> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.marketer.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Build a Google Ads campaign

> Choose a compatible objective and Google campaign type, complete its builder, and verify the intended live or paused provider result.

The Google Ads flow starts with the business objective, then offers only compatible campaign types. Each supported builder has its own inputs and review; do not transfer Meta hierarchy, attribution, or budget assumptions into it.

Open [Campaigns](https://app.marketer.com/dashboard/campaigns), select **New campaign**, choose **Google Ads**, and confirm the page title is **New Google campaign**.

## Resolve the account boundary first

If no eligible account is connected, the page shows **Connect Google Ads first** and **Go to integrations**. Connect the intended customer account and let its resource state settle before returning.

Do not use a different connected customer ID as a placeholder. Campaign currency, Merchant Center relationship, conversion actions, and existing configuration can differ by account.

## Choose an objective and compatible type

For a new build, Marketer asks for the objective before **Campaign type**. The type page filters its cards to what that objective supports.

| Type                | Use it for                                                   | Primary inputs to prepare                                                                             |
| ------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------ | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Search**          | Text ads for high-intent search queries                      | Keywords, responsive search ad copy, landing page, bidding, and targeting                             |
| **Display**         | Responsive display ads across the Google Display Network     | Image assets, copy, destination, audience, and bidding                                                |
| **Performance Max** | One campaign across Google inventory                         | Asset group, copy, images or video where required, audience signals, feed context, and value strategy |
| **Shopping**        | Product ads from a Merchant Center feed                      | Linked merchant/feed context, products, destination, country, and bidding                             |
| **Demand Gen**      | Visual and video-forward ads on YouTube, Discover, and Gmail | YouTube video when used, images, inline copy, destination, and audience                               |

Not every type appears for every objective. If a hand-edited or old link requests an incompatible combination, Marketer returns to the type selection instead of opening an invalid builder.

### Choose the Video branch correctly

The **Video** card is guidance, not a Marketer campaign wizard. The page explains that Video campaigns cannot be created through the Google Ads API and offers:

* **Use Demand Gen** for the API-supported YouTube video path in Marketer.
* **Create in Google Ads** for a Video campaign managed directly in Google Ads.

Choosing Google Ads as the external path means Marketer did not create that campaign. Wait for the provider sync before expecting it in Campaigns.

## Complete the type-specific builder

The exact steps depend on the selected type, but every build should establish:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Confirm the Google customer account">
    Read the account name, customer ID, and currency. Stop if it is not the approved publishing account.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Name the campaign">
    Use a name that records business purpose and distinguishes this campaign from adjacent tests.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set location, language, and schedule">
    Confirm where and when delivery is eligible. Do not infer geographic targeting from the storefront destination.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Set budget and bidding">
    Enter the amount in account currency and choose only a bidding option offered by the selected type and objective. Confirm conversion or value tracking is ready for the strategy.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Complete the campaign's required structure">
    Add keywords and responsive search ads for Search, feed context for Shopping, or the asset group and creative inputs required by Display, Performance Max, or Demand Gen.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Verify destinations and assets">
    Open every final URL. Review product identity, offer, claims, image and video rights, copy limits, and the landing experience.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save the draft when incomplete">
    Use the available draft action instead of filling required fields with placeholders. A resumed draft returns to its stored campaign-type builder.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Review and create

At the confirmation stage, read the account, objective, type, budget, bidding, targeting, schedule, child structure, assets, copy, destinations, and validation messages.

Set **Publish live immediately** deliberately before review:

* When it is on, the campaign is created **LIVE** and can start spending as soon as Google accepts it.
* When it is off, the campaign is created **PAUSED** for a later activation decision.

The control can inherit the workspace's auto-launch default until you change it. Read the disclosure and final action every time; do not infer the target status from an earlier launch.

Select the displayed **Approve & Create (LIVE)** or **Approve & Create (PAUSED)** action only when:

* Every visible blocker is resolved.
* The displayed object count matches the plan.
* The account and currency are correct.
* The final URLs and creative are reviewed.
* The displayed LIVE or PAUSED target is intentional.

**Approve & Create (LIVE)** opens an additional spend confirmation before submission. **Approve & Create (PAUSED)** proceeds without activating delivery. Neither label replaces provider verification after creation.

## Verify the result

1. Open the launch progress from Campaigns.
2. Wait for each expected object to reach a terminal result.
3. Confirm the campaign appears in Campaigns under **Google Ads**.
4. Open it and confirm type, hierarchy, budget, bidding, destination, and the intended active or paused status.
5. Verify the same object in Google Ads.
6. Resolve any provider warning before activation.

## Completion check

* The intended Google customer account and currency are selected.
* Objective and campaign type are compatible.
* A Video request used Demand Gen or was intentionally handed to Google Ads.
* Location, language, budget, bidding, conversion readiness, and schedule are correct.
* Required type-specific structure, creative, and destination are complete.
* Review has no unresolved blocker.
* All expected objects reached a terminal launch state.
* The campaign exists in Google Ads with the exact LIVE or PAUSED status approved during review.

## Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Connect Google Ads first appears">
    Select **Go to integrations**, connect the intended account, and let its setup complete. Return to **New Google campaign** only after the correct customer account is available.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The campaign type I expected is missing">
    Return to **Objective** and review the selected business goal. Marketer shows only compatible campaign types; choose a different objective only when the business goal truly changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Video sends me to another choice">
    This is expected. Choose **Use Demand Gen** for Marketer's supported YouTube path, or **Create in Google Ads** for a native Video campaign.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="A resumed draft skips objective and type">
    The stored draft already owns its campaign type and returns directly to that builder. Confirm the draft name and type before continuing; start a new campaign if the intended type changed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Approve & Create is blocked">
    Read the builder's validation. Check account, budget and bidding compatibility, location, schedule, conversion or feed prerequisites, child structure, creative assets, copy, and final URLs.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Continue

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Track the launch" icon="rocket" href="/product-guides/campaigns-drafts-and-launches">
    Follow each provider object and avoid duplicate retries.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Inspect Google delivery" icon="chart-line" href="/product-guides/campaigns-inspect-and-manage">
    Restore a scoped view and verify the paused or active object.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>


## Related topics

- [Campaigns](/product-guides/campaigns.md)
- [Google Ads](/integrations/google-ads.md)
- [Products](/product-guides/products.md)
- [Set up your workspace and data](/get-started/workspace-and-data.md)
- [Sources and data freshness](/essential-guidelines/sources-and-freshness.md)