Managing a PPC account can take a lot of time. The campaign managers have to be aware of several metrics including CPC, conversion rates, and CTR for each keyword. They also have to evaluate ad copy performance, click share, impression share, and performance at location level.
When handling multiple accounts, this workload increases significantly. The competitive landscape of PPC advertising adds even more stress. This is where Google Ads Scripts come into play. Mastering these scripts can distinguish top PPC marketers and agencies from the competition.
While many would love to deploy scripts for campaign management, there is a steep barrier to entry because of the extensive Javascript knowledge that is required to create and deploy these ad scripts.
This is where Chatgpt and other LLMs come into play. With the help of Chagpt 4.0 and above, you can create any adscript of your choice within a few minutes. All you would require is a nuanced understanding of your campaign history, its performance context and your optimization requirements.
In this article, we will show you how to achieve all of this even if you have never written a line of code before. However, to set the right foundation, we will have to begin with the very basics.
What Are Google Ads Scripts?
Google Ads Scripts are small pieces of code that enable you to control campaign settings without using the Google Ads interface. Through the use of these scripts that bypass the interface, advanced campaign modifications and automations can be achieved.
Common Uses for Google Ads Scripts
Many of the campaign management activities that can be done with an ad scripts include things like
- Bid Adjustments: Ad Scripts can be used to automatically adjust bids and control costs within a campaign
- Pausing Ads: Scripts may automatically stop ads or keywords that are under performing
- Budget Management: Ad scripts are able to log spending on a daily basis and stop out of budget campaigns.
- Reporting: These scripts can enhance reporting capabilities, such as generating and emailing performance reports for any chosen time frame.
These scripts are directly embedded in Google Ads, and users can go on to manage even the largest of accounts more efficiently.
How to Set Up Google Ads Scripts
From the outset, Google Ads Scripts appear intimidating, however they are relatively easy to use. Google recommends that a basic understanding of JavaScript is sufficient to begin. The platform also includes a built-in editor with, among other, useful functions such as syntax highlighting and auto-completion.
You can also find pre-made scripts in Google’s library or online to help you get started.
Steps to Set Up a Script in Google Ads
- Log in to your Google Ads account.
- Go to Tools & Settings > Bulk Actions > Scripts.
- Click the + icon to create a new script.
- Paste the script code into the editor under the main( function.
- Authorize with Click to grant the script access to your account.
- Use Preview to test the script. The results will appear in the Changes/Logs panel.
Why Use ChatGPT for Google Ads Scripts?
Writing scripts manually is time consuming, even when coding is not your area of expertise. ChatGPT makes such steps easier by allowing the user to focus on the priorities of the game instead of becoming frustrated with code syntax and debugging.
Here’s How to Use ChatGPT for Script Creation
Step 1: Define Your Campaign Management Goal
Determine what you want the script to accomplish. For example:
- Adjust bids for keywords with a CTR below 3%.
- Send daily performance reports.
Step 2: Write a Clear Prompt that Outlines Your Requirements
Be specific when explaining your needs to ChatGPT. For example:
- Create a Google Ads script to pause ads with a CTR below 3%.
- Write a script to generate a report of ad groups with fewer than 100 impressions per day.
Step 3: Generate the Script
Input the prompt into ChatGPT. The AI will generate the script along with comments to describe what it does.
Step 4: Test the Script
- Paste the script into the Google Ads Script Editor.
- Use Preview to test it in a safe, non-live setting.
Step 5: Deploy the Script
- Once the script performs as intended, save it.
- Schedule it to run automatically (e.g., daily or weekly).
Understanding the Components of a Google Ads Script
A Google Ads script consists of seven key components:
- Functions: The script begins with a function (e.g., main()).
- Variables: Store data like metrics, dates, or keywords.
- Objects: Core elements like AdsApp or SpreadsheetApp used to access data or perform operations.
- Entities: Campaign components such as campaigns, keywords, or ad groups.
- Selectors: Filter data retrieved by the script (e.g., withCondition(), forDateRange()).
- Methods: Define actions such as Get, Set, or Pause.
- Iterators: Help loop through data using commands like hasNext() and next().
