Lesson 7d: AdWords Editor

Objective: Learn basic information about AdWords Editor, including key features, how to install it, and how to start using it.

AdWords Editor is a free, downloadable desktop application for managing your AdWords campaigns. If you have a large number of campaigns or keywords, or if you manage multiple accounts, AdWords Editor can save you time and help streamline your workflow.

The application offers a wide array of features, but the basic process is simple: download your account, make your changes, then upload your revised campaigns when the changes are finalized. You'll learn more details about these steps in subsequent lessons.

With AdWords Editor, you can:

• Work offline on your Mac or PC.
• Upload changes to AdWords any time.
• Store and navigate one or more accounts.
• Add, edit, and delete campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords, and placements.
• Make large-scale changes quickly.
• Perform advanced searches and edits.
• Add comments for your changes.
• Sort and view performance statistics.
• Copy or move items between campaigns, ad groups, and accounts.
• Export a snapshot of your account for archiving or sharing.
• Import an archive or share file and review the proposed changes.

To download and install AdWords Editor, visit the AdWords Editor website. Select Windows or Mac, then click Download AdWords Editor. You'll need Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Mac OS X (10.4 or later).

The first time you run AdWords Editor, you'll be prompted automatically to download your account. To download additional accounts, go to the File menu > Open Account.

You may only edit one account at a time. To switch accounts, go to the File menu > Open Account, select the account you want to view, and click Open Selected Account.

You can navigate through your account in AdWords Editor via the tree view on the left side of the interface and the tabs on the right side. Your selections in the tree view and the tabs determine what information you can view and edit.

Tree view: The tree view is a hierarchical view of your account on the left side of your screen. Click the plus and minus signs to expand and collapse the tree view and see the campaigns and ad groups in your account.

Tabs: Once you've selected an account, campaign, or ad group in the tree view, you can use the tabs to select the kind of data you want to view or edit. Each tab shows a part of your account, such as keywords, ad groups, or campaigns. For example, to view the ad groups in Campaign #1, select Campaign #1 in the tree view and click the Ad Groups tab.

Tab tool bars: Each tab has a tool bar with buttons for functions within the tab. For example, the Keywords tab has buttons for adding and deleting keywords, making multiple changes, and reverting changes. The adding and editing options are also available from the Data menu.

Data view and edit panel: The data view displays the details of the selected tab. When you select an item in the data view, you can edit it directly in the row or in the edit panel below the data view.

Objective: Learn how to add, edit, and delete campaigns, ad groups, ads, keywords, and placements.

The Add Multiple tools enable you to add large numbers of keywords, placements, ads, or ad groups at once. These tools are available from the Data menu or on the tab tool bars. Simply type or paste a list of items into the tool to add them to the locations you specify.

For example, the Add Multiple Keywords tool enables you to add keywords to a single ad group, to all campaigns and ad groups, or only to the ad groups you specify. From within the tool, you can:

• Use the drop-down menus to select a specific campaign and ad group for your keyword additions.
• Select All Campaigns to add the same keywords to all ad groups in the account.
• Include campaign and ad group names in your keyword list. This option allows you to add keywords to specific ad groups in any campaigns, or to create new ad groups and campaigns for your keywords. If you enter campaign and ad group names that don't exist yet, the tool will give you the option of creating them.
• Replace your existing keyword list with the new keywords by checking the box labeled 'Replace the entire contents of destination ad groups with these keywords.'

You can add an individual campaign, ad group, ad, keyword, or placement several ways. The two simplest ways are:

• Go to the Data menu and select the type of addition you want to make. For example, to add a keyword to Campaign #1, go to the Data menu > Add New Keyword.
• Click the Add button on the appropriate tab. For example, to add an ad group to Campaign #2, select Campaign #2 in the tree view. Next, go to the Ad Groups tab and click Add Ad Group.

To locate and edit a campaign, ad group, ad, keyword, or placement, follow these steps:

1. Select the appropriate context in the tree view. This could be your account name or a specific campaign or ad group containing the item you want to edit.
2. Click the relevant tab above the data view.
3. Select the item you want to edit in the data view.
4. Make your changes in the edit panel or directly in the data view.

