As a Google Partner Agency, it is imperative that we stay up to date on all of Google’s updates to search engine marketing, AdWords, and even its analytic reporting processes. On average, Google updates 500-600 times a year, and while not each update immediately effects your search engine results, some might. Google recently released three highly anticipated updates to their AdWords platform. These are designed to help advertisers focus on our mobile-first world, and are available to all AdWords advertisers around the world.
Expanded Text Ads
This update changes the current look of paid ads on the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP). We can now focus on more informative content and a clearer URL design; this allows us to advertise much more effectively for our businesses. Expanded text ads differ from standard text ads in these ways:
- Two headline fields with up to 30 characters each as opposed to the standard 25 character headlines. This allows an ad to be 50% larger in size.
- A single, expanded description field of up to 80 characters as opposed to the two 35 characters line descriptions in standard text ads.
- A display URL that utilizes your final URL’s domain.
- Two optional “path” fields, used in your ads final URL (up to 15 characters each).
- Mobile optimization; ads will adjust to the screen size of the device being used.
With this update, Google recommends using expanded text as soon as possible as they have also noted that they will no longer support the creation or editing of standard text ads after October 26, 2016. Until then though, both types of text ads will show on the Google SERP.
Responsive Ads
Google’s new responsive ads automatically adjust their size, appearance, and format to fit the size of the screen they are being served on. This new ad mechanic requires:
- Image – scan from website or stock image.
- Short headline – first line of your ad.
- Long headline – first line of your ad which appears instead of your short headline in larger ads.
- Description – this appears after headline and serves as a call-to-action.
- Business name – business or brand name.
- Final URL – destination URL when the ad is clicked on.
Uploading your logo is an option with this ad unit. With this information, Google will create ads to be served up on the entire Google Display Network (GDN).
Device Bidding
This new update allows advertisers greater flexibility to set individual device bid adjustments between smartphones, desktop computers, and tablets.
Our Digital Marketing Manager stays on top of each update that Google puts out and we work hard to adjust our marketing plans accordingly. To learn how we can help you take advantage of Google AdWords, SEO, SEM, and more, contact us today!
