{"id":116883,"date":"2025-09-05T18:01:28","date_gmt":"2025-09-05T18:01:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/116883\/"},"modified":"2025-09-05T18:01:28","modified_gmt":"2025-09-05T18:01:28","slug":"scripts-data-and-custom-tools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/116883\/","title":{"rendered":"Scripts, data, and custom tools"},"content":{"rendered":"

PPC<\/a> advertising has never stood still.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Efficiency, scalability, and smart automation are now essential for success, but that wasn\u2019t always the case.\u00a0<\/p>\n

When I started more than 15 years ago, campaign management meant adjusting CPCs by a cent or two at the keyword level \u2013 manually.<\/p>\n

Since then, the role of a PPC specialist has changed dramatically.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The biggest shift has been the rise of automation and AI.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This article covers how AI can take over repetitive tasks and open new possibilities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It also takes a closer look at Cursor, a platform that combines automation, AI, and scripting to help advertisers work faster without losing control or flexibility.<\/p>\n

You don\u2019t need to be a developer to get started \u2013 though a little technical knowledge still helps in understanding what AI is building for you.<\/p>\n

New possibilities for PPC automation with Cursor<\/p>\n

Most PPC tools are built for a narrow purpose, but Cursor takes a different approach.<\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t a dedicated PPC platform like Optmyzr or TrueClicks.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s an AI-powered coding environment with a user-friendly interface that makes advanced scripting accessible to anyone.<\/p>\n

That flexibility is what makes it so valuable for PPC professionals.\u00a0<\/p>\n

By combining AI integration, scripting, data analysis, and reporting in one interface, Cursor gives you the freedom to create solutions tailored to their needs.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s examine how these capabilities work in practice \u2013 automating scripts, analyzing data, and building custom tools.<\/p>\n

\"Cursor<\/p>\n

1. Automate your account with scripts<\/p>\n

One of Cursor\u2019s biggest advantages is the ability to write automated scripts without requiring extensive technical knowledge.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can easily set up scripts for common PPC tasks, such as:<\/p>\n

Collecting Google Ads data.<\/p>\n

Optimizing bidding strategies.<\/p>\n

Adding negative keywords.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Even though scripting is not new, the way Cursor does it is impressive.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Where other AI tools like ChatGPT used to produce many errors while generating scripts, Cursor makes almost no mistakes.\u00a0<\/p>\n

It\u2019s also significantly faster than ChatGPT.<\/p>\n

Additionally, it\u2019s very easy to connect Cursor to your GitHub account or specific APIs (such as the Google Ads API) to execute your scripts correctly within the Google Ads interface.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s worth noting that GPT-5 also makes script generation in ChatGPT more effective.\u00a0<\/p>\n

While countless examples of PPC scripts already exist online, the possibilities with Cursor remain virtually limitless.<\/p>\n

Whether it\u2019s adding automations (i.e., automatically adjusting campaign settings based on data loaded into a spreadsheet at a fixed time) or reporting (i.e., automatically exporting campaign data to a spreadsheet with feedback from an LLM system), the potential applications are wide-ranging.<\/p>\n

Dig deeper: How to vibe code for PPC: Building a seasonality analysis tool<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Integrate external data sources for analysis<\/p>\n

One of Cursor\u2019s most valuable features is its ability to analyze data for you.\u00a0<\/p>\n

PPC campaigns require continuous optimization, and gaining insight into the performance of keywords, ads, and budgets is essential.\u00a0<\/p>\n

You can easily upload or connect data in your Cursor account and analyze it alongside other external data sources.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, you could connect weather data online \u2013 using the right API credentials \u2013 to your own datasets or scripts.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cursor performs the analysis, presents the outcomes, and offers optimization suggestions.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s an example from my experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For a herbs-and-spices website that functions both as a webshop and a recipe resource, we used Cursor to combine historical client data with the recipes database.\u00a0<\/p>\n