AdWords Editor gives you several options for editing multiple items at once. You can enter a list of changes in the Add/Update Multiple tools, or you can select items and edit them manually or with the advanced editing tools. (Advanced editing tools will be covered in the next lesson.)

Add/Update Multiple tools

The Add/Update Multiple Keywords, Placements, and Ad Groups tools enable you to edit, as well as add multiple items at once. When you enter a list of keywords, placements, or ad groups into the appropriate tool, AdWords Editor allows you to specify additions and edits. These tools are ideal for making long lists of specific changes to CPC or CPM bids, destination URLs, or ad group settings.

For example, here's how you'd update multiple ad group CPC bids using the Add/Update Ad Groups tool:

1. Prepare a spreadsheet or a list containing your ad groups and their new CPC bids, separated by tabs or commas. The columns should be in this order: campaign, ad group, CPC bid, content CPC bid (optional) and status (optional).
2. Go to the Data menu > Add/Update Multiple Ad Groups.
3. Select the second radio button to indicate you'll include columns with campaign and ad group names.
4. Select keyword or placement targeting for any new campaigns that will be added as a result of new ad group names in your list. (You can change individual campaigns later, if necessary.)
5. Paste your ad group list into the Ad Groups field.
6. Click Next to review the changes.
7. You'll see a list of new and updated ad groups. Use the radio buttons to accept or reject the changes.
8. Click Finish.

The Advanced Bid Changes and Advanced URL Changes tools enable you to change large numbers of CPC bids, CPM bids, and destination URLs quickly.

To use the Advanced Bid Changes tool, follow these steps:

1. In the data view, select the keywords, placements, or ad groups whose bids you wish to edit.
2. Click the Advanced Bid Changes link at the bottom of the edit panel.
3. Specify your changes. The options change, depending on which kind of bid you're changing. Options may include the following:
   • Increase or decrease your bids by a percentage.
   • Remove bids at the keyword or placement level so they use the ad group default bid (Keywords and Placements tabs only).
   • Constrain any of these changes so that bids do not fall below or exceed certain values.
4. Click Change Bids.

The Replace Text feature enables you to find and replace text in keywords, placements, ads, and destination URLs. Simply select the items you want to search, then run the Replace Text tool to make your changes.

For example, to find and replace a certain word in your text ads, follow these steps:

1. Select your account name in the tree view.
2. Click the Text Ads tab.
3. In the data view, select the ads you want to edit. To search and replace text in all your ads, go to the Edit menu > Select All.
4. Click the Replace Text link at the bottom of the Text Ads tab or go to the Edit menu > Replace Text in Selected Items.
5. Enter the text to be changed, the fields to be searched, and the new text.
6. You can select options to match case or whole words only and to preserve capitalization.
7. Click Find Matches.
8. Click Replace All to confirm the changes.

As with adding and editing, you can delete items individually or delete multiple items at once.

To make individual deletions, select the items to delete in the data view. For keywords, ads, or negative keywords or sites, click the Delete button in the tab tool bar. For campaigns or ad groups, change the status to Deleted in the edit panel. A minus sign (-) will appear next to deleted items in the data view.

To delete a list of keywords, placements, negatives, or text ads from various locations, use the appropriate Delete Multiple tool. These tools are available via the Data menu or in the tab tool bars.

To find and delete a list of items that meet specific criteria (such as underperforming keywords or text ads that contain a certain word), use Advanced Search. You'll learn more about Advanced Search in the View and Sort Information lesson.

You can copy or move keywords, placements, ads, ad groups, and campaigns. For example, you can copy text ads into a new ad group, or move an ad group into a different campaign. To copy or move items from one location to another, follow these steps:

1. Select the appropriate context in the tree view. This could be your account name or a specific campaign or ad group containing the items you want to copy or move. For example, to copy keywords in Campaign #4, select Campaign #4 in the tree view.
2. Click the relevant tab above the data view. For example, to copy keywords, select the Keywords tab.
3. Select the items to copy or cut, and go to the Edit menu > Copy or Cut.
4. Select the destination location in the tree view, and go to the Edit menu > Paste. To paste items into multiple ad groups, select the destination ad groups in the data view. Next, go to the Edit menu > Paste Special > Paste into Selected Ad Groups.

