Connect Claude Code to Google Ads

Watch the walkthrough

About six minutes on YouTube, every click on screen, with a voice-over. Prefer reading? Every step is written out below.

Watch on YouTube · 6 min

What you need

Part 1 · campaign data · Explorer access

Connect Claude Code to Google Ads in 12 steps

1. 1

   Create a Google Ads manager account

   API access only lives in manager accounts. Go to the Google Ads manager accounts page, create a manager account and choose "To manage my own Google Ads accounts".

   

2. 2

   Link your ads account to the manager account

   In the manager account, open Accounts in the left menu, then Sub-account settings. Click the blue + button and choose Link existing accounts. Enter your ads account’s customer ID (shown at the top of that account) and click Send request.

   

   

3. 3

   Switch to your ads account

   Click your profile picture at the top right. Both accounts are listed: the manager account is labelled Manager. Pick the other one.

   

4. 4

   Accept the link request

   In your ads account, open Admin, then Access and security, then the Managers tab, and click Accept. Back in the manager account, the status now says Linked.

   

   

5. 5

   Copy your developer token and check the access level

   Switch back to the manager account. Open Admin, then API Center. Fill in the short form (your website and a contact email you read) and accept the terms. Copy the developer token, and check the access level: it should say Explorer. Test account access only works with test accounts, not your real campaigns.

   

6. 6

   Create and select a Google Cloud project

   Open console.cloud.google.com. If it is your first time, start the free trial: it asks for a card to confirm it is you, but nothing is charged unless you upgrade. Click the project picker at the top, choose New project, name it and click Create. Google also creates "My First Project", so open the picker again and select your new project. Check its name shows at the top before you continue.

   

   

   

   

7. 7

   Enable the Google Ads API

   Open the menu at the top left, then APIs & Services, then Library. Search for "Google Ads API", open it and click Enable.

   

   

8. 8

   Set up the consent screen and add yourself as a test user

   Under APIs & Services, open OAuth consent screen and click Get started. Add an app name and your support email, choose External, add a contact email and click Create. You land on Audience: click Add users and add your own Google account as a test user.

   

   

9. 9

   Create a Desktop OAuth client

   Open Clients and click Create client. Choose Desktop app and give it a name. Copy the client ID and the client secret right away: Google only shows the secret once.

   

   

10. 10

    Keep the keys in a private file

    Ask Claude Code to create a private settings file outside your project. Open it and paste in five values: developer token, manager account ID, ads account ID, client ID and client secret. Keep keys out of the chat, out of your code and out of any repository.

    

11. 11

    Sign in once

    Ask Claude Code to connect to Google Ads. It runs a one-time sign-in: a browser window opens, you pick your account and click Allow. Claude saves a refresh token in the same private file, so you do not have to sign in again.

    

    

12. 12

    Ask in plain English

    Now ask: "How did my campaigns do last month?" Claude queries the Google Ads API and answers in seconds. Ask it to suggest changes, and to wait for your go before it changes anything.

    

You are all set for campaign data

While your app is in Testing, the sign-in expires after 7 days. Ask Claude Code to sign in again when that happens, or publish the app (step C below) so it stays signed in.

Stop here if you only need campaign data. Continue only if you also want keyword ideas and search volumes.

Part 2 · keyword planning · Basic access

Unlock Keyword Planner in 6 more steps

On Explorer, keyword requests fail with ACTION_NOT_PERMITTED. Keyword Planner needs Basic access, and Google only grants Basic access once the brand behind your Cloud project is verified. This is the route that worked.

1. A

   Add a Google API section to your privacy policy

   Say how your tool uses Google data: only you sign in, the data stays private, it is never sold or shared, and your use follows the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. Publish it on the same domain as your home page.

   

2. B

   Verify your domain in Search Console

   In Google Search Console, add a Domain property for your site. Copy the TXT record into your DNS settings (for example in Cloudflare: type TXT, name @), then click Verify. It usually passes within minutes.

   

3. C

   Publish the app

   In Google Auth Platform, open Audience and click Publish app, so the status changes from Testing to In production. Branding cannot be verified while the app is in Testing. Publishing also stops your sign-in from expiring every 7 days.

   

4. D

   Verify and publish your branding

   Open Branding. Add your app name, logo, home page, privacy policy link and your verified domain as an authorised domain. Click Verify branding. When the status says Ready to publish, click Publish branding.

   

5. E

   Apply for Basic access in Google Cloud

   Open APIs & Services, then Enabled APIs & services, and click Google Ads API. Open Access levels, upgrade to Basic, fill in the form and submit. Describe your use honestly, for example internal keyword research for your own site.

   

   

6. F

   Sign in again and get keyword data

   Approval can come within a day. Once the access level says Basic, ask Claude Code to sign in once more, then ask for keyword ideas. You get real monthly searches and competition from Keyword Planner.

   

   

Need higher limits later? Standard access is the next level, with a review of about two to three weeks. Most solo setups never need it.

What goes wrong