Best practice for joining AdWords API placement data with AdWords ValueTrack placement data?

[Jonathan Clarke]

We've been working successfully with the AdWords API (Google Ads Python Client Library: https://github.com/googleads/googleads-python-lib) for a good while building internal reports for our application. Until, that is, we hit placements…

I define placements as anywhere an AdWords ad is shown. The placement might be a domain, page, ad unit, app you name it! Placements are a very broad definition.

For our app to work for placements we need to join API spend data with activity on our website.

To do this we are running AdWords API reports and then collecting session data using AdWords ValueTrack parameters.

The ValueTrack parameters are easy enough, as there seems to be only 1 option: `{placement}`.

However, it's on the API where things get interesting, the API has numerous options for getting placement data. For example:

• https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/reference/v201708/AdGroupCriterionService.MobileApplication 
• https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/appendix/reports/url-performance-report
• https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/appendix/reports/placement-performance-report#criteria
• https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/appendix/reports/automatic-placements-performance-report#domain
• https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/reference/v201708/AdGroupCriterionService

After spending some time going back and forth on the various options, and burning lots of dev time, we've come to the conclusion that there must be some best practice advice out there for joining placement data from the API and ValueTrack. One that works for all types of placements, including:

 - Websites
 - Apps
 - AdSense
 - Blogspot
 - AMP

An example of where we are running into a matching problem is "10060.android.com.nytimes.android.adsenseformobileapps.com"... this is a placement we see coming in from ValueTrack but has no match in any of our spend reports. (In fact there are many many adsenseformobileapps.com traffic sources for which there are no spend items).

Also seeing strings like "mobileapp::2-com.mobilesrepublic.appy".  These show up on our spend side but only appear in our ValueTrack around 10% of the time.  Some match.  The vast majority don't.

A definitive workflow on this would be SO useful for ourselves and no doubt other users…

Thanks!

[Nadine Sundquist (AdWords API Team)]

Hello Jonathan,

Unfortunately, I don't know of a set workflow, but I do have a couple of resources to help you out.

It looks like you may have found our Mapping ValueTrack Parameters to Report Fields guide as you were mapping the ValueTrack parameter to our report fields. 

What you're seeing are criteria prefixes. We have a list of them here. Please try taking a look at those to see if they match what you're seeing. If you need further help, feel free to reach out.

Cheers,

Nadine, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan Clarke]

Hi Nadine!

Sorry for the delay, I didn't get a notification about your reply.

To illustrate further:

We have an example where ValueTrack {placement} reported the following value: 411092.iphone.com.weather.twcipadmax.adsenseformobileapps.com.

 

But the AdWords API reports fields (PlacementPerformanceReport.Criteria, CriteriaPerformanceReport.Criteria, AutomaticPlacementsPerformanceReport.DisplayName and UrlPerformanceReport.domain or url) all returned it as mobileapp::1-364252504.

 

The only way we were able to figure out the relationship between the two was because they happened to be our two biggest unmatched fields from each data set, but we have many other fields that we can't figure out like that.

How can we consistently map xxxx.adsenseformobileapps.com from ValueTrack to mobileapp:: from AdWords reports?

And just to make things a little more interesting...

Sometimes ValueTrack gives us xxx.adsenseformobileapps.com format placements but other times it gives us in the mobileapp:: format we can actually match to the AdWords reports.  So some placements can be mapped and others can't.

[Nadine Sundquist (AdWords API Team)]

Hello Jonathan,

I have a feeling that part of the differences are appearing because of this:

• The content site where your ad was clicked (for keyword-targeted campaigns), or the matching placement targeting criteria for the site where your ad was clicked (for placement-targeted campaigns).
  

I've searched around for a clear-cut answer for your particular situation, since I haven't bumped into this particular issue before, but I can't seem to find the perfect solution. I'm looking at the problem you're trying to solve, and I'm wondering if Google Analytics might be a good fit for you because it can tie a lot of this kind of information together. Have you looked into that?

Another avenue you could try is posting on the general AdWords Community forum. This same issue would also show up in reporting in the UI, so they may already have an answer for you. Could you also give that a try? At this point, it's more of a general AdWords problem to solve than intrinsic to the API, so at least there are other support channels you can try like that one.

Regards, 

Nadine, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan Clarke]

Hi Nadine,

Thanks for looking into this. I do feel our question is directly relevant to the AdWords API. We only want to map API data to ValueTrack data. Please allow me to re-phrase and focus the question:

How do we map AdWords mobile app placement data from the API to ValueTrack?

Best Regards,

Jonathan Clarke

[Nadine Sundquist (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Jonathan,

I probably should have explained a little further. The fields that you see in the API also exist in the UI, which is why you can get help from general AdWords support as well. For example, the Placement report also maps to the UI. Our documentation has a section in our Mapping Report to the AdWords UI guide on how that mapping works. That means it's not just an API issue. It's more of a product issue because people would be struggling with the same kind of issue in the UI as well. 

Unfortunately, I don't have the answer to your focused question because there are so many caveats that aren't API specific. That's why I'm trying to direct you to other avenues that most likely would have the answer.

Best,

Nadine, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan Clarke]

OK, you've confirmed your API supports the UI, which is great. But is your API also designed to support the ValueTrack system?

[Nadine Sundquist (AdWords API Team)]

Hello Jonathan,

I saw that you asked this question on Stack Overflow as well, and the person there gave the best answer possible. There isn't a one to one mapping.

As for your question, was the API designed to support the ValueTrack system? I don't believe so because the API existed before ValueTrack was introduced. The current version of ValueTrack is fairly new. Even people using the UI have a disconnect from ValueTrack as I've tried to help people tie together ValueTrack and reporting values before with the same disconnect. I don't have insight into the design decisions or the development process for this particular feature, so I can't speak to the exact history of how this came to be. 

I've talked to some people who have ended up turning to Google Analytics and its API to tie their data together. That's why I recommend at least taking a look at that route to see if it matches your use case. I really, really wish I had a better, cleaner answer. I have a feature request open already for mobile app reporting and ValueTrack to have an easier way of matching because there are other ValueTrack parameters with the same issue. I've added this particular use case to the issue. Having one more voice and one more use case tends to help in trying to find an overall solution to mind-bending issues like this one.

Take care,

Nadine, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan Clarke]

OK, that makes sense. The values in ValueTrack are often at odds with the API.

Let me know if you'd like more info from us. A bug report perhaps? We've spent a lot of time on this and my partner and I would happily share account info examples with your team if you want. Just let me know…

[Nadine Sundquist (AdWords API Team)]

Hello Jonathan,

Thank you for being so understanding and for phrasing your questions so well. I've added this forum thread to the bug so that if any further questions come up around your use case, that you can be contacted.

Cheers,

Nadine, AdWords API Team

[Jonathan Clarke]

Thanks to you also for the swift diligent responses!

-- 
Jonathan Clarke

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