BID_GOAL_PERFORMANCE_REPORT: Field "type" can have "--" ?!

[Zweitze]

Hi all,

I'm working on on the BID-GOAL_PERFORMANCE_REPORT, and certain records return "--" for type. Field type is an ENUM, and the documentation lists values like UNKNOWN and NONE, but not "--". Is the documentation incomplete, or is the API misbehaving?

For reproduction, this is a sample request with AdWords API:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<reportDefinition>
   <selector xmlns="https://adwords.google.com/api/adwords/cm/v201809">
       <fields>Id</fields>
       <fields>Type</fields>
       <fields>Status</fields>
       <fields>PageOnePromotedBidCeiling</fields>
       <fields>PageOnePromotedBidChangesForRaisesOnly</fields>
       <fields>PageOnePromotedBidModifier</fields>
       <fields>PageOnePromotedRaiseBidWhenBudgetConstrained</fields>
       <fields>PageOnePromotedRaiseBidWhenLowQualityScore</fields>
       <fields>PageOnePromotedStrategyGoal</fields>
       <fields>TargetCpa</fields>
       <fields>TargetCpaMaxCpcBidCeiling</fields>
       <fields>TargetCpaMaxCpcBidFloor</fields>
       <fields>TargetOutrankShare</fields>
       <fields>TargetOutrankShareBidChangesForRaisesOnly</fields>
       <fields>TargetOutrankShareCompetitorDomain</fields>
       <fields>TargetOutrankShareMaxCpcBidCeiling</fields>
       <fields>TargetOutrankShareRaiseBidWhenLowQualityScore</fields>
       <fields>TargetRoas</fields>
       <fields>TargetRoasBidCeiling</fields>
       <fields>TargetRoasBidFloor</fields>
       <fields>TargetSpendBidCeiling</fields>
       <fields>TargetSpendSpendTarget</fields>
       <predicates>
           <field>Status</field>
           <operator>IN</operator>
           <values>ENABLED</values>
           <values>REMOVED</values>
       </predicates>
   </selector>
   <reportName xmlns="https://adwords.google.com/api/adwords/cm/v201809">BidStrategyInfo</reportName>
   <reportType xmlns="https://adwords.google.com/api/adwords/cm/v201809">BID_GOAL_PERFORMANCE_REPORT</reportType>
   <dateRangeType xmlns="https://adwords.google.com/api/adwords/cm/v201809">ALL_TIME</dateRangeType>
   <downloadFormat xmlns="https://adwords.google.com/api/adwords/cm/v201809">GZIPPED_XML</downloadFormat>
</reportDefinition>

The result contains the following record:

<row bidStrategyID='6695873209' bidStrategyType='--' state='Enabled' bidLimitTargetSearchPageLocation='--' bidAutomationTargetSearchPageLocation='--' bidAdjustmentTargetSearchPageLocation='--' limitedBudgetsTargetSearchPageLocation='--' lowQualityKeywordsTargetSearchPageLocation='--' locationTargetSearchPageLocation='--' targetCPA='--' upperBidLimitTargetCPA='--' lowerBidLimitTargetCPA='--' targetOutrankingShare='--' bidAutomationTargetOutrankingShare='--' competitorDomainTargetOutrankingShare='--' upperMaxCpcBidLimitTargetOutrankingShare='--' lowQualityKeywordsTargetOutrankingShare='--' targetROAS='--' upperBidLimitTargetROAS='--' lowerBidLimitTargetROAS='--' bidLimitMaximizeClicks='--' targetSpendMaximizeClicks='--'/>

<row bidStrategyID='6695929057' bidStrategyType='--' state='Enabled' bidLimitTargetSearchPageLocation='--' bidAutomationTargetSearchPageLocation='--' bidAdjustmentTargetSearchPageLocation='--' limitedBudgetsTargetSearchPageLocation='--' lowQualityKeywordsTargetSearchPageLocation='--' locationTargetSearchPageLocation='--' targetCPA='--' upperBidLimitTargetCPA='--' lowerBidLimitTargetCPA='--' targetOutrankingShare='--' bidAutomationTargetOutrankingShare='--' competitorDomainTargetOutrankingShare='--' upperMaxCpcBidLimitTargetOutrankingShare='--' lowQualityKeywordsTargetOutrankingShare='--' targetROAS='--' upperBidLimitTargetROAS='--' lowerBidLimitTargetROAS='--' bidLimitMaximizeClicks='--' targetSpendMaximizeClicks='--'/>

This was issued against account 892-838-420. No worries if it is publicly known, we use it for testing.

If you look in Google Ads web UI, you will notice those bid strategies are of type "Target Impression share", so assume that Type should have contained "Target search page location". Can anyone confirm this?

Also note that in the records above, almost all fields contain "--", including fields that should have had values, like PageOnePromotedStrategyGoal (in XML listed as locationTargetSearchPageLocation). Why doesn't it contain the value we see in the UI?

Thanks!

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Zweitze,

Thank you for reaching out. As explained in this blog post, Target impression share bidding strategy type is not supported in AdWords API so it is expected that you would get a "--" response for the bidding strategy and other associated attributes for that bid goal.

Regards,
Mitchell
Google Ads API Team

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[Zweitze]

Thank you!

So the docs of that report were not updated after the change. That makes sense as I found some errors on those docs myself - let me know if you're interested.

On a somewhat related note, what is the scope of uniqueness of a BidStrategy ID? It's missing in the docs on Object ID Uniqueness.

Thanks!

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Zweitze,

Feel free to share any errors you find in the documentation so I can bring it to the attention of my team.

In terms of the Bid Strategy ID, I will have my team look into it internally and let you know.

[Zweitze]

Here we go:

PageOnePromotedBidModifier is documented as "Double" but you get "%" in its value. Note that fields like Ctr and ConversionRate do document that a percent sign will be returned. The same issue goes for TargetOutrankShare and TargetRoas: you get a percent sign in the result.

PageOnePromotedBidChangesForRaisesOnly, PageOnePromotedRaiseBidWhenBudgetConstrained, PageOnePromotedRaiseBidWhenLowQualityScore, TargetOutrankShareBidChangesForRaisesOnly and TargetOutrankShareRaiseBidWhenLowQualityScore are all Enums their possible values are documented, for use in a predicate or as expected return value. For all these fields, the return value "--" is not documented. (I don't know counter value to pass in a predicate, I have no need to do so.)

PageOnePromotedStrategyGoal is of type StrategyGoal, which is a type for use with the BiddingStrategy service. It wouldn't hurt to include a link to StrategyGoal in the documentation of this report field... Anyway that reference lists two possible values. But... you never get any of these values! So far I found three different values, being "--", "First page", and "Top of page".

[Google Ads API Forum Advisor Prod]

Hi Zweitze,

Thanks for this information, I'l share it with my team and make the appropriate documentation changes.

Meanwhile I'm checking on the global uniqueness for bid strategy IDs and will let you know once I have more information.

Best,
Ben, Google Ads API Team

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