Google Ads Scripts to Save Your Time and Money| NMQ Digital

The promise of Google Ads is undeniable: targeted advertising that reaches your ideal customers. But the reality of managing these campaigns can quickly turn into a time-consuming monster.

Here's why:

Constant monitoring and adjustments: Bids need regular tweaking based on performance, ad copy requires testing and optimization, and keyword strategies need ongoing refinement. Each step takes precious time.

Data overload: Google Ads throws a wealth of data your way, but analyzing it all to identify trends and opportunities can be a nightmare.

Manual campaign management: Pausing underperforming ads, generating reports, and uploading new keywords – these are all manual processes that quickly eat away at your valuable hours.

What if there was a way to automate these repetitive tasks and free yourself to focus on the bigger picture? This is where Google Ads scripts come in.

These powerful tools allow you to write custom code that takes over mundane tasks, streamlining your workflow and reclaiming your time. Imagine scripts automatically adjusting bids based on predefined rules, generating performance reports delivered straight to your inbox, or even pausing ads that fall below a certain threshold. Scripts can optimize your campaigns for efficiency, allowing you to focus on strategic decisions and maximizing your advertising budget.

In this blog, we will focus on;

How to Setup a Google Ads Script
What You Can Do with Google Ads Scripts
Top Time-Saving & Cost-Cutting Scripts
Essential Resources for Google Ads Scripts
Closing Thoughts

How to Setup a Google Ads Script

Here's how scripts work: You write simple JavaScript code (don't worry, you don't need to be a programmer!) that tells the script what actions to take. These actions can range from adjusting bids based on performance to generating detailed reports. Once the script is running, it takes care of those tasks automatically, giving you back precious time.

Check the below example of how a Google script looks like:

Here's a breakdown of how to set up a Google Ads script:

1. Preparation

a. Basic JavaScript Knowledge: While you don't need to be a programmer, a basic understanding of JavaScript will help you grasp the logic behind scripts and potentially customize them further.

b. Identify Your Needs: Think about the repetitive tasks in your Google Ads management that you'd like to automate. This will guide you in choosing the right script.

2. Setting Up the Script

a. Access Google Ads Scripts: Log in to your Google Ads account and navigate to Tools > Bulk Actions > Scripts.

b. Create a New Script: Click the "+" button to create a new script.

c. Name Your Script: Choose a clear and descriptive name for easy identification.

d. Copy & Paste or Write Code: You can either:

Use Existing Scripts: Find a relevant script in the Google Ads Script Gallery or developer resources. Copy and paste the code into the script editor.
Write Your Own Script: If you're comfortable with JavaScript, you can write your own script from scratch.

3. Authorization and Testing

a. Authorize the Script: Once you've added the code, click "Run" (triangle icon). You'll be prompted to authorize the script to access your Google Ads account. Grant the necessary permissions.

b. Test the Script: Before running the script on your live campaigns, it's crucial to test it. Click the "Preview" button (eye icon). This allows you to see how the script would interact with your data without making any actual changes.

c. Review Results: Carefully examine the preview results to ensure the script functions as intended.

4. Running the Script

Run the Script (Optional): Once you're confident with the preview, click "Run" to execute the script on your live campaigns.

5. Additional Tips

a. Schedule Scripts: Some scripts, like automated bidding rules, might need to run regularly. You can schedule scripts to run automatically at specific times.

b. Monitor Script Performance: Keep an eye on how the script affects your campaigns. Make adjustments as needed.

c. Start Simple: If you're new to scripts, begin with a simple script like the Ad Pauser and gradually progress to more complex ones.

Remember, customizing existing scripts or creating your own requires some JavaScript knowledge. If you're not comfortable with coding, consider exploring the pre-made scripts available in the Google Ads Script Gallery.

What You Can Do with Google Ads Scripts

There are several ways and things that you can do with Google ads scripts to save your time and money. Check a few of them:

Advanced Bidding Strategies: Craft intricate bidding rules that react to competitor activity, device usage, or even weather patterns. Scripts allow for granular control over bids for maximum efficiency.
Automated Campaign Rule Enforcement: Set up a script to automatically pause campaigns nearing budget depletion, ensuring you never overspend. This helps maintain control and prevents accidental budget overruns.
Negative Keyword List Management: Scripts can analyze search queries triggering your ads and automatically add irrelevant keywords to your negative keyword list. This helps prevent wasted ad spend on irrelevant searches.
Schedule Ad Rotations & Experimentation: Set up a script to rotate ad variations based on specific times or days. This allows you to test different messaging during peak hours or target different audiences throughout the day.
Automated Budget Allocation: Scripts can dynamically allocate budgets across campaigns based on pre-defined rules. This ensures your budget flows towards the campaigns with the highest potential return on investment (ROI).
Customizable Alerts & Notifications: Receive real-time alerts via email or SMS when key performance indicators (KPIs) reach specific thresholds. This allows for proactive campaign management and avoids potential issues going unnoticed.
Data Integration with Other Platforms: Scripts can act as a bridge between Google Ads and other marketing tools. Imagine syncing data from your CRM to automatically segment audiences based on purchase history or website behavior. This fosters a unified marketing ecosystem and fuels smarter campaign decisions.

