Scripts have been a buzzword for awhile now in the PPC world, but if you’re like me you’ve still been hesitant to test them out. However, I’m finding more and more that even though endeavors like this might take some more time and effort on the front end to set up, they definitely pay off and can save you lots of time in the future. Scripts became available in the new UI late last year. Here is a great write-up of script changes from the old to new interface.
Since I put together a BIG List of Scripts for the old Google interface, I thought it was worth revisiting.
Setting up Scripts in the New AdWords UI
To set up a script, just click on the wrench in the top righthand corner, then choose Scripts in the Bulk Actions section:
From there, you’ll be taken to a page that shows your list of scripts, if any have been created, and you can also choose the blue + sign to create a new one:
If you choose the + sign to create a new script, you’ll be taken to the screen below where you can name your script, paste it in and adjust it as needed:
However, before a new script can run you’ll have to Authorize it by clicking the button in the upper righthand corner.
Once you’ve put in your script information and adjusted it as needed, you can Close, Run, Save or Preview it from the options in the bottom righthand corner:
Script Management
After you create your script, you can edit its name and frequency from the main page via inline editing. For frequency, you can choose from Once, Hourly, Daily, Weekly, or Monthly:
One more inline edit you can make is in the far right Actions column. From there you can Run, Edit, Duplicate or Disable a script:
Additionally, if you have a lot of scripts, you can filter them by Script Name or who they were created by clicking on the filter icon shown in the above screenshot.
If you choose the Script History option, you’ll be taken to the following page, where you can see the date and time a script ran, its run status, and the results:
If you click on the link in the Results column, you’ll be taken to a more detailed page of the changes made:
Now that you know how to set the scripts up, let’s get to the ever-growing list.
The Big List of Scripts
Bid Management Scripts
Implement TV Schedule Bid Coordination
Budget Management Scripts
Ad Management Scripts
Track Expanded Text Ad Performance
Update Countdown Ads with New Dates
Keyword Management Scripts
Pause Keywords with Zero Impressions
Simplify Negative Keyword Management with a Master Negative List
Device Focused Scripts
Heat Maps for Device Performance
Analyze Mobile Performance with PageSpeed Insights
Inventory Focused Scripts
Disable Ads and Keywords For Out of Stock Items
Automate Ad Management with the Inventory-based Script
Account Performance & Structure
Utilize Account Auditor to Confirm Consistent Account Structure
Other Handy Scripts
Export AdWords Reports Into BigQuery
Identify Under Performing GDN Placements
Load One AdWords Script Into Multiple Accounts
Bulk Shopping Ad Group Creator
Closing Thoughts
Ultimately, scripts are powerful, time-saving tools that I think many of us could do a better job of implementing in our accounts. Once you get the hang of them I doubt you’ll ever go back to managing your accounts without them. If you’d like to see even more scripts, check out these additional resources:
If you found this BIG List helpful, you might also enjoy our other BIG lists:
The BIG List: Stock Image Sourcing
The BIG List: Recurring Account Maintenance Tasks
The BIG List: Your Guide to the New AdWords Experience
The Big List: 50+ PPC Blogs You Should Be Reading
What is your favorite script? We’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
