How to Set Up Campaigns, Groups, and Keywords

Importing Google Ads via CSV: What Went Wrong, What Worked, and How to Keep It Clean

If you've ever tried to manage multiple Google Ads campaigns through spreadsheets, you know how fast the system can punish even small mistakes. This post documents our real-world experience trying to build a new Google Ads structure entirely via CSV imports using Google Ads Editor—what broke, what fixed it, and why you absolutely need Expert Mode enabled to do it right.

Why Expert Mode Matters

If you're using Smart Mode, you won't get far here. Smart Mode is Google's simplified interface designed for small, automated campaigns. It hides most of the precision tools used in serious ad management. For structured CSV imports, it's a non-starter.

Smart Mode limits what you can do:

  • It blocks CSV and Editor imports entirely.
  • It auto-manages bids, keywords, and targeting, leaving you unable to fine-tune relevance or match types.
  • It often produces lower-quality placements because automation favors broad visibility, not contextual precision.
  • You can't manage campaigns or groups in bulk—everything must be edited manually.

Expert Mode, by contrast, gives you the control and transparency needed for scale. It unlocks:

  • Manual bidding and match type control.
  • Campaign hierarchies (Campaign → Ad Group → Keyword/Ad).
  • Full support for Google Ads Editor, where you can import, edit, and post campaigns at scale.
If you plan to manage your campaigns programmatically or optimize by data, Expert Mode is mandatory.

What We Encountered

We started with one goal: import everything—campaigns, ad groups, keywords, and ads—using CSV files. On paper, this should've taken minutes. Instead, Google Ads Editor threw a series of vague errors: "Ambiguous row type," "Unknown location," and imports that simply wouldn't enable.

Most of these errors came down to one thing: Google Ads Editor is extremely strict about format and order. It doesn't guess or correct. If a column name, header, or order is off by even one field, it rejects the entire file.

After a full teardown and rebuild of our files, we mapped what caused each failure and how to structure imports cleanly. Those "gotchas" are listed below.

Gotchas We Hit

1. Mixed Entities in One File

Each CSV must contain only one entity type—Campaigns, Ad Groups, Keywords, or Ads. Mixing types (for example, Campaign + Keyword) caused the infamous "Ambiguous row type" error.

2. Match Type Case Sensitivity

Google Ads is case-sensitive. Only these work:

Broad
Phrase
Exact

3. Location Data in the Wrong Place

Campaign rows that included location data caused import failures. Locations must be in a separate Locations.csv file, each with a proper numeric location ID.

4. "Unknown" Locations

When using names like "Texas" or "United States," Editor sometimes displays "Unknown." Always use numeric IDs (example: Texas = 21176).

5. Blocked Imports

When previous bad imports remain, the "Import file" button can gray out. Remove invalid rows in Keywords & Targeting → Locations and retry.

6. Manual Confirmation Needed

Two settings require manual confirmation after import:

  • EU Political Ads compliance
  • Bidding Strategy Type (e.g., Manual CPC)

7. Yellow Triangles Aren't Errors

They indicate missing data or unposted changes, not actual import issues.

Schemas and File Samples

Here's the minimal, valid schema for each import type. Each file below links to an example.

Campaign CSV Excerpt:

Type,Action,Campaign,Budget,Budget type,Campaign status,Bidding strategy type,Ad rotation,Networks,Language
Campaign,Add,Branding,5,Daily,Enabled,Manual CPC,Optimize,Google search; Search partners,en

Location CSV Excerpt:

Type,Campaign,Ad group,Location ID,Location type,Location name,Action
Location,Branding,,21176,State,Texas, United States,Add

Recommended Workflow

  1. Import Campaigns → Confirm Manual CPC and "EU Political Ads = No."
  2. Import Locations → Use numeric IDs (e.g., 21176 for Texas).
  3. Import Ad Groups → Warnings about missing bids are fine.
  4. Import Keywords → Keep one match type per row.
  5. Import Ads → Use real URLs or placeholders.
  6. Validate and Post → Run Tools → Check Changes before publishing.

Pre-Import Checklist

General

  • One entity type per CSV
  • UTF-8 encoding
  • Matching campaign names across files

Locations

  • Numeric IDs only
  • Delete "Unknown" entries before reimport

Keywords

  • Correct case on match types
  • Include Max CPC where needed

Ads

  • URLs must resolve
  • Headlines/descriptions within length limits

FAQs

Why "Ambiguous row type"?

You mixed entity types or the header mapping doesn't match what Google expects.

Can I put locations in Campaigns.csv?

No. Import them separately in Locations.csv.

Why is Import disabled?

Residual invalid rows exist. Delete them and retry.

Should I enable Display Network?

Not for early lead-generation campaigns. Start with "Google search; Search partners."

Does automated bidding respect Max CPC?

No. Automated bidding honors budget, not per-click caps. Stick to Manual CPC until data accumulates.

References

Key Takeaway: Getting CSV imports right in Google Ads isn't about memorizing fields—it's about understanding how rigid the Editor's hierarchy is. Once you align your structure and import order, the system stops fighting you and starts saving you hours.

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