# Google Ad Manager (GAM) Setup: Custom Creatives

## **Step 1: Retrieve Your ResponsiveAds Tag**

1. Log in to your **ResponsiveAds dashboard**.
2. Navigate to the **Summary Page** for your creative.
3. Scroll to the **Ad Tags and Deployments** section.
4. Confirm that the **Clickthrough field** in your Deployment includes a backup or default URL.
5. Select **Save Deployment**.
6. Select **Publish**.
7. Locate and select your **GAM Custom Tag**.

<figure><img src="https://1588470797-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAs6tyouSPGAAcvS6CYBG%2Fuploads%2FV4QdTfyjpHnr4j52d9gd%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=bea42c93-a908-4fec-9ded-22659ab1a10f" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

8. Choose the appropriate tag type.
9. Click **Copy to Clipboard** to copy the one-tag code.
10. *(If a tag was provided by your team, retrieve it from your shared Tag Sheet in Google Drive.)*

***

## Step 2: Custom Creative in GAM

### Prerequisites&#x20;

* You have an **Advertiser** set up in GAM.
* You know the **ad size** (e.g., 300×250) and have any assets ready (images/JS/HTML).
* All third-party pixels/trackers support **HTTPS**. (GAM requires SSL for macro expansion in many cases.)&#x20;

### Create the Custom Creative

1. In GAM, go to **Delivery → Creatives → New creative**.
2. Select the **Advertiser**, then choose **Custom (Display creative type)**.

<figure><img src="https://1588470797-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAs6tyouSPGAAcvS6CYBG%2Fuploads%2FEn9VsfwOztKzLjy5Sz45%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=e0fd49a9-5016-4c6b-ac37-1118c0b524bb" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

3. Enter a **Name** and select the **Target ad unit size**.
4. For **Code type**, choose **Standard**.
5. Deselect **SafeFrame**.
6. Click **Save**.

***

### Step 3: Add Your ResponsiveAds Tag

1. Open the Custom Creative you just created.
2. Paste your **ResponsiveAds GAM Custom Ad Tag** into the **Code field**.
3. Save your changes.

***

### Step 4: Add Tracking Pixels

You can add third-party tracking pixels in two ways:

**Option A: No-code (recommended)**

* In the creative, use the **Third-party impression tracking URLs** field.
* Add one or more pixel URLs.
* You can include macros such as `%%CACHEBUSTER%%`.

**Option B: Inline (advanced)**

* Add `<img>` or `<script>` tags directly in the **Code field**.
* Include `%%CACHEBUSTER%%` where required by the tracking vendor.

***

### Step 5: Configure click-through

* Fill **Click-through URL** in the creative (your canonical landing page).

<figure><img src="https://1588470797-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-x-prod.appspot.com/o/spaces%2FAs6tyouSPGAAcvS6CYBG%2Fuploads%2FIdhUeNAk5Oow3TZNx2BB%2Fimage.png?alt=media&#x26;token=f57343c4-71f7-4169-a442-adf6ee67d5db" alt=""><figcaption></figcaption></figure>

***

### Step 6: Attach to a Line item

* Create or open a **Display line item**.
* Select **Add creatives → Custom**, and choose the creative you set up.
* Make sure the **line item size** matches the creative size.

***

### Step 7: QA and Verify

1. Preview the creative from the line item (open in a new window).
2. Click the ad. GAM should briefly display a *“click recorded”* page before redirecting to your landing page.
   * If you don’t see this, check your click macros.
3. Open your browser’s **DevTools → Network** tab while previewing.
   * Confirm that each tracking pixel request returns successfully (look for `2xx` responses, and ensure no `204` errors).

{% hint style="success" %}
Your ResponsiveAds creative is now deployed in GAM as a Custom Creative.
{% endhint %}