Google AdWords via Database?

August 20, 2009 3:53 PM

Anyone know of a way to set up a Google AdWords account so that ads and keywords can be uploaded in bulk (as a database)?

I would very much like to be able to place Google AdWords ads in bulk (by the thousands), not one by one. Surely there's got to be some way to do this?

Has anyone heard of any way that this can be done? Perhaps uploading or feeding some kind of database to Google (in whatever format they require) with fields such as 1.) triggering keyword, 2.) title/text of ad, 3.) ad link, 4.) bid for the keyword, etc. ... something along those lines?

I've been searching and sifting through information about the AdWords API but with no luck so far ... and yet it's such a simple idea, surely I'm missing something obvious? If you have any experience with this kind of thing, your thoughts and ideas are very much appreciated.

posted by dacoit to technology (6 comments total)

I've been searching and sifting through information about the AdWords API but with no luck so far ... and yet it's such a simple idea, surely I'm missing something obvious?

The AdService API?
posted by effbot at 4:06 PM on August 20, 2009

The AdWords Editor? You want to do this programmatically or just really fast by hand like in a spreadsheet?
posted by GuyZero at 4:18 PM on August 20, 2009

Effbot: Thank you! The AdService API might be just what we're looking for. Thanks for the tip!

GuyZero: Yeah, we're wanting to do this programmatically ... thousands of ads, updated every day from our database, are just calling for an automated solution, it's far too many to do by hand. :)
posted by dacoit at 11:50 AM on August 21, 2009

Yeah, it's all there in the AdWords API, keep looking. :)
posted by GuyZero at 12:14 PM on August 21, 2009

To elaborate a bit, there's a collection of API:s that lets you modify all parts of a complete campaign; you use different services to set up the campaign itself and the budget (CampaignService), add ad groups (AdGroupService), add target keywords etc for the groups (CriterionService), and then add individual ads to groups (AdService).

The Campaign Data Services sections on this page should help you sort this out, I think.
posted by effbot at 12:19 PM on August 21, 2009

Previously your Google AdWords personal contact was doing this for you if the budget was high enough. Maybe you ask suppert whether there's still a way to upload an Excel file?

Apart from that I believe there are agencies specialised in AdWords campaigns who have developed their own interface using the API. Maybe those are an option, too?
posted by oxit at 2:18 PM on August 21, 2009