How to create ad units with the new Google Ad Manager interface

This post was most recently updated on January 18th, 2023

Google has been rolling out changes in the user interface without warning. The way you create Ad Units (learn more about it here) is no longer the same as before. It has been completely overhauled, causing publishers a lot of confusion. In this post, we’ll help you remove any confusion by showing you how to create ad units step by step with screenshots included.

Here’s a step by step breakdown depending on the type of ad units you’re creating in your Google Ad Manager account:

1. Google Ad Manager ad unit (top-level)
2. Google Ad Manager ad unit (child)
3. Google Ad Exchange tag
4. Google Ad Exchange child tag
5. How to generate tags

Google Ad Manager ad unit (top-level)

Step 1: Click ‘New Ad Unit’

Step 2: Keep ‘Parent ad unit’ as ‘Top-level’, type in your ad unit name and code

Step 3: Set the size/s

Step 4: Set the rest of the settings per your requirements, click save.

If you see any settings with this icon (highlighted below), it means that setting will be inherited by the child units nested under it if any:

Google Ad Manager ad unit (child)

Step 1: Click ‘New Ad Unit’

Step 2: Delete or clear the field for ‘Parent ad unit’ and select the Top Level ad unit you’d want to nest it under:

Step 3: Type in your ad unit name and code

Step 4: Set your size/s

Step 5: Set the rest of the settings per your requirements, click save.

If you see any settings with this icon (highlighted below), it means that setting will be inherited by the child units nested under it if any:

Google Ad Exchange tag

Step 1: Click ‘New Ad Unit’

Step 2: Delete/clear the ‘Parent ad unit’ field and type in ‘ad exchange’. You can then select the appropriate parent ad unit from the drop-down

Step 3: Type in your ad unit name and code

Step 4: Set the ad size/s

Step 5: Set the rest of the settings per your requirements, click save.

If you see any settings with this icon (highlighted below), it means that setting will be inherited by the child units nested under it if any:

Google Ad Exchange Child Tag

Step 1: Click ‘New Ad Unit’

Step 2: Delete or clear the field for ‘Parent ad unit’ and type in the name of the Top Level ad unit you’d want to nest it under:

Step 3: Type in the ad unit name and code

Step 4: Set the ad size/s

Step 5: Set the rest of the settings per your requirements, click save.

If you see any settings with this icon (highlighted below), it means that setting will be inherited by the child units nested under it if any:

How to Generate Tags

Google Ad Manager Tags

Step 1: Click the Ad Unit

Step 2: Click Tags

Step 3: Select tag type, click continue

Step 4: Set all settings as needed, click continue

Step 5: Grab the header and body tag

Ad Exchange Tag

Step 1: Filter the ad units list for the relevant Parent, then click the top-level ad unit or child units – depending on which one you’re trying to generate the tag for.

Step 2: Click on Tags

Step 3: Select the tag type, click continue

Step 4: Double-check that you have the correct inventory unit sizes, click continue

Step 5: Grab the Ad Exchange tag.

Conclusion

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