Google Ads API Tool Design and Use Case

1. Product Overview

AdURL is a web-based Google Ads management and reporting tool currently being developed by an independent developer. The purpose of the tool is to help authorized users view, monitor, and manage their own Google Ads account data in a more organized and efficient way.

The tool will only access Google Ads accounts after the account owner explicitly grants permission through Google's OAuth authorization flow. The tool is intended for legitimate Google Ads account management, campaign monitoring, reporting, and permitted campaign configuration management.

2. Intended Use of the Google Ads API

• Retrieve customer account information for authorized Google Ads accounts.
• Retrieve campaign, ad group, ad, keyword, and asset information.
• Retrieve performance reporting data such as impressions, clicks, cost, conversions, conversion value, CTR, CPC, and other standard reporting metrics.
• Display campaign and performance data in dashboards and reports for the authorized user.
• Help users manage standard campaign settings, including tracking templates, URL-related configuration, and reporting configuration where permitted by the Google Ads API.
• Provide alerts or summaries based on account performance, such as campaigns with unusual spend, low conversion performance, or missing tracking configuration.

The API will not be used for scraping, unauthorized account access, cloaking, policy circumvention, misleading ad behavior, or any activity outside legitimate Google Ads account management and reporting.

3. User Authorization and Account Access

Users will sign in to the web application and connect their Google Ads account using OAuth. The tool will request only the permissions required to access and manage Google Ads data for the authorized account.

The application will not access any Google Ads account unless the account owner or an authorized user has completed the OAuth authorization process. Users will be able to disconnect their Google Ads account from the tool, and access tokens will be removed or invalidated where applicable.

4. Main User Workflow

1. The user signs in to the web application.
2. The user selects the option to connect a Google Ads account.
3. The user is redirected to Google's OAuth authorization page.
4. After authorization, the application retrieves the user's accessible Google Ads customer accounts.
5. The user selects the Google Ads account they want to manage.
6. The application retrieves campaign, ad group, ad, keyword, and performance reporting data from the Google Ads API.
7. The user views dashboards and reports showing account performance.
8. Where permitted by the API and the user's authorization, the user may update standard campaign settings such as tracking templates or URL-related configuration.
9. All changes made through the tool are associated with the authorized Google Ads account and are performed through official Google Ads API methods.

5. Planned API Resources and Operations

• CustomerService: to list accessible Google Ads customer accounts.
• GoogleAdsService: to query campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords, assets, and performance metrics.
• CampaignService: to read and, where permitted, update campaign settings.
• AdGroupService: to read and, where permitted, update ad group settings.
• AdGroupAdService: to read ads and manage permitted ad configuration.
• AdGroupCriterionService: to read and manage keyword-related data where permitted.
• CustomerAssetService, CampaignAssetService, or related asset services if asset reporting or management is required.

The application will use Google Ads Query Language to retrieve reporting data and will follow Google Ads API rate limits, quota policies, and developer token requirements.

6. Data Storage and Security

The application will store only the data required to provide the tool's functionality. This may include user account records, OAuth token information, selected Google Ads customer IDs, reporting snapshots, and user preferences.

• Secure HTTPS access for the web application.
• OAuth-based authorization for Google Ads account access.
• Restricted access to stored tokens and account data.
• Encryption or secure storage practices for sensitive credentials and tokens.
• Access controls to ensure users can only view and manage accounts they have authorized.
• Logging of important system actions for operational and security purposes.

User data will not be sold or shared with unrelated third parties. Google Ads data will only be used to provide account management and reporting functionality to the authorized user.

7. Compliance Commitments

The tool is designed to use the Google Ads API only for permitted Google Ads account management and reporting purposes. The application will comply with Google Ads API Terms and Conditions, Google Ads policies, OAuth policies, and applicable data protection requirements.

• The tool will not access any Google Ads account without authorization.
• The tool will not scrape Google Ads or use unofficial access methods.
• The tool will not hide, misrepresent, or cloak landing pages or ad destinations.
• The tool will not circumvent Google Ads review systems or policies.
• The tool will not use Google Ads data for unauthorized purposes.
• The tool will not share or resell Google Ads account data without user permission.

8. Initial and Future Usage

Initially, the tool will be used for the developer's own Google Ads account to test and manage campaign reporting and standard campaign configuration workflows.

In the future, the tool may be made available to other users. Each user will be required to authorize access to their own Google Ads account through OAuth before the tool can retrieve or manage any Google Ads data on their behalf.

9. Current Development Status

The product is currently under development. The initial version will focus on account connection, campaign and performance reporting, dashboard views, and permitted campaign configuration management. Additional features will be added only if they comply with Google Ads API policies and are supported by official API methods.

Product interface mockups are available here: AdURL Product Mockups.