Creating Responsive Display Ads

As with other ads, ad creation is accomplished using AdGroupAdService.MutateAdGroupAds.

To create a responsive display ad, you need to populate the following required fields of ResponsiveDisplayAdInfo:

• marketing_images
• square_marketing_images
• headlines
• long_headline
• descriptions
• business name

All other fields and images' specifications can be found in the reference page and the Help Center article.

Key Point: You can add responsive display ads to both standard Display campaigns and Smart Display campaigns. The code examples below are extracted from the step when creating a Smart Display campaign and its ad.

Java

private static void createResponsiveDisplayAd(
    GoogleAdsClient googleAdsClient,
    long customerId,
    String adGroupResourceName,
    String marketingImageAssetResourceName,
    String squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName)
    throws IOException {
  // Creates a new image asset for marketing image and square marketing image if there are no
  // asset resource names specified.
  if (marketingImageAssetResourceName == null) {
    marketingImageAssetResourceName =
        createImageAsset(googleAdsClient, customerId, MARKETING_IMAGE_URL, "Marketing Image");
  }
  if (squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName == null) {
    squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName =
        createImageAsset(
            googleAdsClient, customerId, SQUARE_MARKETING_IMAGE_URL, "Square Marketing Image");
  }

  // Creates a responsive display ad info.
  ResponsiveDisplayAdInfo responsiveDisplayAdInfo =
      ResponsiveDisplayAdInfo.newBuilder()
          // Sets some basic required information for the responsive display ad.
          .addHeadlines(AdTextAsset.newBuilder().setText("Travel"))
          .setLongHeadline(AdTextAsset.newBuilder().setText("Travel the World"))
          .addDescriptions(AdTextAsset.newBuilder().setText("Take to the air!"))
          .setBusinessName("Google")
          // Sets the marketing image and square marketing image to the previously created image
          // assets.
          .addMarketingImages(AdImageAsset.newBuilder().setAsset(marketingImageAssetResourceName))
          .addSquareMarketingImages(
              AdImageAsset.newBuilder().setAsset(squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName))
          // Optional: Sets call to action text, price prefix, and promotion text.
          .setCallToActionText("Shop Now")
          .setPricePrefix("as low as")
          .setPromoText("Free shipping!")
          .build();

  // Creates an ad group ad with the created responsive display ad info.
  AdGroupAd adGroupAd =
      AdGroupAd.newBuilder()
          .setAdGroup(adGroupResourceName)
          .setStatus(AdGroupAdStatus.PAUSED)
          .setAd(
              Ad.newBuilder()
                  .addFinalUrls("https://www.example.com")
                  .setResponsiveDisplayAd(responsiveDisplayAdInfo))
          .build();

  // Creates the operation.
  AdGroupAdOperation operation = AdGroupAdOperation.newBuilder().setCreate(adGroupAd).build();

  // Creates the ad group ad service client.
  try (AdGroupAdServiceClient adGroupAdServiceClient =
      googleAdsClient.getLatestVersion().createAdGroupAdServiceClient()) {
    // Adds the responsive display ad.
    MutateAdGroupAdsResponse response =
        adGroupAdServiceClient.mutateAdGroupAds(
            Long.toString(customerId), ImmutableList.of(operation));
    // Displays the response.
    System.out.printf(
        "Added ad group ad with resource name '%s'.%n", response.getResults(0).getResourceName());
  }
}
AddSmartDisplayAd.java
      

C#

private static string CreateResponsiveDisplayAd(GoogleAdsClient client, long customerId,
    string adGroupResourceName, string marketingImageAssetResourceName,
    string squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName)
{
    // Get the AdGroupAdServiceClient.
    AdGroupAdServiceClient adGroupAdService =
        client.GetService(Services.V7.AdGroupAdService);

    // Creates a responsive display ad info.
    ResponsiveDisplayAdInfo responsiveDisplayAdInfo = new ResponsiveDisplayAdInfo()
    {
        // Sets some basic required information for the responsive display ad.
        Headlines = { new AdTextAsset() { Text = "Travel" } },
        LongHeadline = new AdTextAsset() { Text = "Travel the World" },
        Descriptions = { new AdTextAsset() { Text = "Take to the air!" } },
        BusinessName = "Google",

