Create a custom alert
A custom alert is a rule that you make yourself. It sends an alert when one signal crosses a threshold that you set. A custom alert only notifies you. It does not change your Google Ads account. To make a rule that also makes a change, see Build a custom automation.
How to create a custom alert
- Open Settings > Alerts. To open Settings, click your profile picture at the bottom of the sidebar, then click Settings.
- Go to the Custom alerts section, below the 17 built-in alert types.
- Click Create custom alert.
- In Signal, select the signal to watch.
- Set the rule fields.
- If a preview line shows below the rule, read it.
- In Where to alert me, select Email, In app, or both. Both are selected by default.
- In Alert name, type a name of up to 80 characters.
- Click Save alert.
The message "Custom alert created." shows. The rule is on, and it runs from the next check.
The six signals
A custom alert watches one of these signals:
- Cost per conversion (campaign)
- Return on ad spend (campaign)
- Impressions (campaign)
- Wasted spend (keyword)
- Daily spend (account)
- Ad approval status
The rule fields
For every signal except Ad approval status, you set these fields:
- Direction. Rises above or Falls below.
- Multiple of baseline. The alert fires when the signal crosses this multiple of its baseline. For Wasted spend (keyword), this field is Spend threshold ($), an amount in dollars.
- Baseline window. 14 days or 28 days. This field is not available for Spend threshold ($).
- Baseline type. Average, Median, or Same weekday. This field is not available for Spend threshold ($).
- Checks in a row. 1, 2, or 3. The condition must occur on this number of checks in a row before the alert fires.
The recent period that the rule reads is fixed by the signal. You cannot change it.
For Ad approval status, you set only Alert when status becomes: approved, approved limited, area of interest only, disapproved, or unknown. Hero Marketer compares each ad's status with the status that it recorded at the previous morning's check. When Hero Marketer finds an ad for the first time, it only records the status.
Default rules
Each signal starts with a default rule. You can change the default before you save.
| Signal | Default rule |
|---|---|
| Cost per conversion (campaign) | Rises above 1.5 times its average of the last 28 days. Reads the last 7 days and leaves out the last 3 days. 2 checks in a row. |
| Return on ad spend (campaign) | Rises above 1.5 times its average of the last 28 days. Reads the last 7 days and leaves out the last 3 days. Needs at least 5 conversions in the baseline. 2 checks in a row. |
| Impressions (campaign) | Falls below 0.5 times its average of the last 14 days. Reads yesterday. Needs at least 100 impressions a day in the baseline. 1 check. |
| Wasted spend (keyword) | Spend of more than $50 in the last 7 days with no conversions. 3 checks in a row. |
| Daily spend (account) | Rises above 1.5 times its average for the same weekday over the last 28 days. Needs at least $10 a day in the baseline. 1 check. |
| Ad approval status | Status becomes disapproved. |
Preview the last 30 days
For all signals except Ad approval status, the composer shows a preview line. For example: "Would have alerted you 2 times in the last 30 days". The preview uses the data of the active account and the rule that you set. Change the rule, then read the line again before you save. Ad approval status rules have no preview.
When custom alerts run
- Custom alerts on Daily spend (account) run every hour from 09:00 to 22:00, in the account's time zone.
- All other custom alerts run in the 06:00 check, in the account's time zone.
Custom alerts run as part of the daily checks, and they do not cost more. Daily checks cost 0.25 credits a day for each connected account. Keep at least one of the 17 built-in alert types on. If you turn off all 17 built-in alert types and all recommended automations, the daily checks stop, and your custom alerts do not run.
Custom alerts use the same delivery rules as built-in alerts. Every alert goes to the bell and the Alerts inbox. For email rules, see What alerts do.
Which account a custom alert watches
A custom alert runs on the account that is active when you save it. There is no account picker. If no account is active when you save, the rule runs on every connected account.
The Custom alerts list shows the rules of the active account. To make a rule for a different account, switch to that account first. See Switch between accounts.
Turn off or delete a custom alert
- Turn off a custom alert. Click the switch at the left of its row. Hero Marketer resolves the rule's active alerts.
- Delete a custom alert. Click the trash icon on its row. In the "Delete this custom alert?" dialog, click Delete alert. The rule stops at once. Its past alerts stay in the inbox.
You cannot edit a saved custom alert. To change a rule, delete it and create a new one.
Limits
- You can keep up to 50 custom rules. Custom alerts and custom automations count together. At the limit, Hero Marketer shows "You can keep up to 50 custom alerts. Delete one to add another."
- A custom alert does not change your Google Ads account.
- You cannot mute a custom alert for one item.
- A custom alert has no suggested action in its drawer.