How to format keywords for Google Ads Editor

If you've ever pasted a spreadsheet into Google Ads Editor and watched it reject half the rows, this guide is for you. It covers the CSV format Google Ads Editor actually accepts, the match type spelling that trips people up, and the encoding gotcha that bites Excel users. It also walks through how to format and upload a keyword list using our free CSV Generator.

What format Google Ads Editor expects

Google Ads Editor imports CSV files with a header row in the first line. Column names must be in English. The first row is treated as column headers, so don't put your data there.

For adding keywords, the required columns are simple: Campaign, Ad group, and Keyword. The optional columns you'll almost always want are Criterion type, Match type, and Status. Add Max CPC and Final URL when you want to override the ad group default bid or landing page.

One more thing on format: if you save your file from Excel, use Unicode Text encoding (Mac: Format > UTF-16 Unicode Text, Windows: Save as type > Unicode Text). The extension might change to .txt and that's fine. Google Ads Editor can read it.

Match type spelling, the easy mistake to make

There are two ways to tell Google Ads Editor what match type a keyword uses, and mixing them up is the single most common reason keyword uploads fail.

Method 1: the Match type column. Put Broad, Phrase, or Exact in the Match type column. Leave the keyword text bare. This is the cleanest approach and it's what our CSV Generator produces.

Method 2: brackets and quotes in the keyword text. Wrap the keyword in square brackets for exact ([running shoes]) or in quotes for phrase ("running shoes"). Leave bare for broad (running shoes). Google Ads Editor accepts this format too, with or without the Match type column.

Pick one method per upload. Don't mix them in the same file. If you set the Match type column to Exact but the keyword text is "running shoes", the Match type column wins.

Negative keywords use different spelling: negative broad, negative phrase, or negative exact in the Match type column. We cover that in the negative keyword guide.

Common pitfalls

• Header row missing or in a different language. Google Ads Editor uses the first row to map columns. If your first row is data, every column mapping breaks silently. Headers must be in English.
• Wrong match type spelling. Broad, Phrase, Exact (capitalised first letter, no abbreviations). EXACT, broad-match, or BMM will all be rejected.
• Saved as XLS instead of CSV. Google Ads Editor can't read .xls or .xlsx. Save as CSV or as Unicode Text.
• Encoding mojibake. Special characters (curly quotes, em-dashes, accented letters) become garbage when you save without Unicode Text encoding. If your keywords contain any non-ASCII characters, use UTF-16 Unicode Text.
• Blank rows or trailing whitespace. Empty rows import as blank keywords and throw errors. Clean the list before exporting.
• Editing the keyword text or match type on an existing keyword. This is the trap most people don't see coming. Per Google's docs, when you change a keyword's text or match type, the old keyword is removed and a new one is created. You lose the historical performance data. To keep history, change the bid or status instead, never the keyword itself.
• Special characters that need escaping. Commas, quotes, and newlines in keyword text must be wrapped in double quotes, with internal quotes doubled. CSV libraries handle this automatically. Manual spreadsheets often don't.

Step by step using our CSV tool

Our Google Ads Editor CSV Generator produces a CSV that imports cleanly. Here's the workflow:

1. Paste your keywords into the input box, one per line.
2. Enter your campaign name and ad group name. Both are required, otherwise the generator can't build the file.
3. Pick the match type from the three radio buttons (Broad, Phrase, or Exact). The Match type column populates with the value you pick.
4. Optionally enable Max CPC or Final URL. Leave both off if you want to inherit ad group defaults.
5. Click Copy CSV to copy a rich-text table (pastes cleanly into Google Sheets or Excel), or use the download button for a .csv file.
6. In Google Ads Editor, go to Accounts & business > Import > From CSV. Pick your file. The editor will preview the first 100 rows. Confirm column mappings match the expected headers, then import.

Here's what the generated CSV looks like:

Campaign,Ad group,Keyword,Criterion type,Match type,Status
Spring Sale,Athletic Footwear,running shoes,Keyword,Exact,Enabled
Spring Sale,Athletic Footwear,basketball shoes,Keyword,Exact,Enabled
Spring Sale,Athletic Footwear,tennis shoes,Keyword,Exact,Enabled

That's six columns, no extras, ready to import.

FAQ

Can I edit match type on an existing keyword without losing history?

No. Per Google's docs, changing the keyword text or match type removes the old keyword and creates a new one. The new keyword has no historical performance data, which hurts Smart Bidding. Pause the old keyword and create a new one only when you have to.

What's the difference between putting brackets in the keyword text vs using the Match type column?

Both work and Google Ads Editor accepts either. Use the Match type column for positive keywords (cleaner, easier to scan). Use brackets in the keyword text when you're pasting directly into the bulk-add interface and don't want to manage a Match type column.

Does the Max CPC column override the ad group default?

Yes. If you leave it blank, the keyword inherits the ad group default bid. If you fill it in, that keyword uses the override. Useful for high-priority keywords you want to bid more aggressively on.

How do I import negative keywords?

Negative keywords use a different Match type spelling (negative broad, negative phrase, negative exact) and a different Criterion type. We'll cover that in the negative keyword guide.

Related tools

• Google Ads Editor CSV Generator. The tool described in section 4. Paste a keyword list, pick a match type, download a CSV that imports cleanly.
• PPC Keyword Cleaner. Strip duplicates, sort, and trim whitespace before exporting. Fixes the "blank rows" pitfall above.
• Keyword Wrapper. If you prefer brackets-in-keyword-text over the Match type column, wrap a list with [exact], "phrase", or bare for broad.