GOOGLE

Google Ad Script to Manage Campaign Budgets

Published

4 years ago

December 10, 2019

google ad script to manage campaign budgets

Today as advertisers utilizing Google Ads, it is a universal struggle to manage to a specific budget by campaign(s). Your options in the U.I. are singular: set a rule that excludes hourly. My question is why? Would it not be great to have a script to manage at the campaign level, via a sheet in 2019? It took some time but I figured it out, which you will see below. The ability to manage budgets in a single script with a sheet across multiple campaigns.

Before we continue onto the script, if you are set on rules not to say they are not great for budget management, here is an example of how to create a rule that has time setting limitations to pause or enable your campaigns based on a budget for campaigns. You can find additional details here with automated rules.

Sign in to your Google Ads account.
Go to the Campaigns, Ad Groups, or Keywords pages.
Click the 3-dot icon above the statistics table.
Select Create an automated rule.
Select Pause or Enable from the “Type of rule” drop-down.
Choose which Campaign Type
To add a condition, click +ADD, under “Condition”.
Define the frequency of your rule which is Once, Daily, Weekly or Monthly.
Choose the type of email updates you’d like to receive on issues affecting your rule.
Name your rule.
Click Preview to ensure you’ve set up your rule to run the way you want. Previewing is just for verification and doesn’t make any permanent changes to your account.
When you are done, click Save rule.

There are benefits to rules, in my mind for budget sake, not so extremely valuable. So that leaves us with paying for tools & or having a developer or engineer to build out some fancy scripts or internal platform that works with Google’s API. What if I do not have access to those resources and all I want to do is be an advertiser? I cannot, I have to learn coding and API stuff to include staying up-to-date on all of the U.I. changes and enhancements, which you can find in the PPC Hero Library.

Why you are reading and how the script works.

This script manages your budget at the campaign level by the hour via a google sheet, so you can scale. To my knowledge and I have scoured the web, this is the first for the public. I did not write the original script. Which can be found here by Google. I simply deleted a bunch of stuff with lots of trial and error over a 1 year period of time and re-worked a few things to get it to manage budgets instead of bids.

The script allows you the flexibility of setting your budgets and forgetting about them within reason. If you want to get crazy, you can do what I do and use this script with the pacing script with few custom google sheets so that you have your own budget management tool and bidder. I figured if someone can build a tool to do this stuff and make millions of dollars, there has to be a free way to do it.

I am certain, almost positive there is a better way to write this script and more than certain there is a way to do it at the MCC level to manage multiple accounts. I have not figured that out. It would be great for those that see this that are devs, and or engineers, to make adjustments to this script and share a free version at the MCC level with your own enhancements.

How to set up the script

Before you run the script here are a few things that you need to change.

Make a new Google Sheet. This is where the script will know which campaigns to Pause or UnPause, once you have created a new sheet copy the URL.
Ensure your Tab name is set to “Rules” if not please make sure you update this line where “Rules is changed to whatever your Tab Name is: var spreadsheetAccess = new SpreadsheetAccess(SPREADSHEET_URL, “Rules“)
Still working in Google Sheets, update Row 2 with your account number “000-000-0000” replace with your own.
Row 3 is the time period reference for your script to run, if you want to execute after 7 days, 1 week or a month. Reference the below table for valid inputs for this row as it relates to your goal with controlling your budgets.

Google ads script timeframe options

Starting in row 6, column C, you will want to add your budgets for that period
Lastly, in row 6, column D, you will want to list your campaigns.

I hope this helps you all in better controlling your budgets. Almost forgot, you can change the campaign.pause in the script to campaign.enable and adjust the simple formula if you want to duplicate the script and create another script to enable campaigns.

