Example: Creating a dynamic remarketing campaign with Google Merchant Center

In this example, you have a retail site that uploads product listings to Google Merchant Center and you want to remarket groups of products to users who visited the retail site. These users might have visited a product page or placed an item in a basket or checkout, recorded by the triggering of a remarketing tag. You can then create a campaign to target only this group or expand to similar audiences to increase your reach.

Read more about audience list generation best practices.

You will need the following to set up such a campaign:

Remarketing List.
Merchant Center account.
Product Feed from Merchant Center.
Media required for Responsive Ads for Display.

Here is the list of ad creatives that support Merchant Center product feeds:

Step 1 - Create a campaign linked to a Merchant Center product feed

In order to be able to remarket retail products, you'll need to create a campaign targeting the Display Network. This will require the following:

A CampaignBudget to specify how much the campaign is able to spend.
A UserList including the list of users to target with the campaign.
A ShoppingSetting to specify which Merchant Center account the product feed will be used for the campaign.

The basic steps for configuring the campaign are:

Create a new campaign, setting the AdvertisingChannelType to DISPLAY.
Set the CampaignBudget for the campaign. This can be a newly created budget or a shared budget.
Set the ShoppingSetting for the campaign. Note that the CampaignService is used here, rather than AdGroupService, since the feed must be attached at campaign level.
- First, set the merchant_id to that of the Merchant Center account associated with the Google Ads account. This Merchant Center account must already be linked to Google Ads as described in this article.
- Then set the campaign_priority as described in this article.
- Setting the enable_local to true will include local inventory ads.
Apply the mutate operation to add the new campaign to the account.

Code Example

Java

private String createCampaign(
    GoogleAdsClient googleAdsClient,
    long customerId,
    long merchantCenterAccountId,
    long campaignBudgetId) {
  String budgetResourceName = ResourceNames.campaignBudget(customerId, campaignBudgetId);

  // Creates the campaign.
  Campaign campaign =
      Campaign.newBuilder()
          .setName("Shopping campaign #" + getPrintableDateTime())
          // Dynamic remarketing campaigns are only available on the Google Display Network.
          .setAdvertisingChannelType(AdvertisingChannelType.DISPLAY)
          .setStatus(CampaignStatus.PAUSED)
          .setCampaignBudget(budgetResourceName)
          .setManualCpc(ManualCpc.newBuilder().build())
          // The settings for the shopping campaign.
          // This connects the campaign to the merchant center account.
          .setShoppingSetting(
              ShoppingSetting.newBuilder()
                  .setCampaignPriority(0)
                  .setMerchantId(merchantCenterAccountId)
                  .setEnableLocal(true)
                  .build())
          .build();

  // Creates the campaign operation.
  CampaignOperation operation = CampaignOperation.newBuilder().setCreate(campaign).build();

  // Creates the campaign service client.
  try (CampaignServiceClient campaignServiceClient =
      googleAdsClient.getLatestVersion().createCampaignServiceClient()) {
    // Adds the campaign.
    MutateCampaignsResponse response =
        campaignServiceClient.mutateCampaigns(
            Long.toString(customerId), ImmutableList.of(operation));
    String campaignResourceName = response.getResults(0).getResourceName();
    System.out.printf("Created campaign with resource name '%s'.%n", campaignResourceName);
    return campaignResourceName;
  }
}
AddMerchantCenterDynamicRemarketingCampaign.java

C#

private string CreateCampaign(GoogleAdsClient client, long customerId,
    long merchantCenterAccountId, long campaignBudgetId)
{
    // Creates the Campaign Service client.
    CampaignServiceClient campaignServiceClient =
        client.GetService(Services.V18.CampaignService);

    string budgetResourceName = ResourceNames.CampaignBudget(customerId, campaignBudgetId);

    // Creates the campaign.
    Campaign campaign = new Campaign()
    {
        Name = "Shopping campaign #" + ExampleUtilities.GetRandomString(),
        // Dynamic remarketing campaigns are only available on the Google Display Network.
        AdvertisingChannelType = AdvertisingChannelType.Display,
        Status = CampaignStatus.Paused,
        CampaignBudget = budgetResourceName,
        ManualCpc = new ManualCpc(),
        // The settings for the shopping campaign.
        // This connects the campaign to the Merchant Center account.
        ShoppingSetting = new Campaign.Types.ShoppingSetting()
        {
            CampaignPriority = 0,
            MerchantId = merchantCenterAccountId,
            EnableLocal = true
        }
    };

    // Creates the campaign operation.
    CampaignOperation operation = new CampaignOperation()
    {
        Create = campaign
    };

