Google Ads connection

Overview

Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is an online advertising service that allows businesses to pay-per-click advertising across text-based searches, graphic displays, YouTube videos, and in-app mobile displays.

Destination specifics

Note the following details that are specific to Google Ads destinations:

  • Activated audiences are created programmatically in the Google platform.
  • Platform does not currently include a measurement metric to validate successful activation. Refer to the audience counts in Google to validate the integration and understand audience targeting size.
IMPORTANT

If you are looking to create your first destination with Google Ads and have not enabled the ID sync functionality in Experience Cloud ID Service in the past (with Audience Manager or other applications), please reach out to Adobe Consulting or Customer Care to enable ID syncs. If you had previously set up Google integrations in Audience Manager, the ID syncs you had set up carry over to Platform.

Supported identities

Google Ad Manager supports the activation of identities described in the table below.

Target Identity Description Considerations
GAID Google Advertising ID Select this target identity when your source identity is a GAID namespace.
IDFA Apple ID for Advertisers Select this target identity when your source identity is an IDFA namespace.
AAM UUID Adobe Audience Manager Unique User ID, also known as Device ID. A numerical, 38-digit device ID that Audience Manager associates to each device it interacts with. Google uses AAM UUID to target users in California, and the Google Cookie ID for all other users.
Google cookie ID Google cookie ID Google uses this ID to target users outside of California.
RIDA Roku ID for Advertising. This ID uniquely identifies Roku devices.
MAID Microsoft Advertising ID. This ID uniquely identifies devices running Windows 10.
Amazon Fire TV ID This ID uniquely identifies Amazon Fire TVs.

Export type and frequency

Refer to the table below for information about the destination export type and frequency.

Item Type Notes
Export type Segment export You are exporting all members of a segment (audience) to the Google destination.
Export frequency Streaming Streaming destinations are “always on” API-based connections. As soon as a profile is updated in Experience Platform based on segment evaluation, the connector sends the update downstream to the destination platform. Read more about streaming destinations.

Prerequisites

Existing Google Ads account

IMPORTANT

Google has deprecated new Google Ads cookie integrations with third-party vendors. In order to perform the allow list steps in the next section, you must have an existing integration with Google Ads. As a result, the recommended approach for using Google Ads is setting up a Google Customer Match integration. For more details on creating a Google Customer Match integration, please read the tutorial on creating a Google Customer Match connection.

Allow-listing

NOTE

Allow-listing is mandatory before setting up your first Google Ads destination in Platform. Please ensure the allow-listing process described below has been completed by Google before creating a destination.
The exception to this rule is for Audience Manager customers. If you have already created a connection to this Google destination in Audience Manager, then it is not necessary to go through the allow-listing process again and you can proceed to the next steps.

Before creating the Google Ads destination in Platform, you must contact Google for Adobe to be put on the list of allowed data providers, and for your account to be added to the allow list. Contact Google and provide the following information:

  • Account ID: Adobe’s account ID with Google. Account ID: 87933855.
  • Customer ID: Adobe’s customer account ID with Google. Customer ID: 89690775.
  • Your account type: AdWords
  • Google AdWords ID: This is your ID with Google. The ID format is typically 123-456-7890.

Connect to the destination

IMPORTANT

To connect to the destination, you need the Manage Destinations access control permission. Read the access control overview or contact your product administrator to obtain the required permissions.

To connect to this destination, follow the steps described in the destination configuration tutorial.

Connection parameters

While setting up this destination, you must provide the following information:

  • Name: Fill in the preferred name for this destination.
  • Description: Optional. For example, you can mention which campaign you are using this destination for.
  • Account Type: AdWords is the only available option.
  • Account ID: Fill in your account ID with Google Ads. The ID format is typically 123-456-7890.

Enable alerts

You can enable alerts to receive notifications on the status of the dataflow to your destination. Select an alert from the list to subscribe to receive notifications on the status of your dataflow. For more information on alerts, see the guide on subscribing to destinations alerts using the UI.

When you are finished providing details for your destination connection, select Next.

Activate segments to this destination

IMPORTANT

To activate data, you need the Manage Destinations, Activate Destinations, View Profiles, and View Segments access control permissions. Read the access control overview or contact your product administrator to obtain the required permissions.

See Activate audience data to streaming segment export destinations for instructions on activating audience segments to this destination.

Exported data

To verify if data has been exported successfully to the Google Ads destination, check your Google Ads account. If activation was successful, audiences are populated in your account.

Troubleshooting

400 Bad Request error message

When configuring this destination, you may receive the following error:

{"message":"Google Error: AuthorizationError.USER_PERMISSION_DENIED","code":"400 BAD_REQUEST"}

This error occurs either when customer accounts do not comply with the prerequisites or when customers try to configure the destination without an existing Google Ads account.

Google has deprecated new Google Ads cookie integrations with third-party vendors. To perform the allow-list steps, you must have an existing integration with Google Ads.

The recommended approach for using Google Ads is setting up a Google Customer Match integration.

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