You can make the following changes to your cost and budget settings in AdWords Editor:

• Change your campaign budget.
• Change your ad group CPC or CPM bids.
• Change the CPC or CPM bids for individual keywords or placements.
• Change maximum CPA bids for ad groups in Conversion Optimizer campaigns.

After you download an account to AdWords Editor, the contents of the campaigns are stored on your computer. Before you begin a session of editing a previously downloaded account, it's a good idea to make sure you're working with the most recent version of your campaign information.

To download and review any recent changes that might have been made since the previous download, click Get Recent Changes in the tool bar.

Here's an overview of what you'll see once the download is complete:

• Recent changes downloaded from AdWords (also called account updates) are highlighted in green.
• Unposted local changes (changes made in AdWords Editor) are highlighted in purple.
• If your local changes conflict with the downloaded changes, these items will be highlighted in red.
• To isolate updates, local changes and conflicts, use the View menu just above the tabs. Here you'll find options for viewing:
  • All unposted local changes
  • Account updates only
  • Account updates with unposted changes only

Objective: Learn how to view, sort, and search the contents of your account. Become familiar with tools such as Advanced Search, the Keyword Grouper, and Find Duplicate Keywords.

Here are some important symbols, colors, and other visuals you'll see in AdWords Editor:

• Plus (+): added item
• Delta (∆): edited item
• Minus (-): deleted item
• Red circle: error that will prevent posting (such as a potential advertising policy violation or a structural issue, such as a missing daily budget)
• Yellow circle: warning
• Green circle: item that has passed AdWords Editor checks but hasn't been posted
• Pushpin icon: item with a comment (to see all items with comments, go to the View menu > Items with comments)
• Bold: unposted change
• Gray: paused or deleted campaign or ad group
• Strikethrough: deleted item

You can set your preferences to view or to hide deleted items in your account. To change your preferences, go to the Tools menu > Settings. Check or uncheck the appropriate boxes under Hide all deleted and ended items.

To view the contents of deleted or ended campaigns and ad groups, you may need to change your settings to download these items. In the Tools menu > Settings dialog, check the box next to Download deleted and ended campaigns and ad groups. The next time you download your account or click Get Recent Changes, the deleted items will appear in AdWords Editor.

AdWords Editor provides several ways for you to search and filter the information in your ad groups and campaigns:

• Use the Search box above the data view to perform a simple word or number search within your account or a specific campaign or ad group.
• Use the View menu to filter the information that appears on each tab.
• Click Advanced Search to perform a more detailed search for items that meet specific criteria, such as performance statistics or keyword match type. When you use Advanced Search, the results are called a custom view.

To download and view performance statistics such as clickthrough rate, cost, position, and conversion information, select a date range with the View Statistics button in the tool bar. It may take a few moments for the information to download.

Once the download is complete, click through the tabs to see performance statistics for each level of your account. You can control which columns are visible with the column chooser, located at the top right corner of the data view.

The statistics you download will remain in AdWords Editor until you select a new statistics interval or download your account again. You'll receive a warning before your previously downloaded statistics are removed.

Sort information in the data view by clicking on the column headers. For example, to view a list of keywords alphabetically in the data view, click the Keyword column header. Or, to sort your image ads by their dimensions, click the Dimensions column header. Click again to reverse the order.

You can add comments to keywords, placements, ads, ad groups, or campaigns. Comments can be helpful personal reminders, or they can explain your changes when you share your changes with other AdWords Editor users.

To add a comment, follow these steps:

1. In the data view, select the item on which you want to comment.
2. Click Add comment at the bottom of the tab.
3. Type your comment in the text box. (If you collaborate with other people, you may wish to include your initials to distinguish your comments from others.)
4. A red pushpin icon appears to the left of items with comments in the data view. Point your mouse at the pushpin icon to reveal the comment for view.

