Default Negative Keywords on Smart Campaign

[Andrew Wirtz]

Hi,

I am running into an issue where publishing a Smart Campaign creates a large list of negative keyword campaign criterion automatically. NOTE: I'm talking about keywords, NOT keyword themes. I am not setting any negative keywords, yet they still appear when querying the campaign_criterion endpoint.

Query:

    SELECT
        campaign.resource_name,
        campaign_criterion.negative,
        campaign_criterion.type,
        campaign_criterion.keyword.text,
        campaign_criterion.keyword.match_type,
        campaign_criterion.display_name,
        campaign_criterion.criterion_id
    FROM
        campaign_criterion
    WHERE
        campaign.resource_name = '{campaign_resource_name}'
    AND
        campaign_criterion.type = 'KEYWORD'

Results (1 example from 1999 results) :

            {
                "resourceName": "customers/#########/campaignCriteria/###########~71078880",
                "type": "KEYWORD",
                "keyword": {
                    "matchType": "PHRASE",
                    "text": "backpack"
                },
                "criterionId": "71078880",
                "negative": true,
                "displayName": "backpack"
            },

I'm really confused because these are Smart Campaigns, which don't even allow keywords, they use keyword themes. I checked that the account doesn't have any account negative keywords, nor any Content Suitability choices, nor content exclusion lists.

I have tried manually removing these via the API with a campaign_criterion_operation remove for the resource name, but that returns an error:

{
  error_code {
    context_error: OPERATION_NOT_PERMITTED_FOR_CONTEXT
  }
  message: "The operation is not allowed for the given context."
  trigger {
    string_value: "EXPRESS(EXPRESS_SMART)"
  }
  location {
    field_path_elements {
      field_name: "mutate_operations"
      index: 0
    }
    field_path_elements {
      field_name: "campaign_criterion_operation"
    }
    field_path_elements {
      field_name: "remove"
    }
  }
}

I am worried that this is impacting our campaign's performance as we are trying to target ads for school backpack donations.... but both "school" and "backpack" show up in this negative keyword list. Please let me know if these negative keywords are causing the campaign to underperform, and what can be done about it.

[asif...@instaview365.com]

Dear 'Google Ads API Forum Advisor' via Google Ads API and AdWords API Forum,

We would like to acknowledge that we have received your request and a ticket has been created.

A support representative will be reviewing your request and will send you a personal response (usually within 24 hours).

Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

asif...@instaview365.com