    // Adds the campaign.
    MutateCampaignsResponse response = campaignServiceClient.MutateCampaigns(customerId
        .ToString(), new[] { operation });
    string campaignResourceName = response.Results.First().ResourceName;
    Console.WriteLine($"Created campaign with resource name '{campaignResourceName}'.");
    return campaignResourceName;
}AddMerchantCenterDynamicRemarketingCampaign.cs

PHP

private static function createCampaign(
    GoogleAdsClient $googleAdsClient,
    int $customerId,
    int $merchantCenterAccountId,
    int $campaignBudgetId
): string {
    // Configures the settings for the shopping campaign.
    $shoppingSettings = new ShoppingSetting([
        'campaign_priority' => 0,
        'merchant_id' => $merchantCenterAccountId,
        'enable_local' => true
    ]);

    // Creates the campaign.
    $campaign = new Campaign([
        'name' => 'Shopping campaign #' . Helper::getPrintableDatetime(),
        // Dynamic remarketing campaigns are only available on the Google Display Network.
        'advertising_channel_type' => AdvertisingChannelType::DISPLAY,
        'status' => CampaignStatus::PAUSED,
        'campaign_budget' => ResourceNames::forCampaignBudget($customerId, $campaignBudgetId),
        'manual_cpc' => new ManualCpc(),
        // This connects the campaign to the merchant center account.
        'shopping_setting' => $shoppingSettings
    ]);

    // Creates a campaign operation.
    $campaignOperation = new CampaignOperation();
    $campaignOperation->setCreate($campaign);

    // Issues a mutate request to add the campaign.
    $campaignServiceClient = $googleAdsClient->getCampaignServiceClient();
    $response = $campaignServiceClient->mutateCampaigns(
        MutateCampaignsRequest::build($customerId, [$campaignOperation])
    );

    /** @var Campaign $addedCampaign */
    $addedCampaign = $response->getResults()[0];
    $addedCampaignResourceName = $addedCampaign->getResourceName();
    printf("Created campaign with resource name '%s'.%s", $addedCampaignResourceName, PHP_EOL);

    return $addedCampaignResourceName;
}AddMerchantCenterDynamicRemarketingCampaign.php

Python

def create_campaign(
    client, customer_id, merchant_center_account_id, campaign_budget_id
):
    """Creates a campaign linked to a Merchant Center product feed.

    Args:
        client: An initialized GoogleAds client.
        customer_id: The Google Ads customer ID.
        merchant_center_account_id: The target Merchant Center account ID.
        campaign_budget_id: The ID of the campaign budget to utilize.
    Returns:
        The string resource name of the newly created campaign.
    """
    # Gets the CampaignService client.
    campaign_service = client.get_service("CampaignService")

    # Creates a campaign operation and configures the new campaign.
    campaign_operation = client.get_type("CampaignOperation")
    campaign = campaign_operation.create
    campaign.name = f"Shopping campaign #{uuid4()}"
    # Configures the settings for the shopping campaign.
    campaign.shopping_setting.campaign_priority = 0
    # This connects the campaign to the Merchant Center account.
    campaign.shopping_setting.merchant_id = merchant_center_account_id
    campaign.shopping_setting.enable_local = True
    # Dynamic remarketing campaigns are only available on the Google Display
    # Network.
    campaign.advertising_channel_type = (
        client.enums.AdvertisingChannelTypeEnum.DISPLAY
    )
    campaign.status = client.enums.CampaignStatusEnum.PAUSED
    campaign.campaign_budget = client.get_service(
        "CampaignBudgetService"
    ).campaign_budget_path(customer_id, campaign_budget_id)
    client.copy_from(campaign.manual_cpc, client.get_type("ManualCpc"))

    # Issues a mutate request to add the campaign.
    campaign_response = campaign_service.mutate_campaigns(
        customer_id=customer_id, operations=[campaign_operation]
    )
    campaign_resource_name = campaign_response.results[0].resource_name
    print(f"Created campaign with resource name '{campaign_resource_name}'.")

    return campaign_resource_nameadd_merchant_center_dynamic_remarketing_campaign.py

Ruby

def create_campaign(client, customer_id, merchant_center_id, campaign_budget_id)
  operation = client.operation.create_resource.campaign do |c|
    c.name = "Shopping campaign ##{(Time.new.to_f * 1000).to_i}"

    # Dynamic remarketing campaigns are only available on the Google Display
    # Network.
    c.advertising_channel_type = :DISPLAY
    c.status = :PAUSED
    c.campaign_budget = client.path.campaign_budget(customer_id,
                                                    campaign_budget_id)
    c.manual_cpc = client.resource.manual_cpc

