The first time we watched Iron Man and the legend that is Tony Stark started flicking through his holographic computer system – well – you had us at Jarvis! Sadly, our 2021 technology is not quite there yet. We’re going to have to save our deft wrist movements for VR gaming until we catch up with this futuristic magic.
In the meantime, the next best thing comes in the form of Google Ads Editor.
Paid search marketers who are bored of tinkering with ads and know that there simply must be an easier and more efficient way to manage the crazy amount of data and variables, listen up.
What is Google Ads Editor?
Google Ads Editor is a free downloadable tool from the Big Brains at Google. Its sole purpose is to help you manage your Google Ad campaigns faster, easier, and with more accuracy.
This tool offers the flexibility to view and edit multiple accounts, campaigns, or ads at the same time. It has simplified many of the frustrating elements of editing your information within Google Ads itself, allowing for bulk changes, advanced drag and drop and copy and paste functions (which has been a long time coming, Google!), and the welcome option of undoing and redoing changes.
One of the best features is that you can make all the changes that you need to, check them, double-check them, and then push them live. That little bit of extra breathing room is necessary when we’re dealing with so much info.
It’s sort of a Jarvis stand-in for paid search marketers.
Getting Started with Google Ads Editor
Google has made it super easy to get started with Google Ads editor. You simply need to follow the prompts to install the ad accounts that you have access to.
Once you’re set up with your accounts loaded, you will be offered a quick walk-through if you need it.
Google Ads Editor vs Google Ads
This is the fun part. Time doesn’t allow us to cover all the features and possibilities of this clever tool, but we will run through those differences that excite us the most.
Clean Interface
The Google Ads Editor operates from a wonderfully simple and sensible interface. The dashboard is broken down into five main sections for your viewing pleasure. These are:
- Toolbar
This runs along the top of your screen and allows the functions of opening and adding accounts, checking recent changes and stats. This is where you will post the changes you have made to your campaigns.
- Tree View
Much like GA, this is where your accounts, campaigns, and ad groups live.
- Type List
This section opens up the data options for the campaign or ad that you’ve selected in the Tree View. They include campaigns, keywords and targeting, ads, extensions, etc.
- Data View
Once you’ve selected the data you wish to explore in the Type List it is displayed in detail in the Data View.
- Edit Panel
The Edit Panel shows further details of your selection in the Data View which you can then edit and save.
The simplicity of this layout is wonderfully refreshing, offering a breadcrumb-like arrangement so you always know where you are and what you’re editing.
Search and Filter
The information that you’re looking for in your ad campaigns may be buried ten clicks deep in GA. This is where the advanced search and filter options in GA Editor come in handy.
- Search the entire account by keyword, language, end date, and literally dozens of other prepopulated fields.
- Filter the results further by any variable that appears as a field in the ad campaign. For example, you could start your filter with Campaign Type = Search, filter by Start Date, Status, Budget… You get the picture.
- You can then save your searches for use whenever you need to pull up that same information.
- Finding random pieces of information is easy. For instance, you may want to look for all ads that contain “10% discount” that have achieved more than 100 clicks. Alternatively, you could search for all the ads that contain the words “Buy” or “Order” and increase your bid on these ads by 20%.
Bulk Changes and Multi-Select
The familiar drag and drop or cut and paste process that we’re used to in other applications is incredibly easy to use in GA Editor. Compared with the somewhat convoluted options available in GA, this is a real time-saver.
- Select a group of ads and quickly paste them or drag them into another campaign where the right information goes to the right fields.
- Select multiple fields to edit, delete, or copy.
- If you’ve copied into the wrong place or used the wrong information, simply click revert and no one will ever know. In fact, you have the option to undo up to 20 changes.
GAE also offers a Shared Library across all your properties where you can make use of your best keyword lists, site links, callout extensions, and more. Simply click on the elements that you need to replicate, select those that apply, copy and paste them into the destination ad or campaign.
If you’re new to the tool and your fingers get a little overenthusiastic, don’t stress; Google will throw up an error or warning messages if things are not 100% okay.
Speed and Accuracy
GA Editor allows you to make a massive number of changes very, very quickly. Changing bids, match types, extensions and, pretty much everything else, is done seamlessly. Once you’re happy with your data you can then push out the changes to your live account.
Google Ads Editor Recommendations
Google has gone all out to make the complicated world of creating ads as easy as possible for us. And for that, we salute you!
The Editor recommendations are testimony to this. To be fair though, with so many dilettantes floundering around in Google Ads it makes sense for them to guide people to achieve the best results. That’s good business.
To that end, when you see the little 
- Click on the icon.
- Click View to find out more about the recommendation.
- Click Apply if you agree with it and wish to enable it.
You can also scroll to the bottom of the Type List and click on Recommendations where it will open more information so that you can fully understand the issues.
We love the way Editor flags a problem, tells you what the issue is, recommends a solution, and then fixes it for you. It’s gloriously intuitive.
Google Ads Editor Support
Not only are the Google team cheering you on from the sidelines and fixing your broken bits, but they are a wonderfully supportive bunch. GA Editor Support offers answers to all your niggling questions in an easy-to-follow format. If you need further help, then you have the option to ask the community or to contact them directly.
Let’s Sync About This
Most of this information on Google Ads Editor will make perfect sense to paid search professionals out there. The benefits are clear and exciting.
But what if you are left with more questions than answers at this point? Perhaps you’re keen to get your marketing budget to work better for you, or you’re new to the world of Google Ads. Are your online sales flagging, or is your competition stealing your best clients? Whatever your situation, we’re here to help. Send us your details and one of our specialists will call you back and help you with everything you need to know.