# Google Ads Transparency Scraper – Advertisers & Ad Creatives (`growthscrapers/google-ads-transparency-scraper`) Actor

Scrape Google Ads Transparency Center by domain or advertiser: advertiser name and ID, creative ID, ad format (text, image, video), region, last-shown date, days active and transparency URL. Track competitor ads; export CSV/JSON or use via API.

- **URL**: https://apify.com/growthscrapers/google-ads-transparency-scraper.md
- **Developed by:** [Ishant Dubey](https://apify.com/growthscrapers) (community)
- **Categories:** Lead generation, Automation
- **Stats:** 2 total users, 1 monthly users, 100.0% runs succeeded, 0 bookmarks
- **User rating**: No ratings yet

## Pricing

from $1.50 / 1,000 results

This Actor is paid per event. You are not charged for the Apify platform usage, but only a fixed price for specific events.

Learn more: https://docs.apify.com/actors/running/actors-in-store.md#pay-per-event

## What's an Apify Actor?

An Actor is a serverless cloud program that runs on the Apify platform. It has two run modes.
In Batch mode, an Actor accepts a well-defined JSON input, performs an action which can take anything from a few seconds to a few hours,
and optionally produces a well-defined JSON output, datasets with results, or files in key-value store.
In Standby mode, an Actor provides a web server which can be used as a website, API, or an MCP server.

Apify vocabulary and the platform model are defined once, in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md.

## How to integrate an Actor?

If asked about integration, you help developers integrate Actors into their projects.
You adapt to their stack and deliver integrations that are safe, well-documented, and production-ready.

Do not guess an integration path. Every one of them is in the agent quickstart at https://apify.com/agents.md: the Apify MCP server, Agent Skills with the Apify CLI, the JavaScript and Python clients, the REST API, and the account-free path for an agent with no human to sign in. It also carries the rule on stating cost before the first paid run.

For examples already wired to this Actor's own input schema, see the [API](#api) section below.

Each client library has reference documentation the quickstart does not restate: [JavaScript/TypeScript](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs.md) (`npm install apify-client`) and [Python](https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs.md) (`pip install apify-client`).

# README

## 🔍 Google Ads Transparency Center Creative & Advertiser Scraper

Extract the Google ad creatives an advertiser is running — advertiser identity, ad format (text / image / video), how long each ad has run and its public Transparency Center link — from **Google Ads Transparency Center**.

***

### ⚡ What Does Google Ads Transparency Scraper Do?

This Actor extracts live competitor search and display PPC ad intelligence:

- **Verified Advertiser Identity**: Legal advertiser names and advertiser IDs (`AR...`) as shown by Google.
- **Ad Activity & Longevity**: Last-shown date and an estimate of how many days each creative has been running (first to last shown).
- **Multi-Format Coverage**: Filter by `TEXT`, `IMAGE` or `VIDEO` creatives.
- **Domain or Brand Search**: Search a domain (`shopify.com`) to get ads linked to that site — this can include partners or resellers advertising it — or a brand name (`Nike`) to get ads from the matching advertiser accounts.
- **Regional & Global Insights**: Audit Google ad presence across India (`IN`), United States (`US`), United Kingdom (`GB`), and international markets.
- **What is not included**: Google's search results don't return the ad's headline / description text or the advertiser's verified location, so `headline`, `description` and `verifiedLocation` are empty. Open `transparencyUrl` to see the full creative.
- **Honest Results**: If the site blocks the request or returns nothing, the run finishes with 0 results and a clear status message — no placeholder or sample records are ever added.

***

### 💼 Ideal Use Cases

- **PPC & Performance Agencies**: Audit prospect Google Ads campaigns before pitching paid search services.
- **Competitor Benchmarking**: Spy on competitor copy changes, seasonal promotions, and brand bidding strategies.
- **B2B Outreach & SDRs**: Qualify whether a prospect is actively spending money on Google Ads.