Script

var SPREADSHEET_URL = "[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1AbldNxsSPHkE0WcOY01AoM7EimF2_7XDrvI5FeLcarY/edit#gid=0]"; var spreadsheetAccess = new SpreadsheetAccess(SPREADSHEET_URL, "Rules"); var totalColumns; function main() { var columns = spreadsheetAccess.sheet.getRange(5, 2, 5, 100).getValues()[0]; for (var i = 0; i < columns.length; i ++) { if (columns[i].length == 0 || columns[i] == 'Results') { totalColumns = i; break; } } if (columns[totalColumns] != 'Results') { spreadsheetAccess.sheet.getRange(5, totalColumns + 2, 1, 1).setValue("Results"); } // clear the results column spreadsheetAccess.sheet.getRange(6, totalColumns + 2, 1000, 1).clear(); var row = spreadsheetAccess.nextRow(); while (row != null) { var budget; try { budget = parseBudget(row); } catch (ex) { logError(ex); row = spreadsheetAccess.nextRow(); continue; } var selector = AdWordsApp.campaigns(); for (var i = 2; i < totalColumns; i ++) { var header = columns[i]; var value = row[i]; if (!isNaN(parseFloat(value)) || value.length > 0) { if (header.indexOf("'") > 0) { value = value.replace(/\'/g,"\\'"); } else if (header.indexOf("\"") > 0) { value = value.replace(/"/g,"\\\""); } var condition = header.replace('?', value); selector.withCondition(condition); } } var campaigns = selector.get(); try { campaigns.hasNext(); } catch (ex) { logError(ex); row = spreadsheetAccess.nextRow(); continue; } var fetched = 0; var changed = 0; while (campaigns.hasNext()) { var campaign = campaigns.next(); var oldCost = campaign.getStatsFor("THIS_MONTH").getCost(); var action = row[0]; var newStatus; fetched ++; if (budget <= oldCost) { campaign.pause(); changed++ } } logResult("Fetched " + fetched + "\nChanged " + changed); row = spreadsheetAccess.nextRow(); } var now = new Date(Utilities.formatDate(new Date(), AdWordsApp.currentAccount().getTimeZone(), "MMM dd,yyyy HH:mm:ss")); } function parseBudget(row) { if (row[1].length == 0) { return null; } var limit = parseFloat(row[1]); if (isNaN(limit)) { throw "Bad Argument: must be a number."; } return limit;
} function logError(error) { spreadsheetAccess.sheet.getRange(spreadsheetAccess.currentRow(), totalColumns + 2, 1, 1) .setValue(error) .setFontColor('#c00') .setFontSize(8) .setFontWeight('bold');
}
function logResult(result) { spreadsheetAccess.sheet.getRange(spreadsheetAccess.currentRow(), totalColumns + 2, 1, 1) .setValue(result) .setFontColor('#444') .setFontSize(8) .setFontWeight('normal');
} function SpreadsheetAccess(spreadsheetUrl, sheetName) { this.spreadsheet = SpreadsheetApp.openByUrl(spreadsheetUrl); this.sheet = this.spreadsheet.getSheetByName(sheetName); this.cells = this.sheet.getRange(6, 2, this.sheet.getMaxRows(), this.sheet.getMaxColumns()).getValues(); this.rowIndex = 0; this.nextRow = function() { for (; this.rowIndex < this.cells.length; this.rowIndex ++) { if (this.cells[this.rowIndex][0]) { return this.cells[this.rowIndex++]; } } return null; } this.currentRow = function() { return this.rowIndex + 5; }
}

Related Topics:Google Ads Scripts Scripts Search Tools

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AI

Exploring the Evolution of Language Translation: A Comparative Analysis of AI Chatbots and Google Translate

Published

2 months ago

February 26, 2024

Max

A Comparative Analysis of AI Chatbots and Google Translate

According to an article on PCMag, while Google Translate makes translating sentences into over 100 languages easy, regular users acknowledge that there’s still room for improvement.

In theory, large language models (LLMs) such as ChatGPT are expected to bring about a new era in language translation. These models consume vast amounts of text-based training data and real-time feedback from users worldwide, enabling them to quickly learn to generate coherent, human-like sentences in a wide range of languages.

However, despite the anticipation that ChatGPT would revolutionize translation, previous experiences have shown that such expectations are often inaccurate, posing challenges for translation accuracy. To put these claims to the test, PCMag conducted a blind test, asking fluent speakers of eight non-English languages to evaluate the translation results from various AI services.

The test compared ChatGPT (both the free and paid versions) to Google Translate, as well as to other competing chatbots such as Microsoft Copilot and Google Gemini. The evaluation involved comparing the translation quality for two test paragraphs across different languages, including Polish, French, Korean, Spanish, Arabic, Tagalog, and Amharic.

In the first test conducted in June 2023, participants consistently favored AI chatbots over Google Translate. ChatGPT, Google Bard (now Gemini), and Microsoft Bing outperformed Google Translate, with ChatGPT receiving the highest praise. ChatGPT demonstrated superior performance in converting colloquialisms, while Google Translate often provided literal translations that lacked cultural nuance.

For instance, ChatGPT accurately translated colloquial expressions like “blow off steam,” whereas Google Translate produced more literal translations that failed to resonate across cultures. Participants appreciated ChatGPT’s ability to maintain consistent levels of formality and its consideration of gender options in translations.

The success of AI chatbots like ChatGPT can be attributed to reinforcement learning with human feedback (RLHF), which allows these models to learn from human preferences and produce culturally appropriate translations, particularly for non-native speakers. However, it’s essential to note that while AI chatbots outperformed Google Translate, they still had limitations and occasional inaccuracies.

In a subsequent test, PCMag evaluated different versions of ChatGPT, including the free and paid versions, as well as language-specific AI agents from OpenAI’s GPTStore. The paid version of ChatGPT, known as ChatGPT Plus, consistently delivered the best translations across various languages. However, Google Translate also showed improvement, performing surprisingly well compared to previous tests.

Overall, while ChatGPT Plus emerged as the preferred choice for translation, Google Translate demonstrated notable improvement, challenging the notion that AI chatbots are always superior to traditional translation tools.

Source: https://www.pcmag.com/articles/google-translate-vs-chatgpt-which-is-the-best-language-translator

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GOOGLE

Google Implements Stricter Guidelines for Mass Email Senders to Gmail Users

Published

2 months ago

February 13, 2024

Entireweb News Bot

Beginning in April, Gmail senders bombarding users with unwanted mass emails will encounter a surge in message rejections unless they comply with the freshly minted Gmail email sender protocols, Google cautions.