    # The settings for the shopping campaign.
    # This connects the campaign to the merchant center account.
    c.shopping_setting = client.resource.shopping_setting do |ss|
      ss.campaign_priority = 0
      ss.merchant_id = merchant_center_id.to_i
      ss.enable_local = true
    end
  end

  response = client.service.campaign.mutate_campaigns(
    customer_id: customer_id,
    operations: [operation]
  )

  puts "Created campaign: #{response.results.first.resource_name}"
  response.results.first.resource_name
endadd_merchant_center_dynamic_remarketing_campaign.rb

Perl

sub create_campaign {
  my ($api_client, $customer_id, $merchant_center_account_id,
    $campaign_budget_id)
    = @_;

  # Configure the settings for the shopping campaign.
  my $shopping_settings =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Resources::ShoppingSetting->new({
      campaignPriority => 0,
      merchantId       => $merchant_center_account_id,
      enableLocal      => "true"
    });

  # Create the campaign.
  my $campaign = Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Resources::Campaign->new({
      name => "Shopping campaign #" . uniqid(),
      # Dynamic remarketing campaigns are only available on the Google Display Network.
      advertisingChannelType => DISPLAY,
      status => Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Enums::CampaignStatusEnum::PAUSED,
      campaignBudget =>
        Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Utils::ResourceNames::campaign_budget(
        $customer_id, $campaign_budget_id
        ),
      manualCpc => Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Common::ManualCpc->new(),
      # This connects the campaign to the Merchant Center account.
      shoppingSetting => $shopping_settings
    });

  # Create a campaign operation.
  my $campaign_operation =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Services::CampaignService::CampaignOperation->
    new({create => $campaign});

  # Issue a mutate request to add the campaign.
  my $campaigns_response = $api_client->CampaignService()->mutate({
      customerId => $customer_id,
      operations => [$campaign_operation]});

  my $campaign_resource_name = $campaigns_response->{results}[0]{resourceName};
  printf "Created campaign with resource name '%s'.\n", $campaign_resource_name;

  return $campaign_resource_name;
}add_merchant_center_dynamic_remarketing_campaign.pl

Step 2 - Create an ad group for the remarketing campaign

Code Example

Java

private String createAdGroup(
    GoogleAdsClient googleAdsClient, long customerId, String campaignResourceName) {
  // Creates the ad group.
  AdGroup adGroup =
      AdGroup.newBuilder()
          .setName("Dynamic remarketing ad group")
          .setCampaign(campaignResourceName)
          .setStatus(AdGroupStatus.ENABLED)
          .build();

  // Creates the ad group operation.
  AdGroupOperation operation = AdGroupOperation.newBuilder().setCreate(adGroup).build();

  // Creates the ad group service client.
  try (AdGroupServiceClient adGroupServiceClient =
      googleAdsClient.getLatestVersion().createAdGroupServiceClient()) {
    // Adds the ad group.
    MutateAdGroupsResponse response =
        adGroupServiceClient.mutateAdGroups(
            Long.toString(customerId), ImmutableList.of(operation));
    String adGroupResourceName = response.getResults(0).getResourceName();
    System.out.printf("Created ad group with resource name '%s'.%n", adGroupResourceName);
    return adGroupResourceName;
  }
}
AddMerchantCenterDynamicRemarketingCampaign.java

C#

private string CreateAdGroup(GoogleAdsClient client, long customerId,
    string campaignResourceName)
{
    // Creates the ad group service client.
    AdGroupServiceClient adGroupServiceClient =
        client.GetService(Services.V18.AdGroupService);

    // Creates the ad group.
    AdGroup adGroup = new AdGroup()
    {
        Name = "Dynamic remarketing ad group",
        Campaign = campaignResourceName,
        Status = AdGroupStatus.Enabled
    };

    // Creates the ad group operation.
    AdGroupOperation operation = new AdGroupOperation()
    {
        Create = adGroup
    };

    // Adds the ad group.
    MutateAdGroupsResponse response = adGroupServiceClient.MutateAdGroups(
        customerId.ToString(), new[] { operation });

    string adGroupResourceName = response.Results.First().ResourceName;
    Console.WriteLine($"Created ad group with resource name '{adGroupResourceName}'.");
    return adGroupResourceName;
}AddMerchantCenterDynamicRemarketingCampaign.cs

PHP

private static function createAdGroup(
    GoogleAdsClient $googleAdsClient,
    int $customerId,
    string $campaignResourceName
): string {
    // Creates the ad group.
    $adGroup = new AdGroup([
        'name' => 'Dynamic remarketing ad group',
        'campaign' => $campaignResourceName,
        'status' => AdGroupStatus::ENABLED
    ]);

