Introduction
The Google Ads learning phase is over. So why hasn’t performance bounced back yet?
If your campaigns have exited the learning phase but results are still erratic, or worse, tanking, you’re not alone. The end of the learning period doesn’t guarantee stability. In fact, this is often the point where under-optimised campaigns start to spiral.
In this post, we’ll explain:
- What “post-learning” really means
- Why performance may still be unstable
- How to fix underperforming campaigns after the learning phase
- When to reset the learning phase on purpose
What Does “Post-Learning” Actually Mean?
Once your campaign has gathered enough data, Google stops showing the “learning” status. At this point, your bid strategy (e.g. Maximise Conversions/Values or Target ROAS) has enough feedback to optimise more confidently (or so you would think).
Most campaigns still need manual refinements after the learning phase ends, especially if you were too hands-off during setup or your structure was poor before you entered learning.
Why Performance Can Still Struggle After Learning
Here are some of the most common reasons campaigns underperform once the learning tag disappears:
- The data wasn’t clean or useful
If your campaign learned from poor-quality traffic (e.g. broad matches, irrelevant audiences, thin product pages), it will optimise based on that. - You changed too much during learning
Constant edits (budget, bidding, ads, targeting) can prolong or distort the learning. Even after it “ends,” Google might still be compensating. - Feed or website issues
Especially in Shopping and Performance Max campaigns, poor feed quality or conversion tracking problems will sabotage optimisation. - Not enough conversion volume
If Google barely scraped enough conversions to exit learning, the strategy may still be weak — just no longer flagged as such.
How to Recover Performance After the Learning Phase
If results haven’t improved post-learning, here’s what to do:
1. Audit Traffic and Search Terms
Start with the quality of traffic, not just quantity.
Check for irrelevant queries, placements, or audience overlaps. Trim out the waste.
For PMax campaigns: use the search term insight report and exclude irrelevant brand terms or categories via listing group exclusions.
2. Revisit Conversion Actions
Make sure you’re not optimising for soft goals (e.g. time on site, add to basket) instead of real conversions like purchases or form submissions.
If the campaign “learned” from bad goals, consider setting a new primary conversion and starting a fresh learning cycle.
3. Tighten Targeting Where Possible
If you’re using broad match, loosened asset groups, or overly generic targeting, rein it in. Guide Google with better signals, not just budget.
Use customer lists, audience signals, or product segmentations to steer things back on track.
4. Fix Feed & Landing Page Quality
Are your product titles, images, and GTINs solid? Are you sending traffic to fast, conversion-friendly pages?
Fixing a weak feed or improving landing page UX can be the biggest lever for stabilising Shopping and PMax performance.
5. Let It Run But Monitor Closely
Sometimes a campaign just needs more time — but not blindly.
Set benchmarks and timeframes. If you’re seeing some conversions and improving trends, let it run for 7–14 more days. If not, it may be time to…
If you are doing all of the above you will likely trigger a new learning phase but ultimately you don’t have any choice. If you only have a few change to make from the above list spread them out a little so as not to jump you back in to learning. Alternatively…See below.
When to Force a New Learning Phase
If things are clearly off-course, a reset might be your best bet.
Here’s when to do it:
- You were optimising for the wrong conversion event
- The campaign was flooded with poor traffic early on
- You made drastic changes mid-phase that distorted results
- Feed or tag issues have since been fixed
In these cases, duplicating the campaign and starting again (with improved setup) often beats waiting for performance to self-correct.
Final Thoughts
Getting through the learning phase is just step one. What really matters is what you do next.
If your campaigns aren’t behaving post-learning, it’s probably not a budget issue. It’s a setup or data quality issue. Fix that, and you’ll give Google what it needs to finally optimise with confidence.
Want a second opinion on your account?
At Rocket Reach PPC, we offer completely free, no-obligation audits. If we think we can improve your results, we’ll show you exactly how, no hard sell.
Book your audit now → www.rocketreachppc.com
