Tag Archives: bidding

Deprecating Commissions Bidding Strategy

On April 30, 2024, the creation of hotel campaigns with COMMISSION bidding strategy will sunset. This bidding strategy was available only to travel advertisers. Requests to create new hotel campaigns or apply this bidding strategy to existing campaigns after April 30th will result in a BiddingStrategyError.BIDDING_STRATEGY_NOT_SUPPORTED error. Existing campaigns with the COMMISSION bidding strategy will continue to run until October 31, 2024. After this day campaigns will stop serving until their bidding strategy is updated. A notification will be displayed in the Google Ads UI, guiding users on how to update the affected campaigns.

We suggest that travel advertisers with Hotel campaigns and Things to do Ads migrate to the Target ROAS (TARGET_ROAS) auto bidding strategy. You can find more information about the tROAS in our Help Center article.

If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us in the forum.

Daniel Rodriguez, the Google Ads API Team

Changes to how Smart Bidding strategies are organized for Search campaigns

We previously announced that standard (non-portfolio) TargetCpa and TargetRoas bidding strategies are being replaced by MaximizeConversions (with target_cpa) and MaximizeConversionValue (with target_roas) for Search campaigns (those with advertising_channel_type = SEARCH).

Starting in July 2022, all remaining Search campaigns that use standard TargetCpa and TargetRoas bidding strategies will be converted to MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue strategies, with the same target_cpa and target_roas settings applied, respectively. The migration of portfolio strategies is planned later in 2023.

With this change there will be no impact to bidding behavior. Using MaximizeConversions with a target_cpa setting will have the same bidding behavior as TargetCpa. Likewise, using MaximizeConversionValue with a target_roas setting will have the same bidding behavior as TargetRoas.

Example

The following sample Campaign object illustrates what a migrated Search campaign’s bidding strategy settings would look like before and after the transition.

Existing campaign using standard TargetCpa

Previously using TargetCpa Now uses MaximizeConversions 
{
  bidding_strategy_type: TARGET_CPA
  target_cpa: {
    target_cpa_micros: 1000000
  }
  ...
}
 
{
  bidding_strategy_type: MAXIMIZE_CONVERSIONS
  maximize_conversions: {
    target_cpa: 1000000
  }
  ...
}



Existing campaign using standard TargetRoas

Previously using TargetRoas Now uses MaximizeConversionValue 
{
  bidding_strategy_type: TARGET_ROAS
  target_roas: {
    target_roas: 2.0
  }
  ...
}
 
{
  bidding_strategy_type: MAXIMIZE_CONVERSION_VALUE
  maximize_conversion_value: {
    target_roas: 2.0
  }
  ...
}


What to do

The Google Ads API already prohibits creating or updating standard (non-portfolio) TargetCpa or TargetRoas bidding strategies for Search campaigns. In July, any code that reads or manages remaining strategies of those types should account for the settings migrating to MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue.

If you have any questions or need additional help, contact us via the forum or at [email protected].

Adam Ohren, Google Ads API Team

Updates to how Google Ads API Smart Bidding strategies are organized

We previously announced changes to how Smart Bidding strategies are organized to help advertisers choose the right one. Google Ads API developers can now create new or update existing Search campaigns using the following bidding strategies: What’s changing
Starting on September 30, 2021, Google Ads API developers won’t be able to create new TargetCpa or TargetRoas standard bidding strategies in Search campaigns. This change will prevent creating new Search campaigns that use these strategies, as well as prevent updating existing Search campaigns to use these strategies. Instead, use the new optional target CPA field with MaximizeConversions, and the new target ROAS field with MaximizeConversionValue. This change will not affect portfolio (shared) bidding strategies.

AdWords API
AdWords API users can continue to use the old style TargetRoasBiddingScheme and TargetCpaBiddingScheme bidding strategies, since v201809 of that API does not contain the MaximizeConversions.target_cpa field required to migrate to the new style bidding strategies. Their usage will sunset when the AdWords API itself sunsets in April, 2022. Switch to using the new bidding strategies when you migrate your code to the Google Ads API.

What to do
Update any code that creates or updates standard (non-portfolio) TargetCpa or TargetRoas Search campaigns. Use MaximizeConversions or MaximizeConversionValue strategies with their target_cpa (mutable starting in v8) or target_roas fields instead.

