Bulk Editing Objects Creates New Ones Instead of Editing Them

There may be occasions when bulk editing keywords and creatives that you are able to upload them with no error or warning, but the platform does not edit the objects, and instead creates new ones.

Below we'll explain a few potential causes and solutions for this problem. 

What Causes The Issue?

There are multiple causes for this issue, as follows:

Scenario 1

This problem can be caused by failing to include the Required Columns in the bulks sheet (or text box) when uploading new objects to the platform.

Scenario 2

The keywords you have uploaded in your bulk sheet contain an extra space in the keyword text and/or different capitalization than the keyword in the platform. The explanation is that, from Google's point of view, changing capitalization or the number of spaces actually counts as a brand new keyword.

Scenario 3

The content of the Campaign or Group column shows an unrecognized Campaign or Group name. A possible cause could be an extra space or character within the object name.

Scenario 4

The uploaded ads contained publisher IDs that were more than 15 digits, which were reformatted by Excel. This means the values uploaded no longer match those of Marin or the publishers.

How To Fix The Issue

Below are the relevant fixes and/or workarounds for the scenarios listed above:

Scenario 1

Ensure that you include all required columns in your bulk sheet when you upload it. For more details on how to compile a bulk sheet, please read our Help article on the subject.

Scenario 2

Before uploading your bulk sheet to the platform, make sure to double-check its contents to ensure that the keyword text matches those in the platform exactly. Also ensure that they do not contain any extra spaces before, in between, or after the keyword text, and that the capitalization is the same.

Scenario 3

Confirm that the Campaign or Group name matches exactly with what is currently in your account. Otherwise, a new campaign or group will be created with the new name (instead of editing existing objects in your current campaign or group).

Scenario 4

Instead of double-clicking the file to open it, open Excel and import the file as text. Then, format the publisher ID column as text. 

Alternatively, you can use a different program, such as a text editor, to open the file.

Important Information

  • Keyword text cannot be modified. This will always create new keywords. This isn't possible in the Publisher either.
  • Including the Keyword ID will not guarantee an edit. This is unique for attribution, but not for identification like the Creative ID.

Written by Marketing @ Marin Software

Last published at: November 8th, 2023