Loading Google Adwords Data into R

Description

The aim of RAdwords is loading Google Adwords data into R. Therefore the package implements three main features.
First, the package provides an authentication process for R with the Adwords API via OAUTH2.
Second, the package offers an interface to apply the Adwords query language in R and query the Adwords API with ad-hoc reports.
Third, the received data are transformed into suitable data format for further data processing and data analysis.

Details

Requirements:
In order to access the Adwords API you have to set up a Google API project for native apps. The Google API project provides a Client Id and Client Secret which is necessary for the authentication. Moreover you need to have a Adwords MCC (My Client Center) with an Adwords developer token.

Authentication:
doAuth manages the complete authentication process. Meaning doAuth authenticates the R app for the first time, loads the access token or refreshes the access token if expired. Hence, you only run doAuth() to authenticate whether it is your initial R Session or a later instance.

What's happening in details?
Once the API projects for native application is set up, getAuth is able to authenticate the R app with the credentials (Client Id, Client Secret) from the Google API project. The Google authentication server returns a client token, which later is used by loadToken to receive the access token. If the access token is expired after one hour, it can be updated with refreshToken. The access token in combination with the Adwords developer token enables a connection with the Adwords API.

Create Statement:
statement creates the Adwords Query Language Statement.

Receiving Data:
getData queries the data from the Adwords API and transforms the data into an R dataframe.

Author(s)

Johannes Burkhardt <johannes.burkhardt@gmail.com>
Matthias Bannert <matthias.bannert@gmail.com>
https://github.com/jburkhardt/RAdwords

Examples

## Not run: 
Authentication:
google_auth <- doAuth()
Create Statement:
body <- statement(select = c('Clicks','AveragePosition','Cost','Ctr'),
                  report = "ACCOUNT_PERFORMANCE_REPORT",
                  start = "2018-01-01",
                  end = "2018-01-10")
Query Adwords API and load data as dataframe:
data <- getData(clientCustomerId = 'xxx-xxx-xxxx', #use Adwords Account Id (MCC Id will not work)
                google_auth = google_auth,
                statement = body)
Get available report types:
reports()
Get available metrics/attributes of specific report type:
metrics(report = 'ACCOUNT_PERFORMANCE_REPORT')

## End(Not run)

Change Names of Attributes/variables

Description

Converts the default display names into nicer or more practical names.

Usage

changeNames(data)

Arguments

Value

New column names of dataframe.

Invoke the Authentication Process with Google

Description

This function starts the authentication process with Google. Note that this functions needs user interaction.

Usage

doAuth(save = T)

Arguments

See Also

getAuth,loadToken

Authentication of R app

Description

getAuth authenticates the R app at the Google authentication server using OAUTH2 and receives the client token. Usually you need not to run getAuth() explicitly since the whole authentication process is managed by doAuth.

Usage

getAuth()

Value

Client token from Google authentication server. Dataframe with the credential information which is cached in working space and optionally saved as RData file in current working directory.

Get Adwords Data

Description

getData posts the Adwords Query Language (awql) Statement which is generated with statement. The data are retrieved from the Adwords API as a dataframe.

Usage

getData(clientCustomerId, google_auth, statement, apiVersion = "201809",
  transformation = TRUE, changeNames = TRUE,
  includeZeroImpressions = FALSE, verbose = FALSE)

Arguments

Value

Dataframe with the Adwords Data.

Loading the Access Token

Description

loadToken loads the access token using credentials provided by getAuth. Execution of function is possible only once per authentication process. Usually you need not to run loadToken() explicitly since the whole authentication process is managed by doAuth.

Usage

loadToken(credlist)

Arguments

Value

Access token with corresponding time stamp.

Get Metrics/Attributes of specified Report

Description

metrics provides an overview of all available metrics/attributes for a specified report type.

Usage

metrics(report = "ACCOUNT_PERFORMANCE_REPORT", apiVersion = "201809")

Arguments

Value

List of available metrics/attributes.

Refresh Access Token

Description

refreshToken returns a new valid access token. The access token deprecates after one hour and has to updated with the refresh token. Usually you need not to run refreshToken() explicitly since the whole authentication process is managed by doAuth.

Usage

refreshToken(google_auth)

Arguments

Value

New access token with corresponding time stamp.

Show available Adwords Reports

Description

reports provides an overview of all available Adwords report types. The report type is specified in statement.

Usage

reports(apiVersion = "201809")

Arguments

Value

Available report types.

Build Adwords Query Language Statement

Description

Generates and builds the Adwords Query Language Statement for querying the Adwords API.

Usage

statement(select = c("AccountDescriptiveName", "AccountId", "Impressions",
  "Clicks", "Cost", "Date"), report = "ACCOUNT_PERFORMANCE_REPORT", where,
  start = "2018-01-01", end = "2018-01-10", apiVersion = "201809",
  compress = TRUE)

Arguments

Value

The statement neccessary for the getData function.

Examples

body <- statement(select=c('CampaignName','Clicks','Cost','Ctr'),
                  report="CAMPAIGN_PERFORMANCE_REPORT",
                  where="CampaignName STARTS_WITH 'A' AND Clicks > 100",
                  start="2018-01-20",
                  end="2018-01-21")
body <- statement(select=c('Criteria','Clicks','Cost','Ctr'),
                  report="KEYWORDS_PERFORMANCE_REPORT",
                  where="Clicks > 100",
                  start="2018-01-20",
                  end="2018-01-21")    
body <- statement(select=c('Clicks','AveragePosition','Cost','Ctr'),
                  report="ACCOUNT_PERFORMANCE_REPORT",
                  start="2018-01-20",
                  end="2018-01-21") 

Transform data into R dataframe

Description

Transforms the csv data file received from the Adwords API into a dataframe. Moreover the variables are converted into suitable formats. The function is used inside getData and parameters are set automatically.

Usage

transformData(data, report = reportType, apiVersion = "201809")

Arguments

Value

Dataframe with the Adwords Data.