Create App Campaign

AI-generated Key Takeaways

• App campaigns in the Google Ads API support different goals, including getting more installs, finding users likely to install and perform in-app actions, finding users most likely to complete specific in-app actions, driving in-app action value, and driving app pre-registrations.

• The settings for specific campaign types, such as advertising_channel_sub_type, app_campaign_setting.bidding_strategy_goal_type, and bidding strategy, vary depending on the chosen campaign focus.

• App campaigns in the Google Ads API have an advertising_channel_type of MULTI_CHANNEL and cannot use a shared campaign budget or a portfolio bidding strategy.

• Selective optimization is used to indicate the conversion types for which Google Ads should optimize your campaign and is required for APP_CAMPAIGN_FOR_ENGAGEMENT campaigns, automatically added for APP_CAMPAIGN_FOR_PRE_REGISTRATION campaigns, and optional otherwise.

• Campaign targeting can be refined by adding CampaignCriterion objects for language and location.

Follow these steps to create an ad campaign.

Preparation

The focus of your campaign will determine the values for specific settings as well as which features you can use. Before you start coding, choose and expand one option from the following list and refer to its settings as you go through each step in the campaign creation process.

Check out the Google Ads Help article on App campaigns for more info on the different types of campaigns and goals.

Focus on getting more installs

Settings
advertising_channel_sub_type	APP_CAMPAIGN
app_campaign_setting.bidding_strategy_goal_type	OPTIMIZE_INSTALLS_TARGET_INSTALL_COST
Bidding strategy	target_cpa
selective_optimization	Optional

Focus on getting users likely to install and perform a specific in-app action

Settings
advertising_channel_sub_type	APP_CAMPAIGN
app_campaign_setting.bidding_strategy_goal_type	OPTIMIZE_IN_APP_CONVERSIONS_TARGET_INSTALL_COST
Bidding strategy	target_cpa
selective_optimization	Required to identify the conversion action corresponding to the in-app action.

Focus on finding users who are most likely to complete specific in-app actions

Settings
advertising_channel_sub_type	APP_CAMPAIGN Targets users who have not installed your app. APP_CAMPAIGN_FOR_ENGAGEMENT Targets users who have installed your app.
app_campaign_setting.bidding_strategy_goal_type	OPTIMIZE_IN_APP_CONVERSIONS_TARGET_CONVERSION_COST
Bidding strategy	target_cpa
selective_optimization	Required to identify the conversion actions corresponding to each in-app action.

Focus on driving in-app action value

Settings
advertising_channel_sub_type	APP_CAMPAIGN
app_campaign_setting.bidding_strategy_goal_type	OPTIMIZE_RETURN_ON_ADVERTISING_SPEND
Bidding strategy	target_roas
app_campaign_setting.bidding_strategy_goal_type	Required. The conversion_actions listed must come from the Firebase SDK, and you'll need to install the Google Analytics for Firebase SDK in your app.

Focus on driving app pre-registrations

Settings
advertising_channel_sub_type	APP_CAMPAIGN_FOR_PRE_REGISTRATION
app_campaign_setting.bidding_strategy_goal_type	OPTIMIZE_PRE_REGISTRATION_CONVERSION_VOLUME
Bidding strategy	target_cpa
selective_optimization	Immutable. conversion actions are added to the campaign automatically.
optimization_goal_setting	Required. The optimization_goal_types field must contain the APP_PRE_REGISTRATION optimization goal type.

Steps

Using the settings for the selected area of focus above, follow these steps to create an App campaign.

1. Set the name.

2. Set the advertising_channel_type to MULTI_CHANNEL.

   Key Point: All App campaigns in the Google Ads API have an advertising_channel_type of MULTI_CHANNEL to reflect the fact that ads from these campaigns are eligible to appear on multiple channels, including Google Search, Google Play, search partners, YouTube, the Google Display Network, Google AdMob, and other publishers who host app ads.

3. Set the campaign_budget to the resource name of an existing campaign budget. If you need to create a campaign budget, follow the code example in the Create Campaigns guide.

   Note: An App campaign cannot use a shared campaign budget. Make sure the campaign budget you specify has CampaignBudget.explictly_shared set to false.

4. Set the advertising_channel_sub_type based on the goal you chose above.

5. Set the app_campaign_setting to an AppCampaignSetting with:

   • app_store set to the appropriate AppCampaignAppStore for your app.
   • app_id set to the identifier for your app.
   • bidding_strategy_goal_type based on the goal you chose above.

6. Set the bidding strategy field according to the goal you chose above.

   Note: You must define the bidding strategy during campaign creation. An App campaign cannot use a portfolio bidding strategy created with the BiddingStrategyService.

7. Indicate the conversion types for which Google Ads should optimize your campaign by setting its selectiveOptimization, where the resource name of each conversion action is in the conversion_actions list.

   This is required if the campaign's advertising_channel_sub_type is APP_CAMPAIGN_FOR_ENGAGEMENT, but optional otherwise.

   Campaigns with the advertising_channel_sub_type of APP_CAMPAIGN_FOR_PRE_REGISTRATION will automatically have conversion actions added to them once the first user pre-registers, and can only track pre-registration conversions.

8. (Optional) Refine your campaign's targeting by adding CampaignCriterion objects. App campaigns support campaign-level targeting by language and location.