the Ad Generator as described above, the ads will be tested and optimized. When used in conjunction with the Ad Generator, ad optimization moves candidate ads into your ad group, where it compares ad performance over the next few days or weeks--it then keeps the ads that perform the best and deletes the others. After the process is complete, your ad group will automatically include the highest performing ad.

When ad optimization tests the “Ad Generator” ads:

• It treats them a bit differently than the ads that you write using the Create Your Ad page.
• It deletes the ads that don’t perform as well. You can still view the deleted ads, but you cannot edit, copy or move them to other ad groups.

When you use the Create Your Ad page to build multiple ads, the ad optimization function tests those ads against each other, too. In this case, however, it simply turns off the ads that don’t perform as well—it does not delete those ads.

When optimization is complete, the highest performing ad will be on and eligible to display to users.

Ad groups are typically allowed to have as many as 20 ads. Because the Ad Generator can produce more than 20 ads, the Ad Generator provides a separate storage area that holds the candidate ads. This is sometimes referred to as “ads on deck.”

To view the candidate ads, follow these steps:

1. On the Ad Group Details page, click “View Generated Ads” to see the holding area ads (the "ads on deck").
2. The ad optimizer automatically moves pending ads to the live ad group for testing.