Want ** Feature back in new UI

[irish_john]

The old UI supported the ability to set bid and dest url when entering keywords
i.e.
keyword1 ** 0.09 ** www.example.com/?keyword=keyword1
keyword2 ** 0.09 ** www.example.com/?keyword=keyword2

The new UI does not. Can we get this functionality back?

[RhinoFish]

glad to see somebody else requesting this, i've asked for it several times, for several reasons. it is my biggest complaint against the new system. it makes things much, much slower and harder for me. for one particular account, it means the online interface isn't an option for me.

[cline]

Try entering it via the Keyword Tool interface.

[RhinoFish]

the keyword tool interface looks like it's in the pre-overhaul format. so i'm not sure of the relevancy here.

point remains, editing keywords with appended bids and/or appended urls, appears to be no longer available in the new interface.

and that's a big loss of functionality for some of us.

[300m]

What will that do to existing adgroups that have been using ** for bids and dest urls? I have a lot of them in there and it will cause chaos on my account. Do they grandfather them in or are they overwritten? I have not started to use the new interface, but when they force it i need to have my bases covered.

[AdWordsAdvisor]

I will look into these issues/questions tomorrow, and report back with what I learn.

This depends on finding the right colleague at the right time, so I can't pinpoint when, exactly, that will be. :)

AWA

[AdWordsAdvisor]

This depends on finding the right colleague at the right time, so I can't pinpoint when, exactly, that will be. :)

I regret to say that I did not get to this today - but I have it as a priority for tomorrow.

My apology.

AWA

[300m]

Thanks AWA, I know you are probably busy, I tried calling my copntact and she must be on vacation or something, but any light you can shed on the subject would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

[AdWordsAdvisor]

Hi irish_john, RhinoFish and 300m,

OK, I'm back with some info - having had the chance to IM/email with a colleague who is deeply involved with the new UI.

In another thread, 300m wrote:

I depend greatly on this and I would like to know a couple of things from AWA if possible.

1) What will happen to the existing adgroups using ** for custom buds and custome dest urls?

2)Is there any way at all that we can have that feature back again?

3) What is the workaround?

These are the questions I sent my colleague, and I have paraphrased her reply below (since I learned recently that it is best for me not to quote emails, per the forum's charter.)

They are correct that it's no longer available, but please let them know they can rest assured that any existing keywords with bids and URLs entered in the old UI using the '**' method are still supported in the new UI.

In the new UI, the best replacement or 'workaround' available now is to check the keywords they want to edit by selecting the checkboxes next to them and then "Edit" at the top of the table. That opens up all fields for editing and they can quickly tab through them and enter bids and URLs as needed.

In terms of bringing the feature back, we're working on a spreadsheet functionality that will allow advertisers to quickly edit bids and destination URLs for keywords on the ad group level. While I can't say precisely when this will be available, I anticipate it to be in the coming weeks. That will be the true replacement to the ** syntax they're familiar with now.

I hope that will set minds at ease for the present, and give you something to look forward to in the near future. ;)

AWA

[RhinoFish]

spreadsheet functionality will make me happy. i don't care if the new process is different or takes an extra step or two or whatever, but users need bulk edit capabilities.

have someone there run a test to see how many keywords are presently being updated this way daily... keep in mind that the MAJORITY of users will wait until they are forced to switch, it's a busy world out there. please consider that, our input may represent many, many people (and we're glad to be heard!). you can measure right now and see if we are outlier complainers or if this CURRENT feature is used enough to warrant further attention by the redesign team.

i am quite sure that removing functionality in an improvement overhaul isn't the team's goal, especially in an area that would lean towards power users and high volume users. i urge you to measure how much people are relying on this feature before you discard it.

[300m]

Well said RhinoFish. I have a feeling people with large accounts are very granular and rely greatly on this kind of functionality.