Step by Step Guide to Building a Microsoft Bing Ads API Integration in Python

Introduction

Hey there, fellow developer! Ready to dive into the world of Bing Ads API? You're in for a treat. This guide will walk you through building a robust integration in Python, allowing you to harness the power of Bing's advertising platform programmatically. Whether you're looking to automate campaign management or pull detailed reports, we've got you covered.

Prerequisites

Before we jump in, let's make sure you've got everything you need:

• A Python environment (3.7+ recommended)
• pip install bingads (the official Bing Ads Python SDK)
• Your Bing Ads API credentials (developer token, client ID, and client secret)

Got all that? Great! Let's roll.

Authentication

First things first, we need to get you authenticated. Bing Ads uses OAuth2, so let's set that up:

from bingads import AuthorizationData, OAuthWebAuthCodeGrant

client_id = 'YOUR_CLIENT_ID'
client_secret = 'YOUR_CLIENT_SECRET'
developer_token = 'YOUR_DEVELOPER_TOKEN'
refresh_token = 'YOUR_REFRESH_TOKEN'

oauth = OAuthWebAuthCodeGrant(client_id, client_secret, 'https://login.live.com/oauth20_desktop.srf')

authorization_data = AuthorizationData(
    account_id=None,
    customer_id=None,
    developer_token=developer_token,
    authentication=oauth
)

oauth.request_oauth_tokens_by_refresh_token(refresh_token)

Pro tip: Store your credentials securely and never commit them to version control!

Basic API Setup

Now that we're authenticated, let's set up our API client:

from bingads import ServiceClient
from bingads.v13.reporting import ReportingServiceManager

client = ServiceClient(
    service='CampaignManagementService',
    version=13,
    authorization_data=authorization_data
)

reporting_service_manager = ReportingServiceManager(
    authorization_data=authorization_data,
    poll_interval_in_milliseconds=5000
)

Core Functionality

Retrieving Account Information

Let's start by fetching some basic account info:

accounts = client.GetAccountsInfo()
for account in accounts['AccountInfo']:
    print(f"Account ID: {account.Id}, Name: {account.Name}")

Managing Campaigns

Creating a new campaign is a breeze:

from bingads.v13.bulk import BulkServiceManager
from bingads.v13.bulk.entities import BulkCampaign

bulk_service = BulkServiceManager(authorization_data=authorization_data)

campaign = BulkCampaign()
campaign.campaign.Name = "My Awesome Campaign"
campaign.campaign.BudgetType = 'DailyBudgetStandard'
campaign.campaign.DailyBudget = 50

output_status = bulk_service.upload_entities([campaign])

Working with Keywords

Adding keywords to an ad group:

keywords = [
    {'Text': 'python programming', 'BidAmount': 0.5},
    {'Text': 'learn python', 'BidAmount': 0.4}
]

for keyword in keywords:
    keyword_to_add = client.factory.create('Keyword')
    keyword_to_add.Text = keyword['Text']
    keyword_to_add.BidAmount = keyword['BidAmount']
    client.AddKeywords(AdGroupId=ad_group_id, Keywords=[keyword_to_add])

Error Handling and Best Practices

Always implement retry logic and respect API limits:

import time
from bingads.exceptions import BingAdsException

def api_call_with_retry(func, max_retries=3):
    for attempt in range(max_retries):
        try:
            return func()
        except BingAdsException as e:
            if attempt == max_retries - 1:
                raise
            time.sleep(2 ** attempt)  # Exponential backoff

Advanced Features

Bulk Operations

For large-scale changes, use bulk operations:

from bingads.v13.bulk.entities import *

bulk_campaign = BulkCampaign()
bulk_campaign.campaign.Id = campaign_id

bulk_ad_group = BulkAdGroup()
bulk_ad_group.ad_group.CampaignId = campaign_id

bulk_service.upload_entities([bulk_campaign, bulk_ad_group])

Testing and Debugging

Always test your integration thoroughly:

import unittest

class TestBingAdsIntegration(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_campaign_creation(self):
        # Your test code here
        pass

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

Deployment Considerations

When deploying, ensure you:

• Use environment variables for credentials
• Implement proper logging
• Set up monitoring for API usage and errors

Conclusion

And there you have it! You're now equipped to build a robust Bing Ads API integration in Python. Remember, the API is powerful but complex, so always refer to the official documentation for the most up-to-date information.

Happy coding, and may your campaigns be ever successful!