        // Sets the marketing image and square marketing image to the previously created
        // image assets.
        MarketingImages =
        {
            new AdImageAsset() { Asset = marketingImageAssetResourceName }
        },
        SquareMarketingImages =
        {
            new AdImageAsset() { Asset = squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName }
        },

        // Optional: Sets call to action text, price prefix and promotion text.
        CallToActionText = "Shop Now",
        PricePrefix = "as low as",
        PromoText = "Free shipping!"
    };

    // Creates an ad group ad with the created responsive display ad info.
    AdGroupAd adGroupAd = new AdGroupAd()
    {
        AdGroup = adGroupResourceName,
        Status = AdGroupAdStatus.Paused,
        Ad = new Ad()
        {
            FinalUrls = { "https://www.example.com" },
            ResponsiveDisplayAd = responsiveDisplayAdInfo
        }
    };

    // Creates an ad group ad operation.
    AdGroupAdOperation operation = new AdGroupAdOperation()
    {
        Create = adGroupAd
    };

    // Issues a mutate request to add the ad.
    MutateAdGroupAdsResponse response =
        adGroupAdService.MutateAdGroupAds(customerId.ToString(), new[] { operation });

    string adGroupAdResourceName = response.Results.First().ResourceName;

    // Print out some information about the added ad group ad.
    Console.WriteLine($"Added ad group ad with resource name = '{adGroupAdResourceName}'.");

    return adGroupAdResourceName;
}
AddSmartDisplayAd.cs
      

PHP

private static function createResponsiveDisplayAd(
    GoogleAdsClient $googleAdsClient,
    int $customerId,
    string $adGroupResourceName,
    ?int $marketingImageAssetId,
    ?int $squareMarketingImageAssetId
) {
    // Creates a new image asset for marketing image and square marketing image if there are no
    // assets' IDs specified.
    $marketingImageAssetResourceName = $marketingImageAssetId
        ? ResourceNames::forAsset($customerId, $marketingImageAssetId)
        : self::createImageAsset(
            $googleAdsClient,
            $customerId,
            self::MARKETING_IMAGE_URL,
            'Marketing Image'
        );
    $squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName = $squareMarketingImageAssetId
        ? ResourceNames::forAsset($customerId, $squareMarketingImageAssetId)
        : self::createImageAsset(
            $googleAdsClient,
            $customerId,
            self::SQUARE_MARKETING_IMAGE_URL,
            'Square Marketing Image'
        );

    // Creates a responsive display ad info.
    $responsiveDisplayAdInfo = new ResponsiveDisplayAdInfo([
        // Sets some basic required information for the responsive display ad.
        'headlines' => [new AdTextAsset(['text' => 'Travel'])],
        'long_headline' => new AdTextAsset(['text' => 'Travel the World']),
        'descriptions' => [new AdTextAsset(['text' => 'Take to the air!'])],
        'business_name' => 'Google',
        // Sets the marketing image and square marketing image to the previously created
        // image assets.
        'marketing_images' => [
            new AdImageAsset(['asset' => $marketingImageAssetResourceName])
        ],
        'square_marketing_images' => [
            new AdImageAsset(['asset' => $squareMarketingImageAssetResourceName])
        ],
        // Optional: Sets call to action text, price prefix and promotion text.
        'call_to_action_text' => 'Shop Now',
        'price_prefix' => 'as low as',
        'promo_text' => 'Free shipping!',
    ]);

    // Creates an ad group ad with the created responsive display ad info.
    $adGroupAd = new AdGroupAd([
        'ad_group' => $adGroupResourceName,
        'status' => AdGroupAdStatus::PAUSED,
        'ad' => new Ad([
            'final_urls' => ['https://www.example.com'],
            'responsive_display_ad' => $responsiveDisplayAdInfo
        ])
    ]);

    // Creates an ad group ad operation.
    $adGroupAdOperation = new AdGroupAdOperation();
    $adGroupAdOperation->setCreate($adGroupAd);

    // Issues a mutate request to add the ad group ad.
    $adGroupAdServiceClient = $googleAdsClient->getAdGroupAdServiceClient();
    /** @var MutateAdGroupAdsResponse $adGroupAdResponse */
    $adGroupAdResponse = $adGroupAdServiceClient->mutateAdGroupAds(
        $customerId,
        [$adGroupAdOperation]
    );

    // Prints out some information about the newly created ad.
    $adGroupAdResourceName = $adGroupAdResponse->getResults()[0]->getResourceName();
    printf("Added ad group ad named '%s'.%s", $adGroupAdResourceName, PHP_EOL);
}
AddSmartDisplayAd.php
      