There will be no impact to bidding behavior due to this update. Using MaximizeConversions with target_cpa will have the same bidding behavior as TargetCpa. Likewise, using MaximizeConversionValue with target_roas will have the same bidding behavior as TargetRoas.

Refer to our product level announcement for more details on this change.

All existing campaigns using TargetCpa or TargetRoas will continue to run as usual, and you will still be able to manage their bidding strategies and budgets as before. We’ll give advance notice before automatically migrating these old bidding strategies to the new format in 2022.

If you have any questions or need additional help, contact us via the forum or at [email protected].
Adam Ohren, Google Ads API Team

Combining Similar Bid Strategies

The v6 release of the Google Ads API added support for Maximize conversions and Maximize conversion value bid strategies in Search campaigns. This includes a new read-only MaximizeConversions.target_cpa field. Bid strategies having either this new target_cpa field or the read-only MaximizeConversionValue.target_roas field act identically to TargetCpa and TargetRoas bid strategies, respectively. In the future, bid strategies for Search campaigns will be reorganized for simplification.

What’s Changing

For Search campaigns, TargetCpa and TargetRoas will no longer be separate from the MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue bid strategies. Instead, they will be represented as MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue bid strategies with their respective target_cpa and target_roas fields set. Use of TargetCpa and TargetRoas as separate strategies will be deprecated.

There will be no impact to bidding behavior due to these changes. The MaximizeConversions bid strategy using the new optional target_cpa setting will still behave like the TargetCpa strategy does today, and likewise, MaximizeConversionValue using the new optional target_roas setting will behave like TargetRoas.

Before After
TargetRoas MaximizeConversionValue.target_roas
TargetCpa MaximizeConversions.target_cpa


Starting in April 2021, the Google Ads UI will start allowing some users to create MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue bid strategies with their target_cpa and target_roas fields set, in lieu of the old-style TargetCpa and TargetRoas bid strategies. This change will gradually ramp-up to more accounts over time.

The target_roas and target_cpa will remain read-only to API users until a future version of the API enables mutate functionality.

What to Do
Developers should ensure their code treats Search campaigns that have MaximizeConversions with a set target_cpa field and MaximizeConversionValue with a set target_cpa field the same way it treats TargetCpa and TargetRoas bid strategies, respectively.

We will publish an update on the blog when the above fields are mutable, along with several months' notice before TargetCpa and TargetRoas strategies are deprecated in Search campaigns.

If you have any questions or need additional help, contact us via the forum or at [email protected].
Adam Ohren, Google Ads API Team

Combining Similar Bid Strategies

The v6 release of the Google Ads API added support for Maximize conversions and Maximize conversion value bid strategies in Search campaigns. This includes a new read-only MaximizeConversions.target_cpa field. Bid strategies having either this new target_cpa field or the read-only MaximizeConversionValue.target_roas field act identically to TargetCpa and TargetRoas bid strategies, respectively. In the future, bid strategies for Search campaigns will be reorganized for simplification.

What’s Changing

For Search campaigns, TargetCpa and TargetRoas will no longer be separate from the MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue bid strategies. Instead, they will be represented as MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue bid strategies with their respective target_cpa and target_roas fields set. Use of TargetCpa and TargetRoas as separate strategies will be deprecated.

There will be no impact to bidding behavior due to these changes. The MaximizeConversions bid strategy using the new optional target_cpa setting will still behave like the TargetCpa strategy does today, and likewise, MaximizeConversionValue using the new optional target_roas setting will behave like TargetRoas.

Before After
TargetRoas MaximizeConversionValue.target_roas
TargetCpa MaximizeConversions.target_cpa


Starting in April 2021, the Google Ads UI will start allowing some users to create MaximizeConversions and MaximizeConversionValue bid strategies with their target_cpa and target_roas fields set, in lieu of the old-style TargetCpa and TargetRoas bid strategies. This change will gradually ramp-up to more accounts over time.

The target_roas and target_cpa will remain read-only to API users until a future version of the API enables mutate functionality.

What to Do
Developers should ensure their code treats Search campaigns that have MaximizeConversions with a set target_cpa field and MaximizeConversionValue with a set target_cpa field the same way it treats TargetCpa and TargetRoas bid strategies, respectively.

We will publish an update on the blog when the above fields are mutable, along with several months' notice before TargetCpa and TargetRoas strategies are deprecated in Search campaigns.

