google api faq
- What is the Google Adwords API?
- How do you enter the correct Google API Token?
- I tried to log in from AdScientist but it failed, and now my account has been blocked by Google. What should I do?
- Do I have to use the Google API Token?
- What does the message "Get Campaigns failed - you have reached your call quota" mean?
- Why do the positions of the "keyword lookup" ads differ from the actual ads that appear on the search results from www.google.com?
What is the Google Adwords API?
The Google AdWords API (Application Programming Interface) service lets advertisers or software vendors create
computer programs that interact directly with the Google AdWords server. Using
the applications that have been created, advertisers and third parties can more efficiently -
and creatively - manage large AdWords accounts and campaigns.
Each Adwords API user is issued a "token" which is tagged with a predetermined "quota", which limits how often you can access your AdWords data stream. For example, requesting the status of a single Ad Group would be considered one operation. Updating the individual bids on 1,000 keywords would equate to 1,000 operations. Each quota is individually set and is calculated based upon the monthly spending of your Adwords account. Agencies and search engine marketing companies should see their quota being more than enough for their needs.
To register for a Google Adwords API, please go to http://adwords.google.com/select/ApiWelcome.
Once you sign up for the Adwords API, log in to your Google "My Client Center" account, and you will find your API Token information in the AdWords API Center.
How Do You Enter the Correct Google API Token?
The most common problem with AdScientist users and the Google Adwords API is that users can easily enter an incorrect API Token for the Google Web API. The correct token should resemble the following:
2Up08Ywsddvs-92BfxNUKQ
NOTE: The above is a NOT a real API Token - it is only a sample.
The Google API Token is always a 22 character string containing letters and numbers.
A sample of an incorrect and WRONG API Token looks like this:
dUjUj838fJKDkdkqswrdYEMNBS8382MDs - which is 33 characters long (not 22 characters) and NOT a real API Token.
If you are having problems or questions about your API Token, you can check and verify your API Token by logging in to the Google AdWords Developer Sign-Up center at http://adwords.google.com/select/ApiWelcome.
I tried to log in from AdScientist but it failed, and now my account has been blocked by Google. What should I do?
Google Accounts contain new security features designed to prevent unauthorized
account access by detecting suspicious login attempts and blocking the targeted
account. If you enter a wrong login email address, password or Token ID, and try
to login to your account too many times, your account will be blocked by Google. You will see the error message "The specified account has been blocked due to excessive failed logins" (error code 86).
If one of your accounts has become blocked, you can unblock it immediately by going to http://www.google.com/accounts/displayunlockcaptcha and manually entering the correct login email, password, and captcha response.
NOTE: From our testing, we've found that on occasion the "unlockcaptcha" function may not work properly. If your account remains blocked after using the "unlockcaptcha", please contact Google at http://www.google.com/contact/index.html.
Do I have to use the Google API Token?
Originally, there were two interfaces with AdScientist - the web interface and
the Google API.
Since Google updated its account login system in November 2005, the web interface for Google is no longer available.
Now, all users need to register a Google Adwords API Token in order to use AdScientist properly.
To register the Google API Token, please go to "Google Adwords API".
What does the message "Get Campaigns failed - you have reached your call quota" mean?
There is nothing wrong with the software. It means that your account may have
exceeded the quota limit allowed by Google.
Google has a quota limit that limits the number of times you can update your campaigns per month, based on your monthly spending. If you spend more money, Google gives you more operations quota and allows you to update more frequently.
This problem may have occurred if you have a lot of keywords and less spending than usual, or you have run the scheduler much more frequently than previously. If you exceeded your quota limit, you will have to wait for the next month when Google will reset your quota limit based on your monthly spending. If this happens to you, make the necessary adjustments in your scheduler to avoid further recurrences.
For more information, please visit the Google FAQ page at: http://www.google.com/apis/adwords/quota.html
Why do the positions of the "keyword lookup" ads differ from the actual ads that appear on the search results from www.google.com?
The software uses the Google "Sponsored Links" API to find the positions of the top bids. Google's "Sponsored Links" page gives slightly different results to the actual Google network results.
Google picks particular ads from the "Sponsored Links" site and places them on the Google search results page. Google considers many factors when choosing ads from the "Sponsored Links" site to place on the actual search results, including "Impressions" and "Average Position". So, if you are ranked high on the "Sponsored Links" site, it is highly likely that you will also appear on the Google search results page. For more information, type in your keyword in the following "Sponsored Links" site: http://www.google.com/sponsoredlinks
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