Changes in Network Settings for the Google Ads Standard Shopping Campaigns

On February 14, 2022, Google Ads stopped serving standard Shopping campaigns on the Google Display Network, including on Gmail, Discover, and some YouTube placements. As a result, the AdWords API, Google Ads API and Google Ads scripts will make similar changes to their behavior starting the week of February 28, 2022.

AdWords API
The AdWords API will sunset on April 27th, so you must migrate to the Google Ads API by then.

In the AdWords API, the Campaign.NetworkSetting.targetContentNetwork field will always return false for standard Shopping campaigns, which are defined as campaigns where the advertisingChannelType is set to SHOPPING, and the advertisingChannelSubType is unset. If you try to set Campaign.NetworkSetting.targetContentNetwork to true, it will be ignored.

When running reports, the API will stop returning metrics for AdNetworkType1 and AdNetworkType2 of type: CONTENT, YOUTUBE_SEARCH, or YOUTUBE_WATCH for standard Shopping campaigns for date ranges after February 14, 2022. You can still download historic metrics for these fields and values.

Google Ads API
Versions v8 and v9 of the Google Ads API will behave the same way as the AdWords API – the network_settings.target_content_network field will return false, and if you try to set this field to true, it will be ignored. In version v10 and beyond, if you try to set this field to true a CANNOT_TARGET_CONTENT_NETWORK error will be returned.

When running reports, the API will stop returning metrics for these campaigns for segments.ad_network_type of type: CONTENT, YOUTUBE_SEARCH, or YOUTUBE_WATCH for date ranges after February 14, 2022. You can still download historic metrics for this field and values.

Google Ads scripts
If you use bulk uploads to target a standard Shopping campaign for Google Display Network, the server will ignore the setting.

When generating reports, the behavior will be the same for standard Shopping campaigns, independent of the method that you use:

• With the AdsApp.report() method, reports will stop returning metrics for AdNetworkType1 and AdNetworkType2 of type: CONTENT, YOUTUBE_SEARCH, or YOUTUBE_WATCH for date ranges after Feb 14, 2022.
• With the AdsApp.search() method, the API will stop returning metrics for segments.ad_network_type of type: CONTENT, YOUTUBE_SEARCH, or YOUTUBE_WATCH for date ranges after Feb 14, 2022.

Historical metrics will still be available.

If you would like to retrieve any existing standard Shopping campaigns before their network settings are changed, be sure to do so before Feb. 28, 2022.

If you have any questions about this change, please feel free to contact us through the forum or at googleadsapi-support@google.com for additional help.
- Ben Karl, on behalf of the Google Ads API Team