PPC Automation Via Adwords Scripts: Taking The Step of Greatness

Here I have compiled Four Google ads scripts that will transform your campaigns

1. Broken Link Checker Adwords Script
2. Disabling Ads & Keywords For Out of Stock Items
3. Quality Score tracker script
4. Ad Copy A/B Test Script

In this article, I will be dissecting the anatomy of Google Ads scripts, how to deploy them, how to customize their behavior and how to write scripts of your own

Every PPC campaign manager knows that it is very time consuming to manage one Google ads account properly, talk less of when you work in an agency with more than 20 accounts to optimize and generate reports on.?

Some PPC managers save time by creating automated rules, but these are still insufficient when trying to contextualize so much data at account, ad group, location, keyword and ad copy level.?

This is why a grasp of Adwords scripts is the defining attribute that separates the proficient from the expert when it comes to PPC campaign management.?

What are Google Ads Scripts

In simple terms, google ads scripts are snippets of javascript code that can be used to automate campaign management, optimization and report generation. They can be used to implement a self perpetuating system through which external data can interact with internal functions within the ads account.?

If you can think of an activity within your Google Ads accounts or Ads groups, odds are, there’s a script for it. You can auto-create entire ad groups, filter out low-performing Google Ads and pause them, automatically add negative keywords based on search queries, and even tap into the Google keyword planner.

Google Ads scripts can also interact with external data like spreadsheets, email, and even Google Drive to perform your tasks faster and more efficiently than ever.

Below is a custom script for tracking winning and losing ads?

Why Every PPC Manager Should Use Google Ads Scripts?

The performance transformation that Google ads script can create is enormous. But we can summarize these benefits into three main categories

1) Time conservation

The most important benefit that Ads scripts can confer is time management.?it reduces the amount of manpower needed to keep accounts heathy especially when your agency is growing rapidly.

2) Catching errors and implementing automated adjustments

Google ads scripts allow us to pick up on minute issues or optimisation opportunities that our finite attention span would have overlooked. For example, a low performing keyword, or an ad group where high performing keywords are being overshadowed by one high search volume keyword which has a very lower conversion rate.

3) Creating Performance - Aligned Campaigns

Not having to worry about the nitty gritties of an account frees up the mental space required to create campaigns that are instrumented to dominate the ad auctions.?

In summary, every PPC Manager needs to not just optimize accounts but also optimize his/her Google ads optimization routine. To achieve this, there's no better tool than an ads script.?

How to Setup Google Ads Scripts

If you do not have a programming background, then scripts may look like an Einstein-like equation. However, they are not as complex as they seem. According to Google, only entry-level familiarity with JavaScript is needed—the IDE helps with syntax highlighting, auto-complete, and previewing.?

In addition, there are many of pre-built script floating on the internet or in Google's own libraries as seen here

1) Sign in to your Google Ads account.

2) Click the Tools icon and select Scripts under BULK ACTIONS.

3) Press the + icon to add a script.

4) Copy and paste your script code into the editor area, inside the main function

Example of a code you may be pasting in scripts

1. When prompted, click AUTHORIZE so the script can access the account on your behalf. This has to be done once for each script.

Authorising your new script

• Click PREVIEW to run the script in preview mode: Results will appear yin the CHANGES / LOGS panel.

Picking Apart the components of a Google Ad script

Google ads script comprise of seven major components which are

1. Functions

Every Adword script? must begin with a function

The Function element of your script should look something like this:

function main( ) {code to execute}

2. Variables

variables are containers that store data values like metrics, dates, keywords etc. You can use variables to store whichever data in Google Ads you want to access, however,? each Variable must correspond to specific Objects and Entities in your Google Ads account.

3. Objects

There are only four types of Google Objects in Google ads and these are:?

• AdsApp,?
• SpreadsheetApp,?
• AdsmanagerApp, and?
• UrlFetchApp.

For most use cases, you’ll probably only be using AdsApp for the Object of your scripts. The AdsApp object tells the script to look in Google Ads for the data you want.

4. Entities

Entities are usually subcomponents of the AdsApp Object e.g the account, campaign, Ad group, User lists, Search Audiences,? Keywords, Labels, Ad schedules, Budget etc.?

For example if I wanted to access to keyword entity within an account, I'll use the code snippet below?

Var keywords = AdsApp.keywords()

In the code above, we've combined variables (var keywords) & Objects (AdsApp) together to access the keyword entity.?

5. Selectors

Selectors are filters for the data that your script is going to pull from your Google Ads account. For example, if your Variable is keywords, your Selectors will help filter which keywords the script references.

Most Selectors fall under one of the below types:

• withCondition( )
• withIds( )
• forDateRange( )
• orderBy( )
• withLimit( )

For example, here is a script that uses selectors to extensively filter keywords according to performance criteria

function main( ) {

var keywords = AdsApp.keywords( )

.withCondition(“clicks > 50”)

.orderBy(“Conversions DESC”)

.withLimit(25)

6. Methods

These script elements are the commands in your code. You can have your code “Get,” “Set,” “Add,” etc. depending on what type of action you’re trying to automate.

The complete list of methods can be found here.

7. Iterators

Iterators essentially keep your script continually firing. By using the hasNext() and next() Iterator, you set up a loop that will continue to fire as long as your script keeps returning valid data.

Now that you know the different parts that make up your Google Ads scripts, you can better customize whichever scripts you choose to use — your own custom scripts or pre-built ones.

You can insert your script into your Google Ads account under the “Bulk operations” tab on the left.

The scripts window allows you to manage existing scripts and create new ones

Different types of Google Ads scripts

While Google ads scripts come in different shapes and sizes, for the most part, they fall under one of the below types:

• Automating Maintenance
• Labeling
• Tracking
• Ad Text
• Keywords
• Bid Modifiers
• Pausing and Deleting
• Third-Party Data
• Bidding and Budgets
• Tools
• Alerts
• Reporting
• Seasonal Adjustments
• Google Display Network
• Shopping Campaigns

Conclusion

Attaining the stair up in your Google ads experience is going to require that you stretch your intellectual faculties and what could actually push you further than you’ve ever gone than a foray into the dark waters of programmatic PPC.