Critical fix coming for LowerTargetRoas recommendations in Google Ads API
Developers need to update applications before April 23 implementation.
Google has announced a technical correction to the Google Ads API that will impact how developers interact with target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) recommendations. The update specifically addresses a longstanding issue with the data representation in the recommendation system, requiring developer attention to maintain application functionality.
According to an announcement posted on March 26, 2025, the Google Ads API team identified that recommendations of type LOWER_TARGET_ROAS have been incorrectly displaying currency values in a format inconsistent with the field's intended design. The issue affects both the Google Ads API and Google Ads scripts and will be corrected through an implementation scheduled for April 23, 2025.
"As of v17 of the Google Ads API, recommendations of type LOWER_TARGET_ROAS have included a current_average_target_micros as a whole currency value instead of a micros value (where one million is equivalent to one currency unit) as indicated by the field name," stated Laura Chevalier from the Google Ads API Team in the official announcement.
The technical nature of this change relates to how numeric values are represented in the API. The field name "current_average_target_micros" indicates that values should be expressed in "micros" – a representation where one million units equals one currency unit (e.g., one dollar or one euro). However, the system has been incorrectly providing whole currency values directly, causing potential confusion for developers who relied on the field name for implementation guidance.
Impact on data precision
The correction will have implications beyond simple unit conversion. Due to the nature of the incorrect implementation, there has been an unintended loss of precision in the values provided.
"Note that as a result of the incorrect unit, the currently returned current_average_target_micros value is truncated and is therefore less precise than the micros equivalent," the announcement explains. "If you were converting the existing value to micros by multiplying by 1,000,000, the resulting value wouldn't necessarily be correct because any digits past the first position are dropped."
This truncation means that applications currently working with this data might be using less precise information than intended. After the April 23 change, developers will have access to values with greater precision, which could impact calculation results.
The announcement provides a concrete example: "For example, a current_average_target_micros value of 5 might have been converted to 5,000,000 in micros before the change, but could be returned as 5,750,000 (more precise) after the change."
This increase in precision could have significant implications for advertisers working with precise targeting and bidding strategies, particularly those managing high-value campaigns where small percentage differences translate to meaningful budget implications.
Technical details of the TargetAdjustmentInfo recommendation type
The change specifically impacts the TargetAdjustmentInfo recommendation type within the Google Ads API. This recommendation type contains information about target adjustments recommended by Google's optimization systems.
According to the API reference documentation, the TargetAdjustmentInfo fields include:
- recommended_target_multiplier (double) - The factor by which Google recommends the target to be adjusted
- current_average_target_micros (int64) - The current average target of the campaign or portfolio targeted by the recommendation
- shared_set (string) - The shared set resource name of the portfolio bidding strategy where the target is defined (only populated for portfolio-level recommendations)
The current_average_target_micros field is the specific focus of the upcoming fix. This field is marked as "Output only" in the documentation, indicating that it is a read-only field provided by the system rather than one that developers can set.
Developer actions required
The Google Ads API team has outlined a clear course of action for developers using the affected recommendation type. Developers who query the recommendation resource for LOWER_TARGET_ROAS recommendations and use the current_average_target_micros field in their application logic must update their code.
"You must update your application to treat the value as micros instead of a whole budget value for when the change takes effect on April 23, 2025," the announcement states.
This means that any application logic that currently treats the current_average_target_micros value as a direct currency amount will need to be modified to interpret it as a micros value (dividing by 1,000,000 to get the currency amount) after the change takes effect.
Context within the recommendation system
The LOWER_TARGET_ROAS recommendation type is part of a larger system of recommendation types available in the Google Ads API. According to the API documentation, there are over 50 distinct recommendation types, ranging from budget adjustments and keyword suggestions to ad strength improvements and campaign upgrades.
The reference documentation describes the LOWER_TARGET_ROAS type as providing a "Recommendation to lower Target ROAS." Target ROAS (Return on Ad Spend) is a bidding strategy that helps advertisers set bids to maximize conversion value while targeting a specific return on ad spend.
This particular recommendation type is important for advertisers seeking to optimize their bidding strategies, as it provides algorithmic suggestions for adjusting targets based on performance data.
Timeline and support
The announcement provides a specific timeline for implementation, giving developers approximately one month to prepare for the change:
- March 26, 2025: Public announcement of the upcoming change
- April 23, 2025: Implementation date for the correction
For developers needing assistance with implementation, the announcement directs them to the Google Ads API support page. The API is part of Google's broader developer ecosystem, which includes various resources such as documentation, forums, client libraries, and video content.
Broader technical context
This change highlights the importance of accurate data representation in advertising APIs, where small discrepancies can have significant financial implications for advertisers. The micros representation is a common pattern in financial APIs, allowing for precise representation of currency values without relying on floating-point numbers, which can introduce rounding errors.
The fix represents Google's commitment to maintaining technical accuracy in their advertising platforms, even when corrections might require developer adaptation. By providing advance notice and clear guidance, the Google Ads API team aims to minimize disruption while improving the technical correctness of the system.
Timeline of events
- Prior to v17 of Google Ads API: LOWER_TARGET_ROAS recommendations implemented with incorrect unit representation
- Implementation of v17: Issue continued with current_average_target_micros field providing whole currency values instead of micros
- March 26, 2025: Announcement of upcoming fix to correct the value representation
- April 23, 2025: Scheduled implementation date for the correction
- After April 23, 2025: Applications must interpret current_average_target_micros as a micros value (where 1,000,000 = 1 currency unit)