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Connecting Google Ad Manager

Anima connects to GAM by authorizing a service account on your GAM network. You don't upload credentials — Anima owns the service account; you grant it access under your GAM admin panel. Once authorized, Anima verifies the connection and reads your network's identity. From there, you import your ad units, sizes, and key-values into the portal on demand.

Before you begin​

You'll need:

  • GAM admin access — to add users under Admin → Access & authorization
  • Your GAM Network ID (handy for reference, though Anima resolves it after authorization)
Don't have admin access?

Forward the Setup → GAM page or the service account email to your GAM administrator. They can add the service account without a separate Anima login.

Step 1: Copy the Anima service account email​

  1. In the portal, switch to Account mode (bottom of the main sidebar).
  2. In the account selector at the top of the sidebar, pick the domain (or the customer, if you want the link to cover multiple domains under one GAM network).
  3. Go to Setup → GAM.
  4. Copy the Service Account email shown on the page.

The email is displayed read-only with a copy button; it's the identity Anima will use to read your GAM network.

Step 2: Enable API access in GAM​

  1. Log into Google Ad Manager.
  2. Admin → Access & authorization → API access.
  3. Ensure API access is enabled for your network.

Step 3: Add the service account to GAM​

  1. In GAM: Admin → Access & authorization → Users → Add user.

  2. Paste the service account email from Step 1.

  3. Assign a role:

    RoleWhat Anima can do
    TraffickerRead ad units, sizes, key-values, and line items (typical)
    AdministratorFull access — only needed if Anima is managing your GAM config
    Trafficker is usually enough

    A read-heavy role is sufficient for sync and reporting. Upgrade only if you explicitly want Anima to write back to GAM.

  4. Save.

Step 4: Wait for verification​

Anima runs a verification job to detect the new access and read your network's identity. This usually runs shortly after you authorize the service account; if the status doesn't update, your onboarding specialist can trigger it.

Refresh Setup → GAM. Under Linked GAM Networks, you'll see one of:

IndicatorMeaning
Not yet verified (gray)Verification hasn't run, or the service account hasn't been authorized yet
Green Successful badge with timestampConnected; you can now import ad units, sizes, and key-values
Red failure badgeAuthorization failed or revoked — see troubleshooting below

Verification typically completes within a few minutes.

Step 5: Import your GAM inventory​

The connection gives Anima access to your GAM network; it doesn't auto-populate your inventory. Once the network shows a green Successful badge, switch back to Ad Manager mode, go to Inventory → GAM, and import what you need:

Imports run on demand — you choose when to pull data in and when to refresh it. Once imported, you'll reference these when creating ad slots in Week 1.

Troubleshooting​

Connection Status stays on Not yet verified​

CauseFix
Service account not yet added as a GAM userRe-do Step 3, confirm save
API access disabledAdmin → Access & authorization → API access; enable
Verification job hasn't run yetWait 5–10 minutes; contact onboarding if stuck

Red failure badge​

CauseFix
Service account was later removed from GAMRe-add under GAM Users
Role too restrictiveUpgrade role to Trafficker or Administrator
Network-level API restrictionsContact your GAM admin; confirm network allows service-account API access

Import takes too long​

Large networks (1000+ ad units) can take several minutes to import. Later imports typically run faster, since only changed records are updated.

What you can bring in from GAM​

GAM dataHow Anima uses it
Ad unitsImported into Inventory → GAM; mapped to Anima ad slots
SizesAvailable when creating or editing slots
Key-valuesAvailable for targeting configuration
Orders / line itemsReflected in reporting (read-only)
Inventory is one-way

Ad slots created in Anima don't auto-create GAM ad units. Manage your GAM inventory in GAM; Anima reads from it.

How refreshes work​

Anima doesn't run a background job that automatically re-pulls your GAM catalog on a fixed schedule. Instead:

Data typeHow it refreshes
Ad unitsOn demand — Import in Inventory → GAM, or per-row Sync from GAM
SizesOn demand — Import in Inventory → GAM
Key-valuesOn demand — Import in Inventory → GAM, or per-row Sync from GAM
GAM reporting dataRefreshed daily by Anima's reporting pipeline

Because catalog imports are on demand, you decide when to pull in changes — GAM edits won't appear in Anima until you re-import or re-sync the affected records.

Next steps​

After the connection is verified:

  1. Install the wrapper tag — Get your wrapper tag →
  2. Create inventory — Create your first ad slot →

Common questions​

Can I connect multiple GAM networks?

A customer-scoped GAM link covers all domains under that customer. Individual domains can also have their own scoped links — useful if you have separate networks per domain. You'll see each linked network listed under Linked GAM Networks on Setup → GAM.

What if I change something in GAM?

GAM edits don't flow into Anima automatically. Re-import the affected catalog (ad units, sizes, or key-values) from Inventory → GAM, or use the per-row Sync from GAM action on an individual ad unit or key-value to pull its latest state.

Is my GAM data secure?

Anima uses a dedicated service account per deployment. Access is scoped to the role you assign in GAM — start with Trafficker for read-only. You can revoke access anytime from GAM's user admin.

Can I disconnect?

Remove the service account from GAM's Users list. The next verification or import will fail, and the network will show a red failure badge. Your existing Anima configuration remains, but you won't be able to import fresh GAM data until you re-authorize access.