Member Avatar for Dani
Dani 5,664 The Queen of DaniWeb

Is it possible to mass-migrate text ads to expanded text ads with the Google AdWords Editor? (Not via the website)

  • 1 Contributor
  • 0 Replies
  • 213 Views

Dani AI

Generated

Short answer for (Mar 4, 2017): yes — the standalone AdWords Editor could be used to migrate standard text ads to expanded text ads in bulk (no web UI required). Google shipped ETA support in AdWords Editor v11.5 specifically to let advertisers create/edit expanded text ads at scale. (blog.google)

Practical workflow that people used:

  • Update AdWords Editor to the release that supports ETAs, download recent changes, then go to the account tree and open Ads > Text ads.
  • Select the ads you want, use the "Export as" option (export as expanded text ads), open the CSV, add Headline 2 and optional Path fields and tidy combined description text, then re-import (Account > Import > From file or use Make multiple changes).
  • Test on a small campaign, keep the original STAs paused or backed up until you confirm performance. This CSV-driven flow is described in community writeups and guides. (newbreedrevenue.com)

Alternative (if you preferred a script/spreadsheet approach): Google published the ETA Transition Helper (AdWords Scripts + Google Sheets) to create ETAs in bulk from existing STAs — useful when you want more control in a spreadsheet before import. (ads-developers.googleblog.com)

Important update for anyone reading this years later: Google deprecated creation/editing of Expanded Text Ads — as of June 30, 2022 you can no longer create or edit ETAs (they may continue to serve) and Google recommends moving to Responsive Search Ads. If you are working after that date, do not create new ETAs; instead use Editor’s export/import support to convert or build responsive search ads. (ads-developers.googleblog.com)

Notes and cautions: always run a small test batch, keep backups (download CSVs), and check Ad strength and policy warnings when you post changes.

Be a part of the DaniWeb community

We're a friendly, industry-focused community of developers, IT pros, digital marketers, and technology enthusiasts meeting, networking, learning, and sharing knowledge.