Launching with the Google Ads API involves multiple steps that can feel overwhelming. This guide walks through the entire process comprehensively to help you succeed.

Here’s the complete roadmap:

  • Establish a Google Ads manager account (if you don’t have one)
  • Request a developer token through your manager account
  • Set up a Google Ads manager TEST account
  • Set up a Google Ads regular TEST account
  • Build sample campaigns in your regular test account
  • Establish a Google Cloud project
  • Activate the Google Ads API within your Cloud Project
  • Obtain OAUTH credentials from Cloud Project
  • Export credentials as JSON format
  • Download the Google Ads API library via pip
  • Clone the Google Ads API GitHub repository
  • Execute a credential script to obtain a refresh token
  • Transfer a YAML configuration file to your home directory
  • Populate the YAML with your OAUTH credentials, developer token, and refresh token
  • Execute your inaugural API request

Get a Google Ads Manager Account⌗

Two distinct Google Ads account types exist:

Regular account: This functions as an operational account where you develop and execute advertising campaigns.

Manager account: This serves as a parent account for overseeing multiple regular accounts.

Manager accounts cannot run advertisements directly — they exist solely for supervision purposes. Marketing agencies, for instance, typically maintain two accounts: one regular account for their own promotions and one manager account for client management.

Without an existing manager account, establish one by visiting the Google Ads Manager Homepage.

Get a Developer Token⌗

A developer token represents your first required credential for API access. Obtaining one is straightforward. Access your Manager account and navigate to TOOLS & SETTINGS > SETUP > API Center. (This option appears exclusively in Manager Accounts.)

Complete the application form, acknowledge the terms and conditions, and submit. Provide an active email address you monitor regularly. Once approved, your token displays as an alphanumeric string in the API Center.

Save this token in a readily accessible location, such as a text document.

Set Up a Google Ads TEST Manager Account⌗

Initially, Google restricts API access to production accounts. For API development, you require a test environment. Create a second manager account by revisiting the Google Ads Manager Homepage and establishing another MCC using your existing email address.

This creates a test account, identifiable by the red “test account” badge displayed prominently.

Set Up a Google Ads TEST Regular Account⌗

The documentation references generating test accounts “using the Google UI,” which can confuse newcomers. The actual process involves clicking ACCOUNTS in the left navigation menu, then selecting the “+” link.

IMPORTANT NOTE: The interface will display a complaint about account usability, present a billing warning, and appear unresponsive.

Community forums overflow with users reporting that test account creation appears unsuccessful. Google acknowledges this issue and promises resolution, though if you experience this, understand that your account exists — it’s simply concealed. Access the filter option and select “Show hidden” to reveal it.

Preserve the regular test account number in an accessible document.

Create a Test Campaign in Your Test Account⌗

Enter your regular test account by selecting the corresponding link in your Manager account’s upper left corner.

Generate a campaign by clicking campaigns in the left sidebar and then the “+” link.

Important context about test accounts: They contain no authentic data. Although you can create campaigns, they remain unpopulated with information, including simulated data for impressions, clicks, and budgets.

Users anticipate test accounts resembling production environments with sample metrics — Facebook implements this approach, but Google does not. This disparity generates extensive community frustration documented across forums for years, yet Google has made no adjustments.

Instead, Google recommends exporting production data as CSV format and simulating API retrieval from it.

Set Up Your Google Cloud Project⌗

This process demands additional steps. API usage requires establishing a Google Cloud project, enabling the Google Ads API within it, and configuring authorization credentials.

Begin by logging into Google Cloud using your Manager Account credentials.

Create a Google Cloud Project⌗

In the upper left area, select the project for use with the Google Ads API. Should you lack a project, select New Project.

You may encounter billing setup prompts (particularly if you haven’t previously entered payment information). Complete this process. Unless you execute thousands of daily API calls or utilize substantial additional cloud resources, billing concerns are minimal.

Enable the Google Ads API in Your Project⌗

Verify your project selection, then select APIs and Services from the left sidebar.

Select the + API and Services link at the page’s top.

Locate Google Ads in the search results. Upon finding it, select it and click ENABLE. When asked about application category, choose Installed App (select Web App if constructing a multi-user platform for account access — unlikely for beginners).

Create Your Credentials⌗

Return to APIs and Services, then select credentials.

On the Credentials interface, select CREATE CREDENTIALS, then choose OAuth client ID.

Select “Other” as the application type.

Two credentials display: a client ID and corresponding secret. Store both values securely in a text document.

After closing this dialog, only the Client ID appears on the main credentials page. To access your secret subsequently, select your OAUTH credentials by name.

Download Your Credentials as a JSON File⌗

On the credentials page, a download icon appears to the right of your OAUTH credentials. Selecting this downloads credentials in JSON format.

The downloaded file carries an extensive filename. For practical purposes, rename it to something manageable like “secrets.json”. Move this file from your downloads folder to an accessible location, such as your home directory.

Get the API Library on Your Computer⌗

Now comes the exciting part — retrieving the Google Ads API locally and executing your inaugural call.

Start by entering a Python virtual environment.

Within your virtual environment, install setuptools, a prerequisite for the API library.

Install the library using pip by typing this command:

pip install google-ads

The library includes extensive example code deserving easy access. Cloning the API library Git repository directly into your home directory proves helpful:

git clone git@github.com:googleads/google-ads-python.git

Navigate into the library and execute the setup test to verify proper installation:

python setup.py test

There’s One Last Credential We Need to Get⌗

Yes, there’s another credential required. Consider this comprehensive authentication process as a competitive barrier. The final credential — a refresh token — allows refreshing your credentials upon expiration.

Navigate to the google-ads-python directory created during repository cloning, then proceed to the examples/authentication folder:

cd examples/authentication

Three files reside in this directory. The target file is authenticate_in_standalone_application.py. Execute it, specifying your previously downloaded JSON file location. Type this command (substituting /path/to/secrets.json with your actual file path and name):

./authenticate_in_standalone_application.py --client_secrets_path=/path/to/secrets.json

This script generates a URL.

Launch a private or incognito browser session. This URL carries sensitive information — you shouldn’t preserve it in your browser history. Transfer the URL into your private browser session.

Select allow.

An authorization code becomes visible.

Transfer the verification code to your command line session running authenticate_in_standalone_application.py and press enter:

After approving the token enter the authorization code here: ****

Upon successful entry:

After approving the token enter the authorization code here: ****
Your refresh token is: ****

Document this refresh token in an accessible location.

Rounding Up All Your Credentials and Getting Them Configured⌗

You should now possess a collection of credentials stored somewhere accessible. Time to implement them.

By default, the Google Ads API searches for credentials in a YAML file within the home directory labeled google-ads.yaml. This file resides within your cloned google-ads-python directory from GitHub. Your tasks involve:

  1. Duplicate the YAML file
  2. Relocate it to your home directory
  3. Populate it with all credentials you’ve accumulated

After transferring the file to your home directory, modify it with your appropriate information and save it.

Make Your First API Call!⌗

Finally, the moment arrives. Execute an API call retrieving the name of your test account campaign.

First, navigate to the relevant example script:

cd google-ads-python/examples/basic_operations

Execute get_campaigns.py, providing your test account number as an argument:

python get_campaigns.py -c1234567890

Observe how the account ID transfers without spacing or dashes. Assuming correct configuration, you’ll receive output resembling:

Campaign with ID xxxxxxxxxxx and name "Campaign-Name-1" was found.