Ad Manager - Custom Values in Ad Copy

Ad Manager - Custom Values in Ad Copy

Custom Values in ad copy let you insert reusable, account-level placeholders like business name, city, phone number, and offer name, directly into supported text fields for Meta, Google, and LinkedIn campaigns. These placeholders resolve to their actual values in campaign previews so you can verify final ad copy before publishing.

This guide walks through what this feature does, where it works, how to insert and map Custom Values, and how to set it up confidently in your Adaptive AI account.

What is Custom Values in Ad Copy?

Custom Values in Ad Manager ad copy let you insert reusable, account-level "key:value" placeholders directly into supported text fields—such as primary text, headlines, descriptions, and introduction text—for Meta, Google, and LinkedIn campaigns. These placeholders are replaced ("resolved") with the actual stored values in your campaign preview and review screens so you can see the final ad copy before publishing.

Adaptive AI Custom Values are created in Settings → Custom Values as key:value pairs (for example, a key like custom_values.business_name and a value like "Summit Dental Studio"). Once created, the same key can be reused anywhere the Custom Values picker is supported—including Ad Manager—so you don't have to manually type the same information over and over.

Typical information you might store as Custom Values includes:

• Business name
• City or service area
• Support email
• Phone number
• Offer or promotion name
• Standard guarantee or CTA phrases

Key Benefits of Custom Values in Ad Copy

Custom Values in Ad Copy

This feature centers around using your existing Adaptive AI Custom Values directly in the ad copy fields of Ad Manager campaigns. Instead of writing "Summit Dental Studio" manually, you can pick values from an Insert Custom Values picker and have them resolve to the stored text when the ad is previewed and published.

Key points to understand:

For a foundational understanding of how Custom Values work across the platform (outside of Ad Manager), review How to use Custom Values and Custom Values Settings.

Supported Ad Copy Fields and Limitations

Knowing exactly where Custom Values are supported prevents confusion when certain fields do not show the Insert Custom Values picker or don't accept merge fields. This section summarizes where you can and cannot use Custom Values in Ad Manager.

Supported Fields

Across Meta, Google, and LinkedIn campaigns, Custom Values can be used in eligible text-based ad copy fields such as:

Platform | Supported Fields

Meta | Primary Text, Headline, Description

Google Ads | Headlines, Descriptions

LinkedIn | Intro/Primary Text, Headline (where supported)

Not Supported

Custom Values are not supported in:

• URL fields (final URLs, display URLs, tracking templates)
• CTA dropdowns (e.g., "Learn More", "Book Now")
• Lead form selectors
• Media upload fields (images, videos, carousels)
• Targeting settings (location, interests, demographics)
• Budget or bid strategy fields

If a field doesn't expose the Insert Custom Values icon or merge-field picker, assume Custom Values are not supported in that area and enter information manually.

How to Use Custom Values in Ad Copy

Setting up this feature is mainly about preparing the right Custom Values and then using the Insert Custom Values picker inside your existing Ad Manager workflow. Investing a few minutes up front to define clean, well-named values pays off every time you launch or duplicate a campaign.

Before building a campaign, decide which pieces of information you reuse across ads and accounts. Common candidates:

• Business Name (e.g., "Summit Dental Studio")
• Primary City or Service Area
• Support Email (e.g., "support@yourdomain.com")
• Main Phone Number
• Offer Name (e.g., "$47 New Patient Special")
• Guarantee/USP (e.g., "Results in 30 days or we work for free")

Using Custom Values for these items means you can update them centrally later if needed (for future

campaigns) and keep templates cleaner.

1. 1In the sub-account, go to →.
2. 2Click.
3. 3Enter a descriptive (this becomes the key, such as ).
4. 4Enter the exactly as you want it to appear in your ads (e.g., "Summit Dental Studio – Downtown").
5. 5Optionally assign the Custom Value to a like "Ad Manager – Client Basics" to keep things organized.
6. 6Click on.

Repeat this for each business detail you'll reference in ad copy.

1. 1Navigate to →.
2. 2a or an campaign for,, or.
3. 3Proceed through the campaign steps until you reach the Ad level Text & Media / ad copy step (names vary slightly by platform, but this is where you set Primary Text, Headline, Description, and media).
4. 4Click into a supported copy field (e.g., Primary Text).
5. 5Click the icon next to the field.
6. 6Search or browse to find the value you created (e.g., "Business Name", "City", "Main Offer").
7. 7Click to insert; the merge token is added to the field.
8. 8Add context around it, such as: " is now accepting new patients in!" or "Call to claim our."
9. 9Repeat for any headlines, descriptions, or intro text where you want dynamic values.
10. 10After finishing the copy, click (typically available near the Review step).
11. 11Review the detected Custom Value keys and their current values.
12. 12Fill in or correct any missing, blank, or placeholder values.
13. 13and return to the campaign builder.
14. 14Click on the button.
15. 15Verify that all Custom Values have resolved to their actual text (e.g., you see "Austin" instead of ).
16. 16Check that copy reads naturally and stays within character limits.
17. 17Make any final adjustments to copy or values as needed.
18. 18Once preview looks correct and all validation checks pass, click.
19. 19Adaptive AI sends the fully resolved ad copy (with Custom Values replaced) to the ad platform.
20. 20Your ads go live with the correct business details automatically inserted.

Frequently Asked Questions

No. Custom Values are only supported in text-based ad copy fields like Primary Text, Headlines, and Descriptions. You cannot use them in URL fields, CTA dropdowns, lead form selectors, media uploads, targeting settings, or budget fields.

Built-in validation warns you when Custom Values are missing, blank, or invalid. The campaign builder prevents you from publishing until all Custom Values are properly mapped and resolved, reducing the risk of placeholder text appearing in live ads.

Updating a Custom Value in Settings only affects future campaigns. Live campaigns use the value that was resolved at the time of publishing. To change the ad copy in an active campaign, you need to edit the campaign directly and republish it.

Yes. You can use the same Custom Values in ad copy for all three platforms. The supported fields vary slightly by platform (Primary Text and Headline for Meta, Headlines and Descriptions for Google, Intro Text for LinkedIn), but the underlying Custom Values system works the same way.

The platform validates character limits after resolving Custom Values to their actual text. If the resolved copy exceeds platform limits (e.g., Meta's 125-character headline limit), you'll see a validation warning and need to shorten your copy or Custom Value before publishing.

Yes. When you save a campaign as a template, the Custom Value keys are preserved. You can then map client-specific values per sub-account without rebuilding the entire ad copy structure.

The Review and Preview screens show the fully resolved ad copy with Custom Values replaced by their actual text. This lets you verify exactly what your audience will see before the campaign goes live.