Updating Ad Final URLs

[priya bahuguna]

Hello All,

We are running an initiative to update all our Ad URLs to the secure version i.e starting with https://. From the Adwords Web UI I can find that when I edit the Ad (just convert Final Url to https://), the old Ad is marked as deleted and a new one is created.
I'm just curious to know that when this new ad is created is it still linked to the performance metrics of the original ad?
Does API also works in the similar way? This would mean if I have to update the Ad URL I have to delete the existing Ad and create a new one with the Updated URL. Is this correct?

Regards,
Priya

[Shwetha Vastrad (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Priya,

Ad objects are immutable. If you want to make any changes to an Ad, you must remove the Ad, and create a new Ad. This will result in a new Ad ID, so stats for the old Ad and the new Ad will appear under separate IDs in reports.

It works in a similar way in the AdWords API. If you try to change any parameters of an Ad apart from its status, you would encounter an error. To add an updated Ad, I would recommend the following:

1. Create the new Ad in Paused state.
2. Wait for the new ad's approvalStatus to become APPROVED.
3. Make a mutate request with two operations: i) set the new ad to ENABLED and ii) Set the old ad to DISABLED.

This ensures that the old Ad is removed only after the new Ad is running.

Regards,

Shwetha, AdWords API Team.

[priya bahuguna]

Hi Shwetha,

Thanks for your reply. It is helpful for proceeding further.
question- Are you aware of any way so that the stats for the old ad can be linked to the new ad?

Regards,
Priya

[Shwetha Vastrad (AdWords API Team)]

Hi Priya,

Unfortunately, there isn't a way to link stats for old Ads to new Ads. This is not recommended either as the new Ad will be fundamentally different from the old Ad, and hence any performance change in the new Ad should not be associated with the old Ad.