Objective: Learn how to import, export, and post your account information.

You can export a snapshot of an account, campaign or ad group any time to review or to share with colleagues AdWords Editor offers four export formats, each useful for different purposes. All options are available in the File menu.

Use Export Spreadsheet (CSV) to show your account and changes to someone without AdWords Editor, or if you simply need access to a file with your current account data, including your unposted changes.

Use Export Summary (HTML) to see a clean snapshot of your account with your keywords, placements, and ads together.

Use Export Backup (AEA) to preserve a snapshot of an account, campaign or ad group in AdWords Editor Archive (AEA) format. The snapshot can be imported later to restore the account, campaign or ad group to its present state. To import an archive, go to the File menu > Import Account Snapshot, and open the file.

Use Export Changes for Sharing (AES) to send your edits to other AdWords Editor users for review in the AdWords Editor Share (AES) format. They'll be able to import your changes to AdWords Editor, review your changes, and add comments.

To import a file containing another AdWords Editor user's proposed changes, go to the File menu > Import Account Snapshot.

When you import a share file, the Review Proposed Changes panel appears. The panel contains a key to the highlighted changes in your account: proposed changes are green, unposted local changes are purple, and conflicts between proposed changes and unposted changes are red.

To view only the proposed changes in the data views of each tab, go to the View menu > Proposed changes only. To view only the unposted changes that overlap with the proposed changes, select Unposted changes with proposed changes only.

When you review another AdWords Editor user's proposed changes, you have the option to reject any changes you don't like. Edits that you don't reject will automatically be accepted.

To reject a proposed edit entirely, select the row containing the edit you want to reject, then click Reject Selected Proposals in the tab tool bar. This option is also in the Edit menu. In the case of a new proposed ad group or campaign, this will also reject any of the proposed edits within that ad group or campaign.

To reject aspects of a proposed edit that conflict with your own unposted local changes, select the row containing the edit you want to reject. Go to the Edit menu > Reject Selected Conflicting Proposals.

If instead you want to revert your unposted change in the selected row and keep the proposed change, simply click Revert Selected Changes in the tab tool bar.

Once you've reviewed the proposed changes, you can take the following actions to clear away the merge panel and signal that the merge is finished:

1. Click Keep Proposed Changes to accept all proposals that you haven't explicitly rejected.
2. Click Reject Proposed Changes to clear away every proposed change. This action won't affect any edits you've made since importing the proposal.

With the Check Changes feature, AdWords Editor reviews your changes before they're posted to your account, helping to ensure the changes comply with AdWords policies. To check your changes, follow these steps:

1. Click Check Changes on the tool bar.
2. Review the count of changes that will be checked.
3. Click Show Details to view information for each campaign.
4. Click Check Changes to proceed with the editorial checks.

AdWords Editor displays red and yellow splats (circles) when it detects issues that may prevent your campaigns from posting properly, such as editorial issues or missing maximum cost-per-click (CPC) values. To review errors and warnings for your changes, follow these steps:

1. Go to the View menu > Errors and warnings only, Errors only, or Warnings only.
2. The items that match your selection will appear in the data view. Click on the tabs to see the errors for keywords, ads, etc.
3. To see details for a specific error or warning, select the item in the data view. An explanation of the error will appear in the edit panel.
4. To return to the normal view, go to the View menu > All.

To post your changes to your AdWords account, follow these steps:

1. Click Post Changes in the tool bar.
2. You'll see a summary of the changes that will be posted to AdWords.
3. Click Post to upload your changes, or click Cancel to cancel the post.
4. If you click Post, you'll see a detailed summary, by campaign, of the progress of your post. (If you wish, keep a record of your post by copying this report into a separate document.)
5. If you need to pause while your changes are posting, click Pause in the posting dialog. Then click Resume Post when you're ready to begin.
6. Click Close when the post is complete.