Google Ad Library API
Search Google Ad Transparency advertisers, list a company's public creatives, and resolve one ad by Transparency URL — structured JSON on the same key as Facebook Ad Library.
3 endpointsWhy teams use Social Fetch for Google
Competitive creative research still starts in Google's Ad Transparency Center: type a brand, open an advertiser row, click through Search / YouTube / Maps creatives, then paste screenshots into a slide deck. That UI is fine for a one-off check. It breaks when you need weekly competitor snapshots, date-bounded archives, or the same warehouse schema you already use for Meta Ad Library rows.
Homegrown scrapers of adstransparency.google.com inherit the usual problems — brittle DOM, region defaults, and no stable envelope for agents or cron. Google Ads / Google Cloud APIs are the right stack when you manage campaigns you own. They are the wrong stack when you only need public Transparency data for brands you do not operate.
Social Fetch's Google tag is three Ad Library GETs — nothing else. `GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search` turns a brand name into advertiser ids and related domains. `GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads` lists creatives for a domain or advertiserId with filters and cursor pagination. `GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads` hydrates one public Transparency creative URL. Responses use the shared `{ data, meta }` envelope (`lookupStatus`, `requestId`, `creditsCharged`) so Google rows sit next to Facebook Ad Library in the same pipeline.
The same API key covers the rest of the marketplace catalog (17 platforms, 137 endpoints). This tag does not scrape Google Search, Maps listings, or YouTube as a general data feed — use the Web tag or those platform hubs for that work.
What Google data can you get?
- Advertiser search by name — advertiserId, region, adsEstimate, related website domains.
- Company ads by domain or advertiserId — Search, YouTube, Maps, Play, Shopping surfaces.
- Filter company ads by topic, region, date range, platform, and creative format (text / image / video).
- Cursor pagination on company ads lists (`data.page.hasMore` / `nextCursor`).
- Single creative detail from a public Ad Transparency URL — variations, region stats, impression ranges when Google exposes them.
- Shared Social Fetch envelope and API key with Facebook Ad Library and the rest of the catalog.
- Public Ad Transparency data only — not campaign management, billing, or private ads account data.
Google API endpoints
Grouped by capability from the live API catalog. Open an endpoint page for parameters and examples — credit notes come from OpenAPI pricing extensions.
How to call the Google API
1. Create an API key
Sign up at Social Fetch and copy a key (`sfk_…`). New accounts get 100 free credits — enough to run advertiser search, one company-ads page, and a single-ad hydrate against live Transparency data.
2. Discover, then list, then hydrate
Start with `GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search?query=…` (optional `region`, default `US`). Pass `advertiserId` or a domain from `data.websites` into `GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads`. When you already have a creative URL (`/advertiser/…/creative/…`), call `GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads?url=…`. Pass `x-api-key` on every request.
3. Archive with envelope fields
Branch on `data.lookupStatus` before writing rows. Persist creative ids, show dates, and `meta.requestId` for support. Bill from `meta.creditsCharged` — each paginated company-ads page is a separate billed lookup.
How much does the Google API cost?
Google Ad Library routes are credit-priced per completed lookup. Costs differ by operation and are shown on each endpoint page and in the API reference — do not assume a flat 1-credit rate for every Google call. Credits never expire on pay-as-you-go packs. Signup includes 100 free credits. Always trust `meta.creditsCharged`.
Social Fetch vs the official Google API
Google Ad Transparency Center is Google's public browser UI for ads that ran on Google surfaces. Google Ads API and related Cloud products are for advertisers and agencies managing accounts they control (campaigns, reporting, billing). Social Fetch is neither: it is a public-data lookup API over Ad Transparency-style research surfaces — brand or URL in, structured JSON out, authenticated with a Social Fetch key, no Google Ads account required. Use Transparency Center for manual checks; use Google Ads API when you operate the account; use Social Fetch when you need scheduled or agent-driven public creative research next to Meta Ad Library on one marketplace key.
Google API FAQ
What Google data does Social Fetch cover?
Three marketplace operations under the Google tag: advertiser search (`GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search`), company ads lists (`GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads`), and single-ad detail (`GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads`). Exact parameters and response fields live under `/docs/api` and on this hub's endpoint list. There is no Google Search results scraper, Maps places API, or general YouTube catalog under this tag.
Is this the Google Ads API?
No. Google Ads API is for managing and reporting on ads accounts you authorize. Social Fetch Google routes read public Ad Transparency research data. You authenticate to Social Fetch with an API key; you do not connect a Google Ads MCC or act on behalf of an advertiser you manage.
Google Ad Transparency Center vs Social Fetch — what is the difference?
Transparency Center is Google's official public UI for browsing ads. Social Fetch wraps the same class of public research lookups as REST: discover advertisers by name, list a company's creatives with filters and pagination, and fetch one creative by Transparency URL. Use the Center for interactive exploration; use Social Fetch for pipelines, archives, and agent tools that need a stable JSON envelope.
How do I find Google advertisers by brand name?
Call `GET /v1/google/ad-library/advertisers/search` with a required `query` string and optional `region` (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2; default `US` when omitted). The response includes `data.advertisers` (name, advertiserId, region, adsEstimate), `data.websites`, and `data.totalAdvertisers`. Then pass an `advertiserId` or domain into company ads.
How do I list ads for a company domain or advertiser id?
Call `GET /v1/google/ad-library/companies/ads` with either `domain` (for example `lululemon.com`) or `advertiserId`. Optional filters: `topic` (`all` or `political` — `region` required when `topic` is `political`), `region`, `startDate` / `endDate` (`YYYY-MM-DD`), `platform` (`google_search`, `youtube`, `google_maps`, `google_play`, `google_shopping`), and `format` (`text`, `image`, `video`). Paginate with `cursor` when `data.page.hasMore` is true.
How do I fetch one Google Ad Transparency creative?
Pass the public creative URL to `GET /v1/google/ad-library/ads` as the required `url` query param (the `/advertiser/…/creative/…` form on adstransparency.google.com). On a hit, `data.lookupStatus` is `found` and `data.ad` can include format, show dates, impression ranges, region stats, and creative variations. On a miss, `lookupStatus` is `not_found` and `ad` is null — still check `meta.creditsCharged`.
How much does the Google Ad Library API cost?
You buy credit packs (or use the 100 free signup credits). Each Google operation is priced in the API registry — amounts appear on the endpoint pages linked from this hub. Company ads pages can cost more than a single advertiser search; each paginated page is a separate billed lookup. Confirm every response with `meta.creditsCharged`. There is no required monthly subscription for pay-as-you-go packs.
Do you scrape Google Search results?
No. The Google marketplace tag is Ad Transparency only. For generic page fetch, ask, or crawl-style extraction, use the Web platform hub and its routes — not `/v1/google/ad-library/...`.
Can I use Google Ad Library routes from agents or MCP?
Yes. The same operations appear as typed MCP tools and can be reached via Ask (`POST /v1/ask`) for plain-English exploration. For production cron and competitive archives, pin the typed Google GETs with an API key so routing stays explicit.
Is Google Ad Library / Ad Transparency data legal to use?
Ad Transparency exists so the public can inspect ads that ran on Google surfaces. Social Fetch returns that publicly visible research data. You are still responsible for how you use it under Google's terms, applicable law, and your own compliance review. We do not give legal advice.
Start with Google Ad Transparency data
Create an account, spend the 100 free credits on an advertiser search and a company-ads page, then buy a pack when the JSON fits your competitive or compliance archive. Credits do not expire on pay-as-you-go packs.