Python

def _create_responsive_display_ad(
    client,
    customer_id,
    ad_group_resource_name,
    marketing_image_asset_id,
    square_marketing_image_asset_id,
):
    ad_group_ad_service = client.get_service("AdGroupAdService")
    ad_group_ad_operation = client.get_type("AdGroupAdOperation")
    ad_group_ad = ad_group_ad_operation.create
    ad_group_ad.ad_group = ad_group_resource_name
    ad_group_ad.status = client.get_type(
        "AdGroupAdStatusEnum"
    ).AdGroupAdStatus.PAUSED
    ad = ad_group_ad.ad
    ad.final_urls.append("https://www.example.com")
    responsive_display_ad = ad.responsive_display_ad

    # Add a headline
    headline = client.get_type("AdTextAsset")
    headline.text = "Travel"
    responsive_display_ad.headlines.append(headline)

    # Add the long headline
    responsive_display_ad.long_headline.text = "Travel the World"

    # Add a description
    description = client.get_type("AdTextAsset")
    description.text = "Take to the air!"
    responsive_display_ad.descriptions.append(description)

    # Add the business name
    responsive_display_ad.business_name = "Google"

    asset_service = client.get_service("AssetService")
    # Add a marketing image
    marketing_image = client.get_type("AdImageAsset")
    marketing_image.asset = asset_service.asset_path(
        customer_id, marketing_image_asset_id
    )
    responsive_display_ad.marketing_images.append(marketing_image)

    # Add a square marketing image
    square_marketing_image = client.get_type("AdImageAsset")
    square_marketing_image.asset = asset_service.asset_path(
        customer_id, square_marketing_image_asset_id
    )
    responsive_display_ad.square_marketing_images.append(square_marketing_image)

    # Add the call to action
    responsive_display_ad.call_to_action_text = "Shop Now"

    # Add the price prefix
    responsive_display_ad.price_prefix = "as low as"

    # Add the promo text
    responsive_display_ad.promo_text = "Free shipping!"

    try:
        ad_group_ad_response = ad_group_ad_service.mutate_ad_group_ads(
            customer_id=customer_id, operations=[ad_group_ad_operation]
        )
    except GoogleAdsException as ex:
        _handle_googleads_exception(ex)

    return ad_group_ad_response.results[0].resource_name
add_smart_display_ad.py
      

Ruby

def create_responsive_display_ad(
  client,
  customer_id,
  ad_group,
  marketing_image_asset_resource_name,
  square_marketing_image_asset_resource_name
)
  marketing_image_url = 'https://goo.gl/3b9Wfh'
  square_marketing_image_url = 'https://goo.gl/mtt54n'

  # Creates a new image asset for marketing image and square marketing image
  # if there are no assets' resource names specified.
  marketing_image_asset_resource_name ||= create_image_asset(
    client,
    customer_id,
    marketing_image_url,
    'Marketing Image',
  )
  square_marketing_image_asset_resource_name ||= create_image_asset(
    client,
    customer_id,
    square_marketing_image_url,
    'Square Marketing Image',
  )

  # Creates an ad group ad operation.
  operation = client.operation.create_resource.ad_group_ad do |aga|
    aga.ad_group = ad_group
    aga.status = :PAUSED
    aga.ad = client.resource.ad do |a|
      a.final_urls << "https://www.example.com"
      a.responsive_display_ad = client.resource.responsive_display_ad_info do |rda|
        # Sets some basic required information for the responsive display ad.
        rda.headlines << client.resource.ad_text_asset do |ata|
          ata.text = 'Travel'
        end
        rda.long_headline = client.resource.ad_text_asset do |ata|
          ata.text = 'Travel the World'
        end
        rda.descriptions << client.resource.ad_text_asset do |ata|
          ata.text = 'Take to the air!'
        end
        rda.business_name = 'Google'
        # Sets the marketing image and square marketing image to the previously
        # created image assets.
        rda.marketing_images << client.resource.ad_image_asset do |aia|
          aia.asset = marketing_image_asset_resource_name
        end
        rda.square_marketing_images << client.resource.ad_image_asset do |aia|
          aia.asset = square_marketing_image_asset_resource_name
        end
        # Optional: Sets call to action text, price prefix and promotion text.
        rda.call_to_action_text = 'Shop Now'
        rda.price_prefix = 'as low as'
        rda.promo_text = 'Free shipping!'
      end
    end
  end

