New Automation Tool From Google Ads: “Solutions”

This new feature named “Solutions” is designed to simplify account management and automation tasks - they are basically a selection of pre-written scripts which make it easier to pull certain reports. You can access Solutions by navigating to ‘Tools’ then ‘Bulk Actions’. You can get the reports emailed to you at a certain frequency, or you can run the report just once if needed.

There are six different types of “Solutions”:

1. Account Summary

   • What is it? This solution makes a report based on yesterday's performance statistics. The report comes in a Google Sheet format and shows top-line metrics, by day.

   • Why would I use it? To get a quick snapshot of daily metrics. Although I would assume anyone needing this would already have a custom dashboard to refer to.

2. Ad Performance

   • What is it? This solution makes a Google Sheet with a few preset charts and graphs to help in analysing how your ads are performing. The solution uses last week's statistics to generate the report - so, I think this means if you run the report on Monday, then you will get last week Monday - Sunday data.

   • Why would I use it? No idea. There are eight tabs all showing similar data in different ways. The data only reports up to CTR in the user journey, so doesn’t give any insight into important metrics like conversion rate, or ROAS of a particular ad or Final URL. Also, I don’t know why I would need to know the CTR between Final URLs.

3. Account Anomaly Detector

   • What is it? This solution will notify you when it detects behaviour different from what you've had before in your account. Based on a lookback period and percentage thresholds of whatever you choose.

   • Why would I use it? To get anomalies in your inbox at the same time every day. But again, I would recommend having a custom made daily dashboard instead, rather than this.

4. Link Checker

   • What is it? This solution checks your links and lets you know if they break.

   • Why would I use it? If you haven’t already got a script for this, then this is a much simpler way of drawing attention to link issues.

5. Flexible Budgets

   • What is it? This solution will adjust your budgets each day depending on the settings that you provide. Everyday it will create a new budget to ensure that your spend is distributed evenly and cut the budget down to zero when the budget is reached.

   • Why would I use it? I can’t even work out what it actually does yet based on both the description and the setting in-platform, let alone why I would use it. Automation for budgets can be a dangerous thing, so solutions like this need to be fully understood before proceeding.

6. Common Negative List

   • What is it? This solution creates a shared negative list based on your settings and then applies that to all of your campaigns.

   • Why would I use it? I wouldn’t. I would just use the exclusion lists I’ve been using for years; I don’t understand how this solution is more helpful.