    // Creates an ad group operation.
    $adGroupOperation = new AdGroupOperation();
    $adGroupOperation->setCreate($adGroup);

    // Issues a mutate request to add the ad group.
    $adGroupServiceClient = $googleAdsClient->getAdGroupServiceClient();
    $response = $adGroupServiceClient->mutateAdGroups(
        MutateAdGroupsRequest::build($customerId, [$adGroupOperation])
    );

    /** @var AdGroup $addedAdGroup */
    $addedAdGroup = $response->getResults()[0];
    $addedAdGroupResourceName = $addedAdGroup->getResourceName();
    printf("Created ad group with resource name '%s'.%s", $addedAdGroupResourceName, PHP_EOL);

    return $addedAdGroupResourceName;
}AddMerchantCenterDynamicRemarketingCampaign.php

Python

def create_ad_group(client, customer_id, campaign_resource_name):
    """Creates an ad group for the remarketing campaign.

    Args:
        client: An initialized GoogleAds client.
        customer_id: The Google Ads customer ID.
        campaign_resource_name: The resource name of the target campaign.
    Returns:
        The string resource name of the newly created ad group.
    """
    # Gets the AdGroupService.
    ad_group_service = client.get_service("AdGroupService")

    # Creates an ad group operation and configures the new ad group.
    ad_group_operation = client.get_type("AdGroupOperation")
    ad_group = ad_group_operation.create
    ad_group.name = "Dynamic remarketing ad group"
    ad_group.campaign = campaign_resource_name
    ad_group.status = client.enums.AdGroupStatusEnum.ENABLED

    # Issues a mutate request to add the ad group.
    ad_group_response = ad_group_service.mutate_ad_groups(
        customer_id=customer_id, operations=[ad_group_operation]
    )
    ad_group_resource_name = ad_group_response.results[0].resource_name

    return ad_group_resource_nameadd_merchant_center_dynamic_remarketing_campaign.py

Ruby

def create_ad_group(client, customer_id, campaign_resource_name)
  # Creates the ad group.
  ad_group = client.resource.ad_group do |ag|
    ag.name = "Dynamic remarketing ad group #{(Time.now.to_f * 1000).to_i}"
    ag.campaign = campaign_resource_name
    ag.status = :ENABLED
  end

  # Creates the ad group operation.
  operation = client.operation.create_resource.ad_group(ad_group)
  response = client.service.ad_group.mutate_ad_groups(
    customer_id: customer_id,
    operations: [operation]
  )

  puts "Created ad group: #{response.results.first.resource_name}"
  response.results.first.resource_name
endadd_merchant_center_dynamic_remarketing_campaign.rb

Perl

sub create_ad_group {
  my ($api_client, $customer_id, $campaign_resource_name) = @_;

  # Create the ad group.
  my $ad_group = Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Resources::AdGroup->new({
    name     => "Dynamic remarketing ad group",
    campaign => $campaign_resource_name,
    status   => Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Enums::AdGroupStatusEnum::ENABLED
  });

  # Create an ad group operation.
  my $ad_group_operation =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V18::Services::AdGroupService::AdGroupOperation->
    new({create => $ad_group});

  # Issue a mutate request to add the ad group.
  my $ad_groups_response = $api_client->AdGroupService()->mutate({
      customerId => $customer_id,
      operations => [$ad_group_operation]});

  my $ad_group_resource_name = $ad_groups_response->{results}[0]{resourceName};
  printf "Created ad group with resource name '%s'.\n", $ad_group_resource_name;

  return $ad_group_resource_name;
}add_merchant_center_dynamic_remarketing_campaign.pl

Example: Creating a dynamic remarketing campaign with Google Merchant Center

Step 1 - Create a campaign linked to a Merchant Center product feed

Code Example

Java

C#

PHP

Python

Ruby

Perl

Step 2 - Create an ad group for the remarketing campaign

Code Example

Java

C#

PHP

Python

Ruby

Perl

Step 3 - Create a responsive ad for display

Code Example

{ }

) }

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
end

end

}

Step 4 - Target a user list

Code Example

Java

C#

PHP

Python

Ruby

Perl

Example: Creating a dynamic remarketing campaign with Google Merchant Center

Step 1 - Create a campaign linked to a Merchant Center product feed

Code Example

Java

C#

PHP

Python

Ruby

Perl

Step 2 - Create an ad group for the remarketing campaign

Code Example

Java

C#

PHP

Python

Ruby

Perl

Step 3 - Create a responsive ad for display

Code Example

{ }

) }

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # end

end

}

Step 4 - Target a user list

Code Example

Java

C#

PHP

Python

Ruby

Perl

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #
end