  # Issues a mutate request to add the ad group ad.
  response = client.service.ad_group_ad.mutate_ad_group_ads(
    customer_id: customer_id,
    operations: [operation],
  )

  # Prints out some information about the newly created ad.
  resource_name = response.results.first.resource_name
  puts "Added ad group ad named #{resource_name}"

  resource_name
end
add_smart_display_ad.rb
      

Perl

sub create_responsive_display_ad {
  my ($api_client, $customer_id, $ad_group_resource_name,
    $marketing_image_asset_id, $square_marketing_image_asset_id)
    = @_;

  # Create a new image asset for marketing image and square marketing image if
  # there are no assets' IDs specified.
  my $marketing_image_asset_resource_name =
    defined $marketing_image_asset_id
    ? Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Utils::ResourceNames::asset($customer_id,
    $marketing_image_asset_id)
    : create_image_asset($api_client, $customer_id, MARKETING_IMAGE_URL,
    "Marketing Image");

  my $square_marketing_image_asset_resource_name =
    defined $square_marketing_image_asset_id
    ? Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Utils::ResourceNames::asset($customer_id,
    $square_marketing_image_asset_id)
    : create_image_asset($api_client, $customer_id, SQUARE_MARKETING_IMAGE_URL,
    "Square Marketing Image");

  # Create a responsive display ad info.
  my $responsive_display_ad_info =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Common::ResponsiveDisplayAdInfo->new({
      # Set some basic required information for the responsive display ad.
      headlines => [
        Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Common::AdTextAsset->new({
            text => "Travel"
          })
      ],
      longHeadline => Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Common::AdTextAsset->new({
          text => "Travel the World"
        }
      ),
      descriptions => [
        Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Common::AdTextAsset->new({
            text => "Take to the air!"
          })
      ],
      businessName => "Google",
      # Set the marketing image and square marketing image to the previously
      # created image assets.
      marketingImages => [
        Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Common::AdImageAsset->new({
            asset => $marketing_image_asset_resource_name
          })
      ],
      squareMarketingImages => [
        Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Common::AdImageAsset->new({
            asset => $square_marketing_image_asset_resource_name
          })
      ],
      # Optional: Set call to action text, price prefix and promotion text.
      callToActionText => "Shop Now",
      pricePrefix      => "as low as",
      promoText        => "Free shipping!"
    });

  # Create an ad group ad with the created responsive display ad info.
  my $ad_group_ad = Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Resources::AdGroupAd->new({
      adGroup => $ad_group_resource_name,
      status  => Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Enums::AdGroupAdStatusEnum::PAUSED,
      ad      => Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Resources::Ad->new({
          finalUrls           => ["https://www.example.com"],
          responsiveDisplayAd => $responsive_display_ad_info
        })});

  # Create an ad group ad operation.
  my $ad_group_ad_operation =
    Google::Ads::GoogleAds::V7::Services::AdGroupAdService::AdGroupAdOperation
    ->new({
      create => $ad_group_ad
    });

  # Issue a mutate request to add the ad group ad.
  my $ad_group_ads_response = $api_client->AdGroupAdService()->mutate({
      customerId => $customer_id,
      operations => [$ad_group_ad_operation]});

  # Print out some information about the newly created ad.
  my $ad_group_ad_resource_name =
    $ad_group_ads_response->{results}[0]{resourceName};
  printf "Added ad group ad named '%s'.\n", $ad_group_ad_resource_name;
}
add_smart_display_ad.pl
      

Advanced Features

Color controls

You can customize colors for your responsive display ads to fit your branding needs by specifying main_color and accent_color. Set allow_flexible_color to true when you want to allow for serving ads with different colors than what you've specified when necessary.

Display ad format setting

Responsive display ads can run as both native and non-native formats. The difference between these two formats is that native format rendering is controlled by publishers, whereas non-native format rendering is optimized by Google models with advertisers' inputs (e.g., color information from main_color and accent_color).

You can set the format_setting field to select the format that the ads should run as. However, you cannot set the format_setting to NATIVE when the allow_flexible_color is false, as the coloring needs to be controlled by publishers in the case of native formats.

Ad controls

Responsive display ads can tell you if they've been opted into generated videos or asset enhancements through their control_spec.