Convert your ad customizers for text ads to responsive search ads

This article explains how to convert your existing business data text ad customizers to responsive search ad customizers using the responsive search ad spreadsheet template.

Note: Responsive search ads require a different template for ad customizers compared to text ads.

Instructions

1. Create the attributes

Unlike for text ads, you need to first create your customizer (define the ad attributes) even if the customizers already exist for text ads. You can choose to add attributes individually or upload multiple from a spreadsheet.

Create attributes individually

Note: The instructions below are part of the new design for the Google Ads user experience. To use the previous design, click the "Appearance" icon, and select Use previous design. If you're using the previous version of Google Ads, review the Quick reference map or use the Search bar in the top navigation panel of Google Ads to find the page you’re searching for.

1. In your Google Ads account, click the Tools icon .
2. Click Business data.
3. Click Ad customizer attributes.
4. Click the plus button.
5. Define the ad attributes.

Learn more about creating attributes individually

Create the attributes from a spreadsheet

1. Download the example template to see the format to follow.
2. Add the attribute names, data type, and account value to columns A through C.
   • Create attributes:
     1. Enter the name of the attribute in the "Attribute" column.
     2. Enter the character format that your attribute uses in the "Data type" column.
     3. Enter the value that appears for your attribute in the "Account value” column.
   • Note: Attribute rows must come before customizer value rows and leave rows 8 through 12 under columns A through C in the template blank. There’s a limit of 40 ad customizer attributes that can be created.

2. Remove unsupported text ad targeting attributes and values

Your existing spreadsheet for text ad customizers may contain attributes that are not accepted with responsive search ads. Text ad attributes that are not currently supported with responsive search ad customizer business data:

• Target location
• Target location restriction
• Device preferences
• Scheduling
• StartTime
• EndTime
• Daypart
• MobilePreferred
• Countdown within the business data

Note: Target location has been replaced by Location Insertion. This feature is only available in responsive search ads to help target your ad message to your customer’s location or area of interest. Learn more about Location Insertion

3. Remove “Target” from targeting attribute column headers

Your existing spreadsheet for text ad customizers contains “Target” in the column headers for targeting attributes. To enable spreadsheet compatibility with responsive search ads, column headers should omit the word “Target”:

• Target campaign -> Campaign
• Target ad group -> Ad Group
• Target keyword -> Keyword

4. Rename custom attribute customizer columns

Your existing spreadsheet for text ad customizers contains column headers for custom attributes. These headers must now follow the Customizer:_____ naming format.

1. Add “Customizer:”
2. Remove “(data type)”

5. Upload updated file

Upload the updated file to your Google Ads account.

Note: The instructions below are part of the new design for the Google Ads user experience. To use the previous design, click the "Appearance" icon, and select Use previous design. If you're using the previous version of Google Ads, review the Quick reference map or use the Search bar in the top navigation panel of Google Ads to find the page you’re searching for.

1. In your Google Ads account, click the Tools icon .
2. Click the Bulk actions drop down in the section menu.
3. Click Uploads.
4. Click the plus button.
5. Select the source where the file will be uploaded from.
6. Select Preview to view the changes to your ads before you save.
7. Click Apply.

Related links

• About ad customizers
• Create ad customizers for responsive search ads
• Create ad customizers for text ads