Protocol terms
| Term | What it means here |
|---|---|
| MCP | Model Context Protocol. An open standard that lets an AI client call external tools during a conversation. |
| MCP server | A service exposing tools over that protocol. MCP Ads is one, reachable at a URL rather than installed locally. |
| MCP client | The application you talk to — Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor — which decides which tools to call. |
| Tool | One callable operation with named parameters, such as reading campaign performance or creating a campaign. |
| Tool call | A single invocation of a tool. It happens in response to something you asked, never on a schedule of its own. |
| Remote server | An MCP server reached over HTTPS, with OAuth. Nothing is installed and there is no API key. |
| Skill | A written procedure the client follows step by step, so you start from a checklist rather than a blank prompt. |
Advertising terms
| Term | What it means here |
|---|---|
| CPA | Cost per acquisition. Spend divided by conversions. |
| ROAS | Return on ad spend. Revenue divided by spend. |
| CTR | Click-through rate. Clicks divided by impressions. |
| Impression share | The share of available auctions your ads actually appeared in. |
| Search term | What someone actually typed, as opposed to the keyword you bid on. |
| Negative keyword | A term you exclude, so your ad stops showing for it. |
| PMax | Performance Max. A Google campaign type that runs across every inventory type from one asset set. |
| Creative fatigue | Performance decay as the same audience sees an ad repeatedly, usually visible as rising frequency with falling CTR. |
| Attribution | How credit for a conversion is assigned across the touchpoints that preceded it. |
| Pacing | Whether spend is on track against the budget for the period. |