At WordStream, one of our core values is transparency, so we want to be clear with our readers and customers about some minor changes we are making to our site and our AdWords Performance Grader application. Due to recent changes in Google’s API policy, we have made adjustments to the AdWords Performance Grader application and removed our most recent infographic about Google AdWords. Please read on for more details on the nature of these changes.
What Happened
Google has made changes to their API terms and conditions. The previous version of the API terms and conditions read as follows:
...AdWords API Clients may only use or transfer AdWords API Data as expressly allowed in Section III of this API Agreement and, except in the case of a disclosure of account information to that account owner, only if all the data is in aggregate form that cannot be correlated to specific users or accounts.
Google changed their API terms earlier this year:
The AdWords API Client must neither enable nor allow any party to access or use the account, passwords, AdWords API Data or any other account information of a party other than the then-current end-user (which includes parties acting on an end-user's behalf and authorized by that end-user to do so), whether or not the AdWords API Data is in identifiable or aggregate form.
What does this mean? Our infographic reported data such as average cost per clicks in various industries. This is no longer permitted. Certain sections of our AdWords Performance Grader reported similar averages or benchmarks. This is no longer permitted.
This update to the API terms does not affect our PPC Advisor product in any way.
What Are We Doing
Our plan is to comply fully with the Google API terms and conditions. We have a good relationship with Google, and we have been working with them to make sure everything we do is in full compliance.
Our AdWords Grader product is now in full compliance with the updated AdWords API terms and conditions. We will continue to offer the tool as a free service to businesses that need help with PPC, and it continues to be the fastest and easiest way to evaluate your AdWords account performance.
We have also removed the infographic in question from our website.
Our Commitment to Our Customers
We are passionate that all of our uses of benchmark data and our infographics provide our customers with valuable insight and guidance to help them successfully leverage paid search. Success for our customers translates into success for Google. For everyone’s benefit we hope to see Google modify these terms in the future. If you have any concerns or viewpoints about the changes discussed here, please let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to address them.
This post originated on the WordStream Blog. WordStream provides keyword tools for pay-per click (PPC) and search engine optimization (SEO) aiding in everything from keyword discovery to keyword grouping and organization.
