How to Connect Claude to Google Ads via MCP

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

• An AdWhiz account — Sign up at adwhiz.ai/pricing. You need a Pro ($79/month) or Business ($249/month) plan to access the MCP server.
• Claude Desktop or Claude Code — Download Claude Desktop from anthropic.com, or install Claude Code via npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code.
• A Google Ads account — You will connect this through AdWhiz's secure OAuth flow. No API credentials needed on your end.

The entire setup takes under 10 minutes. If you are new to MCP and how it works, we recommend reading that guide first for context.

First, connect your Google Ads account to AdWhiz through the dashboard:

• Log in to your AdWhiz dashboard at adwhiz.ai/app.
• Click "Connect Google Ads" in the onboarding flow or account settings.
• Sign in with the Google account that has access to your Google Ads.
• Grant the requested permissions. AdWhiz requires read and write access to manage your campaigns.
• Select the Google Ads customer ID you want to manage if you have multiple accounts.

Once connected, AdWhiz securely stores your OAuth credentials and handles token refreshes automatically. Your Google password is never shared with AdWhiz — it uses Google's standard OAuth 2.0 flow.

Now add the AdWhiz MCP server to your Claude configuration. The process differs slightly between Claude Desktop and Claude Code.

For Claude Desktop

Open Claude Desktop settings, navigate to the MCP Servers section, and add a new server with the following configuration:

• Name: adwhiz
• URL: https://mcp.adwhiz.ai
• Auth: Select OAuth — Claude will walk you through the authorization flow on first use.

For Claude Code

Add AdWhiz to your Claude Code MCP settings file. You can do this through the Claude Code settings UI or by editing the configuration directly. Use the remote server URL https://mcp.adwhiz.ai with OAuth authentication type. Claude Code will handle the OAuth consent flow the first time you use an AdWhiz tool.

Check the AdWhiz documentation for the most up-to-date configuration instructions and troubleshooting tips.

With the MCP server connected, you can now manage Google Ads through natural language. Here are some commands to try:

• "List all my active campaigns" — Returns campaign names, status, budget, and recent performance.
• "What is my total spend this week?" — Aggregates spend across all campaigns for the current week.
• "Show me keywords with quality score below 5" — Surfaces low-quality keywords that may be inflating your costs.
• "Run a mini audit of my account" — Triggers AdWhiz's AI audit and returns a health score with top recommendations.
• "Pause all keywords with CPA above $100 and zero conversions" — Executes a targeted optimization in seconds.

Claude will use AdWhiz tools automatically based on your request. For write operations (pausing, creating, updating), Claude will always confirm before executing the change. This safety mechanism means you stay in control while benefiting from AI speed.

As you get comfortable, you can chain multiple operations in a single conversation: "Check my search terms report for this month, find irrelevant terms, and add them as negative keywords." Claude will handle each step sequentially, asking for your approval before making changes.

Most setup issues fall into a few categories:

Authentication Errors

If Claude cannot connect to AdWhiz, re-authorize the MCP server in your Claude settings. OAuth tokens expire periodically, and a re-authorization resolves most issues. Also verify your AdWhiz subscription is active at adwhiz.ai/pricing.

Google Ads Account Not Found

If Claude says it cannot find your Google Ads account, check that you have connected the correct Google account in the AdWhiz dashboard. If you manage multiple Google Ads accounts (MCC), make sure you have selected the right customer ID.

Tools Not Appearing

If Claude does not seem to have AdWhiz tools available, restart Claude Desktop or Claude Code after adding the MCP configuration. The tool list is loaded at startup. You should see 58 tools appear (47 for Google Ads, 11 for Meta Ads).

Rate Limiting

AdWhiz applies rate limits based on your plan tier. Pro plans get 20 AI queries per day, Business plans get 100. If you hit the limit, queries will fail until the next billing day reset. Upgrade to Business if you need higher limits.

Now that Claude is connected to your Google Ads account, you have access to the most powerful ad management workflow available in 2026. Here are some ways to level up:

• Set up a daily morning check-in routine: ask Claude to review yesterday's performance, flag anomalies, and suggest optimizations.
• Run weekly audits to catch wasted spend before it accumulates. Use the full audit feature for a comprehensive PDF report.
• Explore Meta Ads integration — if you also advertise on Facebook and Instagram, connect your Meta account in AdWhiz to manage both platforms from a single Claude conversation.

The advertisers getting the best results treat Claude + AdWhiz as a daily operational tool, not a one-time setup. Consistent use compounds small optimizations into significant performance gains over time.