If you have any questions or need additional help, contact us via the forum or at [email protected].
Adam Ohren, Google Ads API Team

Sunsetting Portofolio Enhanced CPC Bid Strategies

On March 22, 2021 we will begin to sunset portfolio (shared) Enhanced cost-per-click (ECPC) bid strategies. The following behaviors will be blocked in all versions of both the AdWords API and the Google Ads API:
  • Creating new portfolio ECPC strategies.
  • Attaching portfolio ECPC strategies to campaigns.
Note that standard (non-portfolio) ECPC strategies will not be affected.

Affected Portfolio Enhanced CPC Strategies
Google Ads API Bidding_strategy.type = BiddingStrategyType.ENHANCED_CPC
AdWords API SharedBiddingStrategy.type = MANUAL_CPC,

SharedBiddingStrategy.biddingScheme.enhancedCpcEnabled = TRUE


Change Description
Any operation creating new portfolio ECPC strategies, or attaching a portfolio ECPC strategy to a campaign, will generate one of the following errors:

Error Upon Creation Error Upon Attaching
Google Ads API BIDDING_STRATEGY_NOT_SUPPORTED CANNOT_ATTACH_BIDDING_STRATEGY_TO_CAMPAIGN
AdWords API BIDDING_STRATEGY_NOT_SUPPORTED CANNOT_ATTACH_BIDDING_STRATEGY_TO_CAMPAIGN


Migration Description
In the future, we will remove the portfolio ECPC strategy entirely, in favor of standard ECPC. In order to prepare for this change, you can proactively migrate all your portfolio ECPC strategies to standard ECPC strategies using the instructions below.

All remaining portfolio ECPC campaigns and strategies will be automatically migrated at a later date. We will post an update on this blog ahead of that migration.

Self-migration using Google Ads API
Update a campaign by using CampaignService.MutateCampaigns() to set its manual_cpc.enhanced_cpc_enabled field to true. Be sure to set the update_mask on your request to match: 

operations: [
  {
    update: {
      resource_mame: customers/CUSTOMER_ID/campaigns/CAMPAIGN_ID,
      manual_cpc: {
        enhanced_cpc_enabled: true
      }
    },
    update_mask: manual_cpc.enhanced_cpc_enabled
  }
]
Self-migration using AdWords API
Update a campaign by using CampaignService.mutate() to set its biddingStrategyType to MANUAL_CPC, and its biddingScheme.enhancedCpc field to true: 

<operations>
  <operator>SET</operator>
  <operand>
    <id>CAMPAIGN_ID</id>
    <biddingStrategyConfiguration>
      <biddingStrategyType>MANUAL_CPC</biddingStrategyType>
      <biddingScheme>
        <enhancedCpcEnabled>true</enhancedCpcEnabled>
      </biddingScheme>
    </biddingStrategyConfiguration>
  </operand>
</operations>
If you have any questions or need additional help, contact us via the forum or at [email protected].
Adam Ohren, Google Ads API Team

Target Spend Migration for Maximize Clicks Bid Strategies

Starting January 18, 2021, we will start migrating Maximize Clicks bid strategies that still utilize the deprecated target_spend setting to use campaign daily budget pacing instead. This follows last year’s sunset of the target_spend field for Maximize Clicks. After that sunset went into effect, Google Ads has prevented users from creating any new Maximize Clicks strategies that have a target_spend setting.

What’s changing

As part of this migration, any Maximize Clicks bid strategies that still use the target_spend setting may have their maximum CPC bid limit lowered to minimize the performance impact that may result from this change. This would affect the following API fields:

Fields whose values may be lowered as part of the January 18, 2021, migration:
AdWords API Google Ads API
TargetSpendBiddingScheme.bidCeiling TargetSpend.cpc_bid_ceiling_micros

What you can do

You can avoid the above changes by removing the target spend setting on your campaigns’ bidding strategies before January 18, 2021. To do so, unset the following field (set its value to 0) on any existing Maximize Clicks bid strategies:

Fields to unset (set to 0) to avoid the migration:
AdWords API Google Ads API
TargetSpendBiddingScheme.spendTarget TargetSpend.spend_target_micros

If you have any questions or need additional help, contact us via the forum or at [email protected].

 Adam Ohren, Google Ads API Team

Reminder about sunset, creation of target spend field for Maximize Clicks strategies in Ads APIs

On July 31st, 2019 we began to sunset the target spend field for Maximize Clicks bidding strategies. At the time, the feature was only removed from the UI, and the Google Ads APIs were not impacted.

