Analyze Google Ads Performance Using Claude and Zapier MCP

Connect your Google Ads directly to Claude for performance analysis and reports - no spreadsheets required.

Tired of pulling Google Ads data into spreadsheets every week just to understand what's actually working?

With Zapier's MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration, you can connect Google Ads directly to Claude for on-demand analysis and insights.

Understanding Zapier MCP

Zapier MCP bridges APIs and AI assistants like Claude. Configure reusable tools that Claude calls using natural language - no coding required.

Why this works:

• Zero manual exports - Claude reads campaign data directly

• Complete API access - Run queries like create_report and find_campaign_by_id

• Multi-account support - Analyze multiple accounts together

Requirements & Limitations

What you need:

• Claude Pro account ($20/month)

• Zapier account (free tier works)

• Google Ads account with campaign data

Important limitations:

• OAuth complexity - Permission errors common with MCC accounts

• Manual triggers - No automatic refresh unless you build custom workflows

• Monthly limits - 300 actions per month on Zapier MCP

What you'll learn:

• Step-by-step Zapier MCP setup for Google Ads

• Analysis prompts for performance insights

• Visual report generation

• Real limitations and troubleshooting

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Step-by-Step Setup Guide

Step 1: Create Your Zapier MCP Server

1. Go to your Zapier MCP dashboard

2. Click "New MCP Server" (top left)

3. Select "Claude" as your MCP Client

4. Name it something like "Claude Google Ads Server"

Step 2: Connect Google Ads

1. In the Tools section, click "Add tool"

2. Search for and select "Google Ads"

3. Connect your Google Ads account (you'll need to authorize access)

4. Choose "Create Report" from the available Google Ads actions

Note: If you have an MCC account, you'll need to select which sub-accounts to include. For this tutorial, I'm using a simple single-account setup.

Step 3: Configure Google Ads Create Report

This step is crucial for getting useful data. Here's the exact configuration that works:

Use Google Ads as…

• Set a specific value for this field

• → Your account (or MCC)

Managed Account

• Set a specific value for this field

• → account or sub-account

Resource

• Set a specific value for this field

• → Campaign

Dates to Include

• Set a specific value for this field

• → Last 7 days (not including today) OR Last 30 days

Filter by Campaigns

• (Optional): Leave blank or filter if you want to exclude noise.

Metrics (select all below):

• metrics.impressions

• metrics.clicks

• metrics.ctr

• metrics.cost_micros

• metrics.conversions

• metrics.cost_per_conversion

Resource Fields

• campaign.id

• campaign.name

Segments

• segments.date

Limit

• Set a specific value for this field

• → 20000

Order By

• Set a specific value for this field

• → metrics.clicks (Descending)

Save these settings.

Step 4: Get Your Integration URL

1. Go to the "Connect" section in your Zapier MCP server

2. Copy the "Integration URL"

3. Keep this handy - you'll need it for Claude

Step 5: Connect to Claude

1. Open Claude and go to Integrations

2. Click "Add integrations"

3. Paste your Zapier MCP server URL

4. Give it a name like "Google Ads Analysis"

5. Verify it shows "Connected" in blue

Step 6: Set Up Claude Project (Optional but Recommended)

Create a dedicated Claude project for your Google Ads analysis:

1. Upload any relevant context about your campaigns

2. Set project instructions for formatting and tone

3. Add any specific metrics or KPIs you want to focus

This helps Claude provide more relevant insights.

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Step 7: Analyze Google Ads Campaign Performance

To start analyzing your Google Ads campaigns, last time check if Zapier MCP is connected - you should see tools connected. In the example below, there are 3 tools connected meaning we are set properly.

Step 7.1: Prompts you can use for your analysis

To get better results enable 'Extended thinking' and consider Opus 4 model. Keep in mind that with Opus 4, you're more likely to run into Claude message limits.

To illustrate what Claude can do I will use the prompt below (see full list of prompts below) with a simple Google Ads account and campaign:

PROMPT:

Pull my Google Ads campaign data and create a simple performance overview. Show me how my campaigns are doing and create a visual report in an artifact.

What to include:
- Overall performance summary (impressions, clicks, cost, conversions)
- Which campaigns are working best and worst
- Compare my numbers to industry averages if possible
- Key problems to fix first
- Simple recommendations

Create an HTML report artifact with charts and tables showing my campaign performance. Make it easy to understand with clear visuals and action items.

On the right side, you can see the final results that Claude generated based on my prompt. It provided a general overview of campaign performance, key problems, and recommendations.

Analysis Prompts to Get Started

Here are the prompts I've been experimenting with, organized by use case:

1. Performance Overview

Pull my Google Ads campaign data and create a performance overview. Include:
- Overall metrics: impressions, clicks, cost, conversions
- Best and worst performing campaigns
- Top 3 problems to fix
- Specific recommendations with expected impact

Create a well-structured report in Claude Artifact with clear sections and data tables.

2. Campaign Optimization

Analyze my Google Ads campaigns and identify optimization opportunities. Focus on:
- High-cost, low-performing keywords
- Ads with CTR below 2%
- Budget allocation inefficiencies
- 3 quick wins for this week

Create an action plan in Claude Artifact ranked by priority and ease of implementation.

3. Budget Analysis

Analyze my Google Ads spending and show ROI by campaign. Include:
- Spend per campaign (last 30 days)
- Cost per conversion by campaign
- Budget reallocation recommendations
- Campaigns to pause or increase budget

Create a structured budget report in Claude Artifact with spending breakdowns and actionable changes.

4. Keyword Performance

Review my keyword performance and identify winners and losers. Show:
- Top 10 keywords by conversions vs cost
- Keywords with high spend, zero conversions
- 5 new keyword opportunities
- Negative keywords to add immediately

Create a keyword analysis in Claude Artifact with performance rankings and next steps.

5. Creative Performance

Evaluate my ad copy performance and suggest improvements. Analyze:
- Ads with highest/lowest CTR
- Headlines vs descriptions performance
- Missing ad extensions
- 3 new ad variations to test

Create a creative performance report in Claude Artifact with specific copy suggestions and testing plan.

Getting Better Results & Troubleshooting

For better results:

• Enable Extended Thinking - For more thorough analysis with complex data

• Consider Claude Opus - For deeper analysis (may hit message limits faster)

• Use Research Mode - For industry benchmarks and broader context

Common issues:

• "No tools found" - Check Zapier MCP connection status in Claude

• Permission errors - Verify Google Ads account access levels

• Empty responses - Check date range or if campaigns are paused

• Rate limiting - Hit 300 monthly action limit on Zapier MCP

What's Next

This setup provides a foundation for Google Ads analysis with Claude. The real value comes from iterating on prompts and building custom workflows for your specific needs.

Found this helpful? Consider sharing it with someone who's still wrestling with Google Ads spreadsheets.

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This guide is based on my experiments with Zapier MCP and Claude Pro. Your results may vary depending on your Google Ads account setup and data complexity.