Part of managing an AdWords account is cleaning out old or non-performing items, such as unused ad groups or low search volume keywords. Not all entities are deleted in the same way however, and the different methods are outlined below.
Use the SET operator and change the status to DELETED
This approach is used for entities that can be restored at any time and start serving again. The DELETED status is not permanent in this case and can be changed to ACTIVE in the future. For these requests you only need to include the entity's id and its new status.
This approach used by:
- CampaignService
- AdGroupService
Use the REMOVE operator
This approach is used for entities that are permanently deleted from your account and can't be restored. This operator doesn't guarantee that the entity is completely removed from your account and may remain but in a DELETED or DISABLED state.
This approach is used by:
- AdGroupAdService
- AdGroupCriterionService
- AdExtensionOverrideService
- AdParamService
- CampaignAdExtensionService
Use the SET operator and exclude the entity from the list
This method is used for entities that don't have unique ids but are returned in a list. This process involves retrieving the current list, removing the entity, and then sending back the updated list.
This approach is used by the CampaignTargetService.
As always, post any questions you have regarding this topic or other aspects of the API to the forum.
Best,
- Eric Koleda, AdWords API Team
