Ad Cistpmizer Countdown Timer

[KGuiste1]

Hi,

I've written a script updates the ad customizer which is the syntax for a countdown timer e.g. {=GLOBAL_COUNTDOWN("2021/03/14 17:00:00", "nl", 7)}
(as shown in the image below).

To use access the value of the ad customizer {=Countdown_Timers.Timer1} is used.

The problem is the ads which use this ad customizer aren't generating any impressions.

Can anyone let me know why this is not working?

[KGuiste1]

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hi there,

 

Thanks for reaching out. Harry here, from the Google Ads Scripts Team.

 

Are there any errors returned by the script? Displayed approval status of the ad customizer from the script? Can you kindly provide your CID and script name so that I would be able to take a look at what's causing the issue? Any other information is highly appreciated.

 

You may send them here or privately via the reply to author option. If this option is not available at your end, you may send it through our email (googleadsscr...@google.com) instead.

 

Thanks,

Harry Cliford Rivera Google Ads Scripts Team

ref:_00D1U1174p._5004Q2Du27u:ref

[KGuiste1]

Hi Harry,

The script worked as it should have, it updated the value of the data source item under Timer1, as shown in the image sent previously. Also the ad customiser status is approved ('goedgekeurd').

The following image shows the result of using the ad customizer to retrieve the countdown timer syntax, however, as shown in the preview, this syntax isn't converted into a countdown timer.

The issue may be in the fact that the ad customizer value cannot be turned into a countdown timer in this method...

Let me know what you think.

Regards

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the added context. For us to be able to further investigation with this, may you please provide your CID and script name? You may send them here or privately via our email (googleadsscr...@google.com).

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hi there,

 

Thanks for providing your details and your patience. However, would you be able to provide the Ads IDs that uses your ad customizer in the screenshot you have attached previously? Also, the CID where this ad customizer is included so that we can continue our investigation further?

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hi there,

 

Thanks for providing the requested information. When you are using the COUNTDOWN function (or the GLOBAL_COUNTDOWN), you would have to insert a countdown to a specific date rather than a date placeholder for the Ad Customizers value.

 

The COUNTDOWN function takes three arguments, but only the first is required:

 

• timestamp: The date to which you are counting down. This value can be a reference to a feed attribute or a specific date literal.
• language: The localization in which the countdown should be displayed. If unspecified, this defaults to en-US.
• days_before: The number of days before the timestamp that this ad can start serving. For example, if it's 6 days before the specified time, but this field is set to 5, the ad won't serve. If unspecified, no restrictions are added.

 

Please see Parameterized ads and Adding a countdown for your reference. Let me know if you have questions.

[KGuiste1]

Hi,

This is the Ad Customizer Item Value for a countdown timer for an upcoming date: {=GLOBAL_COUNTDOWN("2021/03/28 17:00:00","en-GB",7)}

This is the Countdown Timer Syntax I just created in the Ad Text Editor interface:     {=GLOBAL_COUNTDOWN("2021/3/28 17:00:00","en-GB",7)}

Apart from the fact that one is pulled from a data source there's literally no difference between them in terms of syntax (apart from the '3' and '03' for the months).

One of the previous images I shared showed what I speculated to be the case and that is a countdown timer syntax from an ad customizer field isn't converted into a countdown timer (e.g. 3 days) but its value is simply presented when the ad is displayed (as shown in the preview).

Please let me know if my hypothesis is indeed correct or not.

If you can test this method and produce positive results then let me know.

Regards

Kurvin

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hello Kurvin,

 

To further explain the matter, the COUNTDOWN function is set in your ad text directly rather than in your data feed. You may opt to get date value from your data feed or use a date string literal for your COUNTDOWN function.

 

In addition and for your reference, the ad that you have in the account provided would not be able to generate any impressions as it seems that your account does not serve ads and billing has not been set up for it yet.

 

Hope this clarifies your concern. If there's any errors or issues please let me know.

[KGuiste1]

Hi,

I'm still not clear as to your recommended solutions.

Based on what I understood of your suggestion I tried nesting the ad into the countdown timer syntax as shown below, but it doesn't seem to be recognised as a countdown timer syntax.

It therefore seems to go towards the character count.

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hi Kurvin,

Thanks for coming back. It does seem that the countdown timer has been recognized; hence, the "3 days" value. You would just have to remove the extra curly brace and parenthesis. Kindly try this format instead: " {=GLOBAL_COUNTDOWN(C_Timers.Timer1)} " and take note of the character limits.

[KGuiste1]

Thanks,

I'll try it out and give feedback if impressions start being generated.

Regards

[KGuiste1]

Hi,

This error came up. Not sure if it's because the customizer is still under review or something...

Let me know.

Regards.

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hi Kurvin,

I see that you have set the countdown argument values in the ad headline instead and seems to have resolved the displayed message you have encountered. Let me know if there's anything else I can assist you with.

[KGuiste1]

Yes,

It solved the display message but it brought up an error... I sent an image in my last reply. It's stopping me from saving the ad...

can you help me resolve this

thanks

[Google Ads Scripts Forum Advisor]

Hi Kurvin,

Let me explain more on my previous statement, looking at the account you have provided, it seems that you have set the countdown argument values in the ad headline instead of using the data feed which I assumed resolved the error and the ad also seems to be saved.

For your reference, Ad customizers are grouped into sources, with each source containing multiple items. Each source has a name and specifies which attributes each item has. Please see link for more information. When setting up an ad customizer source, you have to specify its attributes, as well as what type of data each attribute has. The available data types are:

• text: Arbitrary text content
• price: Prices, represented as text
• number: Integers
• date: Dates and times in your account's time zone. In scripts, these are represented as a string in the form "yyyyMMdd HHmmss". For instance, 9AM on October 30, 2014 would be represented as "20141030 090000".

[KGuiste1]

Thanks,

I've made some modifications and the code and ad customizer has been accepted.
I've used this syntax {=GLOBAL_COUNTDOWN(C_Timers.Timer1,"nl",7)} where C_Timers.Timer1 represents a date in format "yyyyMMdd HHmmss".

I'll be looking to test this as it has been saved

Hopefully it generates impressions.

Regards