Advanced remarketing rules through API

[Jonathan de Zoete]

Hello all,

 

In the Adwords backend you can set up a remarketing list with advanced options like so:

 

However, I can't find how to set this up in the Adwords Api. 

All i can do is the 'non-advanced' options.

 

I created a list with advanced rule options, and retrieved it through the API, and it was not an ExpressionRuleUserlist but a normal UserList, without any rules.

Is it possible to create an advanced list through the API?
The thing is, a normal expression list lets you OR on the first level, and AND on the second level, but advanced rules let you AND first, and OR secondly, which is completely different, and a necessary feature for me.

Right now i only see the option to create a logicaluserlist and AND-include lists with OR conditions. But this is not the same and looks not very nice in the UI:

 

Thanks in advance! 
Jonathan

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Jonathan,

You've raised an interesting point! Would you mind sharing the user list ID of the user list you created through the user interface so I can look it up?

Thanks,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan de Zoete]

Hi Josh,

Thanks for your reply.

The User list ID of the user with the combination list is 460264999

The User list ID of the user with the not-createable-rules is 460819655

I also created date rule list: 463709364
This date based rule userlist has a funky result in the UI:

However, if I would be able to set these custom rules through the API, that would also solve the problem.

Thanks in advance!

Jonathan

Op maandag 6 maart 2017 13:51:41 UTC+1 schreef Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team):

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Jonathan,

Thanks for sending over those examples. I'm following up with the remarketing team to find out:

a) Why 460819655 does not come back as a RuleBasedUserList subtype.

b) If there's a way to create a list similar to 460819655 without using a LogicalUserList that combines other lists.

c) Why the DateBasedUserList 463709364 renders in an odd way in the user interface.

I'll get back to you as soon as I have more information.

Thanks,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan de Zoete]

Hi Josh,

Thanks, I look forward to hearing from you!

Op dinsdag 7 maart 2017 13:46:45 UTC+1 schreef Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team):

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Jonathan,

One thought just occurred to me regarding question b):

b) If there's a way to create a list similar to 460819655 without using a LogicalUserList that combines other lists.

The rule you set up through the user interface was:

• (URL contains 'abc' OR URL contains 'def') AND
• (RefUrl contains 'ghi' or refUrl contains 'jkl')

This is logically equivalent to the following:

• (URL contains 'abc' AND refUrl contains 'ghi') OR
• (URL contains 'abc' AND refUrl contains 'jkl') OR
• (URL contains 'def' AND refUrl contains 'ghi') OR
• (URL contains 'def' AND refUrl contains 'jkl')

The second structure is achievable using ExpressionRuleUserList.rule. Simply create each of the four items in the list as an entry in the rule's groups collection, e.g., the ExpressionRuleUserList.rule would look like this:

groups = [

  RuleItemGroup { 

    items = [

      StringRuleItem { key = 'url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'abc' },

      StringRuleItem { key = 'ref_url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'ghi' },

    ]

  },

  RuleItemGroup { 

    items = [

      StringRuleItem { key = 'url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'abc' },

      StringRuleItem { key = 'ref_url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'jkl' },

    ]

  },

  RuleItemGroup { 

    items = [

      StringRuleItem { key = 'url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'def' },

      StringRuleItem { key = 'ref_url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'ghi' },

    ]

  },

  RuleItemGroup { 

    items = [

      StringRuleItem { key = 'url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'def' },

      StringRuleItem { key = 'ref_url__', op = 'CONTAINS', value = 'jkl' },

    ]

  },

]

I realize this isn't particularly pretty, but it should work. Is that feasible for the rules you want to set up?

Thanks,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan de Zoete]

Hi Josh,

Thanks for thinking with me.

I explored this approach, which led me to some brain-breaking code :)

Userlist 463282026 is the result of this.

The thing is, we have quite some filters which can be translated to rules. This will lead to a lot of (exponentially) possible combinations and a lot of unreadeable rules.

It is possible, but i think it's a road we don't want to take.

Op dinsdag 7 maart 2017 14:26:27 UTC+1 schreef Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team):

[Jonathan de Zoete]

Hoi Josh,

Did you get a response from the team yet?

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan

Op dinsdag 7 maart 2017 14:48:01 UTC+1 schreef Jonathan de Zoete:

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Jonathan,

No updates just yet, but I'll reply back as soon as I have progress to report.

Cheers,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Jonathan,

Thanks for bearing with me while I looked into these issues. Here's what I've found:

1. Support for top level AND of OR groups

This is a new "advanced" feature in the user interface, and I confirmed that it is not yet supported in the AdWords API. If this becomes available in the API, it will be part of a future release, so I'd recommend following our blog for updates.

2. Date rule list rendering in the user interface

During the course of our investigation, a user interface change went out that resolved this one. If you load it up in the user interface today, you should see the rules displayed as expected (see attached screenshot).

Cheers,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan de Zoete]

Hi Josh,

Thanks for your reply.

I guess we have to wait for the next version then! No problem.

Any idea when the next major release will be?

Jonathan

Op woensdag 15 maart 2017 22:12:24 UTC+1 schreef Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team):

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Jonathan,

The next AdWords API release is currently scheduled for May (see the schedule here).

Cheers,

Josh, AdWords API Team