Fresh Guidelines for Dispatching Mass Emails to Gmail Inboxes In an elucidative piece featured on Forbes, it was highlighted that novel regulations are being ushered in to shield Gmail users from the deluge of unsolicited mass emails. Initially, there were reports surfacing about certain marketers receiving error notifications pertaining to messages dispatched to Gmail accounts. Nonetheless, a Google representative clarified that these specific errors, denoted as 550-5.7.56, weren’t novel but rather stemmed from existing authentication prerequisites.

Moreover, Google has verified that commencing from April, they will initiate “the rejection of a portion of non-compliant email traffic, progressively escalating the rejection rate over time.” Google elaborates that, for instance, if 75% of the traffic adheres to the new email sender authentication criteria, then a portion of the remaining non-conforming 25% will face rejection. The exact proportion remains undisclosed. Google does assert that the implementation of the new regulations will be executed in a “step-by-step fashion.”

This cautious and methodical strategy seems to have already kicked off, with transient errors affecting a “fraction of their non-compliant email traffic” coming into play this month. Additionally, Google stipulates that bulk senders will be granted until June 1 to integrate “one-click unsubscribe” in all commercial or promotional correspondence.

Exclusively Personal Gmail Accounts Subject to Rejection These alterations exclusively affect bulk emails dispatched to personal Gmail accounts. Entities sending out mass emails, specifically those transmitting a minimum of 5,000 messages daily to Gmail accounts, will be mandated to authenticate outgoing emails and “refrain from dispatching unsolicited emails.” The 5,000 message threshold is tabulated based on emails transmitted from the same principal domain, irrespective of the employment of subdomains. Once the threshold is met, the domain is categorized as a permanent bulk sender.

These guidelines do not extend to communications directed at Google Workspace accounts, although all senders, including those utilizing Google Workspace, are required to adhere to the updated criteria.

Augmented Security and Enhanced Oversight for Gmail Users A Google spokesperson emphasized that these requisites are being rolled out to “fortify sender-side security and augment user control over inbox contents even further.” For the recipient, this translates to heightened trust in the authenticity of the email sender, thus mitigating the risk of falling prey to phishing attempts, a tactic frequently exploited by malevolent entities capitalizing on authentication vulnerabilities. “If anything,” the spokesperson concludes, “meeting these stipulations should facilitate senders in reaching their intended recipients more efficiently, with reduced risks of spoofing and hijacking by malicious actors.”

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GOOGLE

Google’s Next-Gen AI Chatbot, Gemini, Faces Delays: What to Expect When It Finally Launches

Published

5 months ago

December 4, 2023

Max

In an unexpected turn of events, Google has chosen to postpone the much-anticipated debut of its revolutionary generative AI model, Gemini. Initially poised to make waves this week, the unveiling has now been rescheduled for early next year, specifically in January.

Gemini is set to redefine the landscape of conversational AI, representing Google’s most potent endeavor in this domain to date. Positioned as a multimodal AI chatbot, Gemini boasts the capability to process diverse data types. This includes a unique proficiency in comprehending and generating text, images, and various content formats, even going so far as to create an entire website based on a combination of sketches and written descriptions.

Originally, Google had planned an elaborate series of launch events spanning California, New York, and Washington. Regrettably, these events have been canceled due to concerns about Gemini’s responsiveness to non-English prompts. According to anonymous sources cited by The Information, Google’s Chief Executive, Sundar Pichai, personally decided to postpone the launch, acknowledging the importance of global support as a key feature of Gemini’s capabilities.

Gemini is expected to surpass the renowned ChatGPT, powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4 model, and preliminary private tests have shown promising results. Fueled by significantly enhanced computing power, Gemini has outperformed GPT-4, particularly in FLOPS (Floating Point Operations Per Second), owing to its access to a multitude of high-end AI accelerators through the Google Cloud platform.

SemiAnalysis, a research firm affiliated with Substack Inc., expressed in an August blog post that Gemini appears poised to “blow OpenAI’s model out of the water.” The extensive compute power at Google’s disposal has evidently contributed to Gemini’s superior performance.

Google’s Vice President and Manager of Bard and Google Assistant, Sissie Hsiao, offered insights into Gemini’s capabilities, citing examples like generating novel images in response to specific requests, such as illustrating the steps to ice a three-layer cake.

While Google’s current generative AI offering, Bard, has showcased noteworthy accomplishments, it has struggled to achieve the same level of consumer awareness as ChatGPT. Gemini, with its unparalleled capabilities, is expected to be a game-changer, demonstrating impressive multimodal functionalities never seen before.

During the initial announcement at Google’s I/O developer conference in May, the company emphasized Gemini’s multimodal prowess and its developer-friendly nature. An application programming interface (API) is under development, allowing developers to seamlessly integrate Gemini into third-party applications.

As the world awaits the delayed unveiling of Gemini, the stakes are high, with Google aiming to revolutionize the AI landscape and solidify its position as a leader in generative artificial intelligence. The postponed launch only adds to the anticipation surrounding Gemini’s eventual debut in the coming year.

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