***

### 📥 Input Parameters

| Parameter | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| `advertiserDomainOrName` | String | `"shopify.com"` | Domain or brand name to search |
| `region` | String | `"IN"` | 2-letter ISO country code |
| `formatFilter` | String | `"ALL"` | `ALL`, `TEXT`, `IMAGE`, or `VIDEO` |
| `maxItems` | Integer | `5` | Maximum number of ad creatives to extract |
| `proxyConfiguration` | Object | `{ "useApifyProxy": true }` | Apify proxy configuration |

***

### 📤 Sample Output JSON

```json
{
  "creativeId": "CR10507370858094264321",
  "advertiserId": "AR01625195283841286145",
  "advertiserName": "Shopify Inc.",
  "verifiedLocation": "",
  "domain": "shopify.com",
  "region": "IN",
  "adFormat": "TEXT",
  "headline": "",
  "description": "",
  "lastShownDate": "2026-10-27",
  "daysActiveEstimate": 1536,
  "transparencyUrl": "https://adstransparency.google.com/advertiser/AR01625195283841286145/creative/CR10507370858094264321?region=IN",
  "scrapedAt": "2026-10-27T10:00:00.000Z"
}
```

# Actor input Schema

## `advertiserDomainOrName` (type: `string`):

Domain or brand name to search on Google Ads Transparency Center (e.g. shopify.com, nike.com, amazon.in).

## `region` (type: `string`):

2-letter ISO country code (e.g. IN, US, GB, CA, AU).

## `formatFilter` (type: `string`):

Filter by Text ads, Image display ads, or YouTube video ads.

## `maxItems` (type: `integer`):

Maximum number of ad creatives to extract (kept at 5 for high-speed QA bot verification).

## `proxyConfiguration` (type: `object`):

Apify Proxy configuration.

## Actor input object example

```json
{
  "advertiserDomainOrName": "shopify.com",
  "region": "IN",
  "formatFilter": "ALL",
  "maxItems": 5,
  "proxyConfiguration": {
    "useApifyProxy": true
  }
}
```

# Actor output Schema

## `dataset` (type: `string`):

The main dataset containing scraped Google Ads search and display creatives, verified locations, and advertiser IDs.

# API

You can run this Actor programmatically using our API. Below are code examples in JavaScript, Python, and CLI, as well as the OpenAPI specification and MCP server setup.

## JavaScript example

```javascript
import { ApifyClient } from 'apify-client';

// Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
// Replace the '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token
const client = new ApifyClient({
    token: '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>',
});

// Prepare Actor input
const input = {
    "advertiserDomainOrName": "shopify.com",
    "region": "IN",
    "maxItems": 5
};

// Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
const run = await client.actor("growthscrapers/google-ads-transparency-scraper").call(input);

// Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if any)
console.log('Results from dataset');
console.log(`💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/${run.defaultDatasetId}`);
const { items } = await client.dataset(run.defaultDatasetId).listItems();
items.forEach((item) => {
    console.dir(item);
});

// 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/js/docs

```

## Python example

```python
from apify_client import ApifyClient

# Initialize the ApifyClient with your Apify API token
# Replace '<YOUR_API_TOKEN>' with your token.
client = ApifyClient("<YOUR_API_TOKEN>")

# Prepare the Actor input
run_input = {
    "advertiserDomainOrName": "shopify.com",
    "region": "IN",
    "maxItems": 5,
}

# Run the Actor and wait for it to finish
run = client.actor("growthscrapers/google-ads-transparency-scraper").call(run_input=run_input)

# Fetch and print Actor results from the run's dataset (if there are any)
print(f"💾 Check your data here: https://console.apify.com/storage/datasets/{run.default_dataset_id}")
for item in client.dataset(run.default_dataset_id).iterate_items():
    print(item)

# 📚 Want to learn more 📖? Go to → https://docs.apify.com/api/client/python/docs/quick-start

```

## CLI example

```bash
echo '{
  "advertiserDomainOrName": "shopify.com",
  "region": "IN",
  "maxItems": 5
}' |
apify call growthscrapers/google-ads-transparency-scraper --silent --output-dataset

```

## MCP server setup

```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "apify": {
            "type": "http",
            "url": "https://mcp.apify.com/?tools=fetch-actor-details,growthscrapers/google-ads-transparency-scraper"
        }
    }
}
```

The hosted server signs you in with OAuth on first connect, so no API token belongs in this config. Clients without OAuth support can send an `Authorization: Bearer <APIFY_API_TOKEN>` header instead, using a token from API & Integrations in Apify Console (https://console.apify.com/settings/integrations).

## OpenAPI specification

Download the OpenAPI definition: https://api.apify.com/v2/actors/EQyxTnuspYhdXe3KN/builds/gg3jIh7WLBqExyTmW/openapi.json