How to use adwords API to create "mobile app installs" campaign ?

[Jelly Hu]

Hi,

I want to know whether it's available for me to create "mobile app installs" campaign via API?

I couldn't find anything about "mobile app installs" during the API document,

especially

the CampaignService.

What can I do to create "mobile app installs" campaign via API?

Thanks!

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi,

Campaigns created through the API have all features enabled, so you cannot (and need not) set the sub type for mobile app installs. Instead, you can simply do the following:

1. Create a CampaignCriterion where the criterion is set to a MobileApplication object, configured for your app.
2. Create another CampaignCriterion where the criterion is set to an OperatingSystemVersion object where the ID is set to the desired ID taken from the mobile platforms list.

Cheers,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Jelly Hu]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply!

Could you explain to me the whole process about promoting app via API such as  creating "mobile app installs"instead of  UI,include AdGroup and Ad(words , image , video). Please be aware that the effect from API should be the same as that from UI.

Thanks.

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi,

We don't have an end-to-end example for all of the steps you mentioned, but every client library has dozens of code examples. Below are a few that you may find helpful (note that I'm showing links to the Java library, but every library will have similarly named example folders and files):

• Create campaigns
• Create ad groups
• Create app install ad

Cheers,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Jelly Hu]

Hi,

I found the example about AddClickToDownloadAd.php accronding your advice,It's helpful!

Thanks.

[Jelly Hu]

Hi,

Last time you mention that I can 'Create a CampaignCriterion where the criterion is set to a MobileApplication object, configured for your app.',when I create a MoblieApplication like that,it works for my campaign target to the app but not link to my own app.

Maybe something misunderstanding.Is it possible for me to link the app and the campaign together so that the campaign can display like "mobile app installs"? Or, Whether I need to link them together via API or not?

Thanks.

On Friday, September 26, 2014 12:41:17 AM UTC+8, Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team) wrote:

[Danial Klimkin]

Hello Jelly,

Please also see this just published guide:

  https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/guides/driving-mobile-app-downloads

-Danial, AdWords API Team.

On Thursday, September 25, 2014 7:00:21 AM UTC-4, Jelly Hu wrote:

[Jelly Hu]

Hi,

When I create click-to-download ads via UI,it shows like this:

When I create click-to-download ads via API follow the document example 'AddClickToDownLoadAd.php' you mention ,it shows like this:

I want to know whether I made something wrong or their result are different in fact?

[Jelly Hu]

Oh,mabye I need to wait for the v201409 about mobile campaign

On Friday, October 10, 2014 1:58:52 AM UTC+8, Danial Klimkin wrote:

[Danial Klimkin]

Hello Jelly,

What is the template ID are you using? It's likely you use 353 instead of 432 (see https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/appendix/templateads).

-Danial, AdWords API Team.

[Jelly Hu]

Hi Danial,

 Yes,I use 353 which take from the example 'AddClickToDowndownAd.PHP'.And I now find that the document you mention (https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/appendix/templateads) has different template ID accroding to different language selected at the bottom.For example,when I select Simplified Chinese,the document introduces  ID 9 , 247 , 190 , 49 , 178 , 13 only,when I select English,there are other IDs,include 445 , 353 , 453 , 247 , 442 , 455 ,432 ,49 ,178 ,232 ,231,433,13,266.

I'll try the ID 432

Thanks.

[Jelly Hu]

Hi Danial,

I find that template ID 432 is for an image banner which belong to the ads type 'Image app install ads'.

Last time I show you the screenshots below which I create on UI:

Its type belongs to 'App install ads' (the document https://developers.google.com/adwords/api/docs/appendix/templateads explain that this type of ad is automatically generated ads, which are also referred to as click-to-download ads. We can build this ad using your app icon and reviews of your app in the Google Play or Apple App store. This ad format is available both on theSearch Network and the Display Network.)

[Orangevn]

I was create new campaign with type " Moblie app install" by guidline. I was using CamapignCriterion: MobileApplication , but it has return API Error: CriterionError.CANNOT_ADD_CRITERIA_TYPE

my code: 

var campaignCriterion = 

                        new CampaignCriterion

                        {

                            campaignId = success[s.Key].id

                            

                    };

                    var mobileApplication = new MobileApplication

                        {

                            appId =  m.AppId.ToString(),

                            type = CriterionType.MOBILE_APPLICATION

                        };

                    campaignCriterion.criterion = mobileApplication;

                    // Create operation.

                    var operation = new CampaignCriterionOperation

                        {

                            operand = campaignCriterion,

                            @operator = Operator.ADD

                        };

 campaignCriterionList.Add(operation);

  CampaignCriterionReturnValue retVal = campaignCriterionService.mutate(campaignCriterionList.ToArray());

Help me.

Thanks!

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi,

Please check out our Criteria Usage page, which shows:

• Whether you can target or exclude each criteria type at the CampaignCriterion or AdGroupCriterion level
• Which campaign types support each criteria type

That page shows that you can only exclude MobileApplication criteria at the campaign level, but you are attempting to target MobileApplication criteria at the campaign level.

If you want to target a MobileApplication criterion, you should instead set this up at the ad group level using an AdGroupCriterion. Note, however, that this is only available if the campaign is a Display Network only campaign.

Cheers,

Josh, AdWords API Team

[Josh Radcliff (AdWords API Team)]

Hi,

I wanted to clarify my previous reply. In AdWords, you can:

1. Create a campaign that targets users who have a specific mobile app installed. My previous reply covers this case.
2. Create a Mobile app installs campaign that aims to promote installs of your app. This is covered in our Driving Mobile App Downloads guide.

In addition, on option #2, some users are confused by the fact that when you create a Mobile app installs campaign in the UI, it prompts your for the mobile app that you are trying to promote, but this does not actually get saved as or translated to a criterion of type MobileApplication. Instead, it is saved with the campaign, but that attribute is not accessible from the API, and merely serves as a convenience so that the UI won't have to prompt you for the app again when you create each TemplateAd.

In contrast, when using the API to build your Mobile app installs campaign, you must specify the appId and appStore when creating each TemplateAd, so there's no need to perform any additional setup when creating the campaign.

Hope that clears things up for everyone.

Cheers,

Josh, AdWords API Team