How To Use Google Ads Performance Data To Build Context For Google Ads Script Creation
The context for writing the scripts can be derived from the Google Ads performance data, meaning that problems can be derived from Google Ads data, objectives can be derived fromGoogle Ads data, and the specific actions that the script will perform can also be derived from Google Ads data. Here's how to use performance data effectively:
Step 1: Identify Key Metrics to Monitor
Analyze the following metrics in your Google Ads account to understand campaign performance and identify optimization opportunities:
- Click-Through Rate (CTR): Indicates ad relevance to users.
- Cost-Per-Click (CPC): Measures cost efficiency of clicks.
- Conversion Rate: Evaluates ad effectiveness in driving actions.
- Impression Share: Assesses visibility in search results.
- Quality Score: Reflects ad quality and relevance.
- Budget Utilization: Tracks daily or monthly spend against budget limits.
Step 2: Pinpoint Performance Patterns
Examine trends in performance data to spot potential issues or opportunities:
- High CTR, Low Conversions: Indicates ad relevance but potential landing page or product misalignment.
- Over-budget Campaigns: Highlights the need for better budget control.
- Low-Performing Keywords: Signals the need for bid adjustments or pausing.
- High Bounce Rates: Suggests poor user experience on landing pages.
Step 3: Define Script Objectives Based on Insights
Once you understand the performance data, define the script's goal. Examples include:
- Adjusting bids for keywords with a CTR below a certain threshold.
- Pausing ads with low conversion rates to reallocate spend.
- Sending alerts for campaigns nearing their budget limits.
- Generating detailed reports to monitor trends or anomalies.
Step 4: Create a Clear Plan for Script Execution
Using your defined objectives, map out what the script needs to do. For instance:
- Objective: Increase bids for keywords with a high conversion rate.
- Script Action: Identify keywords with a conversion rate above 5% in the last 30 days and raise their bids by 10%.
- Objective: Pause campaigns exceeding daily budgets.
- Script Action: Monitor daily spend and pause campaigns surpassing the budget.
Step 5: Write a Script Prompt with Context
Use your performance data analysis to craft a detailed prompt for script creation. For example:
- Create a Google Ads script to pause campaigns spending over 90% of their daily budget and send an email alert.
- Generate a script to adjust bids for keywords with a conversion rate above 3% and a CTR above 5%.
Step 6: Use Script Outputs for Ongoing Optimization
Use the results generated by scripts to refine your campaigns further:
- Evaluate paused ads or keywords and determine if changes (e.g., new landing pages) can improve performance.
- Monitor bid adjustments to ensure they’re achieving desired outcomes, like higher ROI or better CTR.
Examples of Scripts Created with ChatGPT
Example 1: Pausing Low-Performing Ads
Objective: Pause ads with a CTR below 3%.
This script scans enabled ads from the last 30 days and pauses those with a CTR below 3%.
Example 2: Sending a Weekly Report
Objective: Email a report of ad performance.
This script generates a report and emails it automatically.
Example 3: Automatically Enabling Ads During Business Hours
Objective: Run ads only during specified times.
Description: Enable ads at 9 AM and pause them at 5 PM.
Example 4: Detecting Broken Landing Pages
Objective: Pause ads with URLs that return 404 errors or fail to load.
Description: The script checks each ad’s landing page and pauses those with issues.
Example 5: Adjusting Bids by Device Type
Objective: Modify bids based on device performance.
Description: This script increases bids for devices with conversion rates that are above 5% (e.g., mobile) or decreases them for underperforming devices with conversion rates that are under 2%.
Comparing Campaigns With Scripts vs. No Scripts
Over the long term. campaigns in which Ads Scripts are deployed generally outperform those managed manually.
This is because ad scripts reduce human error, and provide real time responses to the evolving context of the competitive landscape in which the campaign is deployed.
For example, campaigns that implement automated bid adjustments in response to weather, or other external factors typically see higher CTRs, improved conversion rates, and enhanced budget efficiency.
On the other hand, campaigns without scripts tend to have higher response lags in relation to when performance issues crop up, resulting in wasted ad spend and missed opportunities for optimization.
Summary
Google Ads Scripts are an effective tool for granular and automated campaign management and optimization. Although creating these scripts used to require JavaScript knowledge, LLMs like Gemini, LLama and ChatGPT have made them accessible to everyone, regardless of coding ability.
Once the LLM user can establish clear objectives based on the context of a campaign, endless optimization possibilities become accessible. Whether it's pausing ads that aren't performing well, adjusting bids, or generating performance reports, scripts enable efficient and data-driven management of campaigns.