If you want Auto-Apply 'placement exclusions' recommendations for Performance Max campaigns within TrueClicks, you need to implement a workaround (as described below).
The Google Ads API currently doesn't support fetching data to see where ads were shown by PMax campaigns. However, this data is available through a custom placement report in the Google Ads interface.
The process consists of 3 steps:
Create and download a custom placement report
Prepare a Google Sheet for TrueClicks
Use the Google Sheet in TrueClicks
I. How to create and download a custom placement report:
Click on the Campaigns icon in the left sidebar.
From the "Insights and reports" drop-down menu, select "Report editor."
Click on "Predefined reports (Dimensions)" in the drop-down menu.
Choose "Other" from the options provided.
Select "Performance Max campaigns placement."
When you get the report, pick a 90-day period.
Download the Excel file.
II. Prepare a Google Sheet for TrueClicks
Create a new Google Sheet
Copy and paste the Excel file data into this newly created Google Sheet, keeping the default columns intact.
3. Choose the share option and select "Anyone with the link" to view instead of "Restricted." This ensures that TrueClicks can access the report.
III. Use the Google sheet in TrueClicks
Add the shareable URL to the custom attributes of the account in TrueClicks
After that, "Save & Close" it
Run Auto-Apply tasks to get new placement recommendations
Update regularly to keep recommendations fresh
Based on your optimization rhythm, keep the sheet updated and follow these steps regularly, whether weekly or monthly:
Follow the same steps mentioned above, and use the last 90 days
Replace all the data in the existing Google Sheet you uploaded earlier
TrueClicks will use the new placement data in the Auto-Apply placement exclusion tasks in the next update.
How to do this for many accounts at once (in bulk)
1. Instead of selecting a specific account for this report, choose the MCC level
2. Follow the exact same steps mentioned above ("How to create and download a custom placement report")
3. Copy the content of the Excel file into a single Google Sheet, similar to as we described above
4. Set the shareable link of the Google Sheet in the custom attribute of accounts where you want to apply this sheet in Auto-Apply (those accounts have to be present in the sheet)
TrueClicks will use the column Customer ID in the report to match each account to its PMax placements