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Google Ad Manager

Score8.5 out of 10

392 Reviews and Ratings

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What is Google Ad Manager?

Google Ad Manager is a platform for publishers that combines the former DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange products.

Categories & Use Cases

Key Features

Learn about the best (and worst!) features Google Ad Manager has to offer, as determined by TrustRadius' reviewers.
Based on 392 ratings of Google Ad Manager's features
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Top Performing Features

  • Ad campaign creation

    Allows users to programmatically create ads and build new campaigns within the tool.

    Category average: 6.6

  • Cross-channel ad management

    Provides an integrated view or control panel that allows users to manage their ad campaigns across a variety of platforms in one place.

    Category average: 7.1

  • Ad deployment

    Allows users to quickly and easily deploy new ad campaigns from within the tool.

    Category average: 8.2

Areas for Improvement

  • Ad forecasting and optimization

    Ad forecasting models predict campaign performance to assist with optimization.

    Category average: 6.5

  • Sequence targeting

    Allows users to create ad sequences that have several stages covering different topics or products; individual viewers are shown ads in a particular order across websites. This provides very fine control over brand messaging and storytelling.

    Category average: 6.2

  • Ad dashboards

    Dashboards for analyzing and/or optimizing ads are clean, easy to use, and easy to understand.

    Category average: 6.1

Reviews

What users are saying about Google Ad Manager.
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Its good - but I wish for.....

Incentivized
Aaron HendersonView profile
Marketing Specialist in Marketing at MK Marketing (11-50 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use Google Ad Manager to track my campaigns, see my spending, and see my results as they happen. My scope for use is to know how things are going and how my campaigns are performing in real time. If we get the results in real time, we can make changes on the fly to boost what is not working and continue to expand on what is working.

Pros

  • Tracking in Real Time.
  • Giving advice on what is and isn't working.
  • Being able to make changes right then & there.

Cons

  • It's not as clean as other dashboards.
  • It took a while to get to the interface - and it's detailed.....
  • Color-Coded and more user friendly would be a nice change.

Return on Investment

  • It has made the data from this accessible for all of my team to see.
  • The ability to make changes can be bad - if the team does not agree.
  • Getting current results lets us decide what needs to be changed and take their advice to see how things could improve.

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Kevel, OpenX and Adform FLOW

Other Software Used

Kevel, Meta Business Suite

Love it or hate it, Google Ad Manager is a staple for paid media stacks

Incentivized
Verified User
Manager (51-200 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use Google Ad Manager for running search ads to market & promote the products we sell at our company.

Pros

  • Easy payment
  • Easy ad creation
  • Easy keyword selection

Cons

  • Limited reporting transparency for certain ad types, particularly Performance Max campaigns
  • For those accustomed to the legacy interface, the new layout (new as of mid-2024) is difficult to navigate
  • The in-platform suggestions are often unhelpful or even detrimental

Return on Investment

  • Google Ads has been a major source of revenue for our company over the past decade, and obviously the Google Ad Manager platform has made running those ads possible

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Meta Business Manager, Microsoft Advertising, LinkedIn Marketing Solutions, StackAdapt, TikTok for Business and Pinterest for Business

Improve your ROI with Google Ad manager!

Incentivized
Verified User
Advisor in Customer Service (51-200 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Google Ad Manager serves as a one stop destination for me to work with all my ad tech tools.

It helps me manage different formats of creatives in library.

Connects to multiple exchanges returning back extensive data.

Covers all my needs through google ad tech tools integrations.

Best in class forecasts as it provides a clear view of performance metrics.

Pros

  • I work on raw creatives conversion to ads using Google Ad Manager
  • I publish my ads by keeping them ready in this tool - as a repository
  • Outstanding reports and graphs

Cons

  • Formatting options can be brought to the reports.
  • Custom attributes and metrics can be allowed to match dynamic business needs.
  • Improvements can be made in terms of organizing the tools connected to Google Ad Manager - Better classification.

Return on Investment

  • I was able to work well with my budgets - mainly because of the reports.
  • I saw a great spike in the way my ad traffic increased.
  • It was a very easy way to work with Google Ad Manager than connecting other platforms with less compatibility - Less investment.

Alternatives Considered

Miro, Asana and Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Other Software Used

Miro, Asana, Salesforce Desk

Biggest Player in the Search Marketing Game

Incentivized
Ben SottekView profile
Sr. Paid Media Account Strategist in Marketing at Directive Consulting (51-200 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I use Google Ads Manager to advertise for various clients in my book of business. We primarily use paid search campaigns with less emphasis on video and display campaigns. This is due to the goals of the clients and the user intent that we can tap into with search campaigns.

Pros

  • Bulk edits and changes streamline management of large accounts
  • Reporting options are robust and easy to use
  • Provides the largest market share of search marketing in the world

Cons

  • More visibility into smart-bidding algorithms
  • Optimization recommendations other than spend more
  • More transparency in search terms reports

Return on Investment

  • High-intent leads
  • Brand protection
  • User intent learnings

Alternatives Considered

Microsoft Advertising (formerly Bing Ads) and Yahoo Gemini! (Verizon Media Native) (formerly Yahoo! Advertising)

Best Platform To Run Ads

Incentivized
Saif Ali
Assistant Director in Engineering at Web Techne (11-50 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

Google ads manager is the one and only tool that helps me and my organization to run ad campaigns aall over the platform. Google ads manager helps me and my clients to scale the business. It increases our customer acquisition and provides use genuine leads for the business. It is very easy to set up and well organized.

Pros

  • Setups Ads
  • Keywords research

Cons

  • Proivde hide option for not useable campaigns

Return on Investment

  • It ultimately help to scale business
  • It increase customer base

Alternatives Considered

Facebook Business Manager (formerly Pages Manager)