Starting on June 30th, 2020, we will continue to sunset the target spend field in the Google Ads APIs as per our original blog post. This will affect all versions of both the AdWords API and the Google Ads API. The following behaviors will be blocked:
  • Populating the target spend field on existing standard and portfolio strategies
  • Attaching portfolio strategies that have the deprecated field set to campaigns
Read on to see how this will affect your API usage:
Affected Target Spend Fields
Google Ads API campaign.target_spend.target_spend_micros
bidding_strategy.target_spend.target_spend_micros
AdWords API Campaign.BiddingStrategyConfiguration.TargetSpendBiddingScheme.spendTarget
SharedBiddingStrategy.TargetSpendBiddingScheme.spendTarget

Change Description
Any mutate operations that set a target spend field for the first time will return an error. You will be able to update a target spend field that currently contains a value, but you cannot set previously empty fields to a new value. Additionally, any operation attaching a bidding strategy to a campaign where that bidding strategy has a value set for a target spend field, will throw an error. To manage Target Spend on any new campaigns, we recommend using campaign budget. In each of these cases an error will be thrown.

Performing any of the actions listed above will generate one of the following errors:
  • OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED_FOR_CONTEXT
  • UNSUPPORTED_FIELD_IS_SET
If you have any questions about this change or any other API feature, please contact us via the forum.
- Cory Liseno, Google Ads API Team

Sunset of the Average Position Metric in AdWords and Google Ads APIs

In the week of September 30, 2019, the average position metric will be sunset. This change was announced this past February in the Google Ads Help Center. The new alternatives were described in this November 2018 blog post. Once the sunset occurs, requests for the average position (AdWords API, Google Ads API) will return NULL values.

In the AdWords API v201809, NULL values are returned as two dashes. In the Google Ads API, NULL values are returned as NullValues.

If you use ValueTrack parameters, we encourage you to remove the ValueTrack parameter {adposition} from your tracking templates. When average position is sunset, the ValueTrack parameter {adposition} will begin returning the empty string.

Note that average position has already been removed from the current beta version of the Google Ads API, but is accessible in the earlier V1_x versions.

In lieu of average position, we recommend you use the new metrics of Impression (Absolute Top) %" and "Impression (Top) %. These are the new metrics:

Absolute Top Metrics
AdWords API Google Ads API
AbsoluteTopImpressionPercentage absolute_top_impression_percentage
SearchAbsoluteTopImpressionShare search_absolute_top_impression_share
SearchBudgetLostAbsoluteTopImpressionShare search_budget_lost_absolute_top_impression_share
SearchRankLostAbsoluteTopImpressionShare search_rank_lost_absolute_top_impression_share


Top Metrics
AdWords API Google Ads API
TopImpressionPercentage top_impression_percentage
SearchTopImpressionShare search_top_impression_share
SearchBudgetLostTopImpressionShare search_budget_lost_top_impression_share
SearchRankLostTopImpressionShare search_rank_lost_top_impression_share


As always, don't hesitate to reach out to us on the developer forum with any questions.
, Google Ads API Team

Migrating from position to impression share bidding strategies in Google Ads

In June 2019, we will shut off the ability to add new Target Search Page Location and Target Outranking Share bidding strategies. This will affect both the AdWords API and the Google Ads API. Later this year, existing campaigns on these strategies will automatically be migrated to the new Target Impression Share bidding strategy, which offers more flexible and granular controls to optimize for your desired impression share and search page location.

Read on to see how this will affect your API usage.

Google Ads API Users
Please start using the TARGET_IMPRESSION_SHARE BiddingStrategyType rather than TARGET_OUTRANK_SHARE or PAGE_ONE_PROMOTED.

If you attempt to create a TARGET_OUTRANK_SHARE or PAGE_ONE_PROMOTED after they are removed, you will get an error.

AdWords API Users
If you attempt to use the AdWords API to add a TARGET_OUTRANK_SHARE or PAGE_ONE_PROMOTED bidding strategy after they are removed, you will get an error.

All existing campaigns using the old bidding strategies will be automatically migrated to use Target Impression Share for both APIs. The AdWords API does not support the Target Impression Share bidding strategy, so we recommend migrating to the Google Ads API if you need this functionality.

If you have any questions about this change or any other API feature, please contact us via the forum.
- Mike Cloonan, Google Ads API Team