Top Time-Saving & Cost-Cutting Scripts

Let's deep dive into some of the most impactful scripts categorized by their function:

Quality Score Tracker: Maintaining a high-quality score is crucial for campaign success. This script monitors your quality score across ad groups and keywords, allowing you to identify areas for improvement and potentially lower your cost-per-click (CPC).
Zero Impressions Alert: Don't waste your budget on ads that aren't seen! This script sends you an email notification whenever an ad group or keyword hasn't received any impressions within a specific timeframe. This allows you to investigate potential issues like budget restrictions or targeting limitations.
Link Checker: Broken ad links can damage your campaign performance and user experience. This script automatically checks your ad links for functionality and alerts you of any broken links, ensuring a seamless user journey.
N-Gram Script: Uncover valuable insights into user search behavior with this script. It analyzes search queries, identifying frequently used n-grams (phrases or keywords) within those queries. This helps you refine your keyword strategy and target the exact phrases users are searching for.
Bidding for Best Performing Hour: Performance often varies throughout the day. This script analyzes your campaign data and automatically adjusts bids based on the hour with the best conversion rate. This ensures you maximize your budget during peak performance times.
Pause Overspending Campaigns (and More): Don't let your budget spiral out of control! This script can be customized to automatically pause campaigns, ad groups, keywords, locations, or audiences that exceed a predefined spending limit. This proactive approach prevents accidental overspending and maintains campaign budgets.
Ad Performance Report: Ditching data overload! This script generates a comprehensive report on your ad performance, including metrics like clicks, impressions, conversions, and click-through rates (CTRs). Customize the report to include specific metrics and receive it directly in your inbox, saving you valuable analysis time.
Low-Quality Score Keyword Report: Identify and address quality score issues quickly with this script. It generates a report highlighting keywords with low-quality scores, allowing you to diagnose the problem and improve your keyword relevance and ad copy.
Ad Spend Report: Gain complete transparency into your advertising budget with this script. It generates a detailed report on your overall ad spend, broken down by campaign, ad group, and even keyword. This detailed breakdown helps you identify areas for budget optimization.
Rotate and Copy to A/B Test: Testing different ad variations is crucial for campaign optimization. This script automates the A/B testing process by rotating ad variations within an ad group and copying the best-performing ad to the "Ad 7" (expanded headline) position. This helps you identify the most effective ad creatives over time.
Stock Management, Pause & Alert: This Google Ads script lets us automatically check for out-of-stock products by retrieving inventory data from our website or inventory management system, comparing it with the products listed in our Google Ads campaigns, and taking actions such as pausing ads or adjusting bids for any products that are unavailable, as well as notifying concerning users.

Bonus Tip: Remember, Google Ads scripts are most powerful when customized. These scripts can be a starting point, but feel free to modify them to fit your specific campaign goals and data needs. Explore the Google Ads Script Gallery for even more pre-written scripts, or consider creating your own for a truly personalized campaign management experience.

Essential Resources for Google Ads Scripts

While these scripts offer a great starting point, remember – Google Ads scripts are all about customization. Don't hesitate to modify them to perfectly align with your unique campaign goals and data needs.

To dive deeper into the world of scripting and explore even more possibilities, check out these valuable resources:

Google Ads Script Gallery: Discover a treasure trove of pre-written scripts categorized by function, ready to be implemented in your campaigns. You can also check examples from Google.

Google Ads Scripts Documentation: Get a comprehensive guide on everything scripting, from basic setup to advanced functionalities. This resource provides detailed explanations, code examples, and best practices to empower you as a scripting pro.

Google Ads Scripts Forum: Connect with a community of script enthusiasts! Ask questions, share experiences, and gain valuable insights from other Google Ads script users.

Closing Thoughts

In conclusion, Google Ads scripts offer a powerful solution to the time-consuming and often overwhelming task of managing advertising campaigns.

By automating repetitive tasks such as bid adjustments, performance reporting, and keyword management, these scripts free up valuable time for strategic decision-making. They transform complex data into actionable insights, streamline workflows, and ensure your campaigns are optimized for maximum efficiency and return on investment.

As you explore and implement Google Ads scripts, you’ll find yourself better equipped to handle the dynamic nature of digital advertising, ultimately driving better results with less effort. If you need any support with Google Ads Scripts or further campaign management, NMQ Digital is here with its Traffic Generation Solutions.

Google Ads Scripts to Save Your Time and Money