We asked the system to generate a spreadsheet showing which recipes could be made from the products customers had purchased.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Using that information, we created a dynamic email campaign.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Each recipient received a message such as:<\/p>\n

\u201cHi, you\u2019ve bought product X \u2013 did you know you could make recipe Y with it?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

This was paired with a discount code.<\/p>\n

\"Cursor<\/p>\n

Dig deeper: Top AI tools and tactics you should be using in PPC<\/a><\/p>\n

3. Build your own\u00a0 tools\u00a0<\/p>\n

Cursor also enables the creation of custom tools, websites, or web apps.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Its strength lies in excellent coding capabilities, partly thanks to integration with virtually all relevant LLM models, including Gemini, GPT-5, and Claude.<\/p>\n

As a PPC specialist, there are several possibilities. For example:<\/p>\n

Geert Groot<\/a> built his own MCC dashboard tool, allowing all his clients to view data in real time \u2013 or, by entering keywords, instantly receive ad suggestions that can be uploaded to their accounts with a single click via the Google Ads API.<\/p>\n

Alfred Simon<\/a> developed a tool to improve images in his shopping feed. These examples illustrate the range of applications<\/p>\n

Frederick Vallaeys<\/a> has shared additional use cases as well.<\/p>\n

With these capabilities in hand, the next step is understanding how adopting AI tools like Cursor can transform your PPC workflow.<\/p>\n

Dig deeper: AI agents in PPC: What to know and build today<\/a><\/p>\n

Get the newsletter search marketers rely on.<\/p>\n

The pace of change in PPC is accelerating, and the landscape will only grow more complex in the coming years.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Now is the time to embrace AI and automation to remain effective and relevant as a PPC specialist.<\/p>\n

PPC specialists who adopt these technologies can achieve better results while working more efficiently and saving time.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Beyond staying current with new developments, AI frees you to focus on higher-value tasks \u2013 like account strategy \u2013 rather than repetitive, time-consuming work that often drains energy.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This applies not only to Cursor but to AI tools in general.<\/p>\n

What you shouldn\u2019t expect<\/p>\n

AI is still AI. A human touch remains essential. Guide AI as effectively as possible.\u00a0<\/p>\n

For example, when creating Google Ads scripts with Cursor, be sure to tell the system where to find the script documentation.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This ensures the tool uses the official Google Developers documentation as a reference, significantly reducing the risk of errors.<\/p>\n

How to get started<\/p>\n

Cursor can feel overwhelming at first. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the interface before diving in.<\/p>\n

Before building scripts or web apps, clearly define what you want to create. Don\u2019t start coding from scratch without a plan.\u00a0<\/p>\n

As Mike Rhodes<\/a> advises, don\u2019t try to jump straight from step 1 to step 100.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Take it step by step \u2013 the chance of success is much higher this way.<\/p>\n

Members of the community are already building software with tools like Cursor or Loveable and, in some cases, selling it to vendors.\u00a0<\/p>\n

This approach can save money while providing a highly personalized tool or script.<\/p>\n

If you aren\u2019t exploring tools like Cursor, you may be missing out.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Set aside time in your schedule and start (vibe)coding!<\/p>\n

\n Contributing authors are invited to create content for Search Engine Land and are chosen for their expertise and contribution to the search community. Our contributors work under the oversight of the editorial staff<\/a> and contributions are checked for quality and relevance to our readers. Search Engine Land is owned by Semrush<\/a>. Contributor was not asked to make any direct or indirect mentions of Semrush<\/a>. The opinions they express are their own.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"PPC advertising has never stood still.\u00a0 Efficiency, scalability, and smart automation are now essential for success, but that…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":116884,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[554,733,4308,6884,86,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-116883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-artificial-intelligence","tag-ai","tag-artificial-intelligence","tag-artificialintelligence","tag-opinion","tag-technology","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116883","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=116883"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/116883\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/116884"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=116883"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=116883"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=116883"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}