Amongst the many announcements made at the recent Google Performance Summit were a few about AdWords and updates that will change the way we all ‘do’ Google PPC. Make way for new ad formats, device-specific bidding options and more; here are three of the announcements that we found most intriguing.
AdWords is breaking up tablet and desktop ads, and enabling mobile base bids.
Soon, changes will occur which will alter the way search happens on mobile. This new way of setting bids will allow marketers to target ads by device type, untethering desktop and tablet bids and allowing advertisers to make mobile the focal point of campaigns.
Soon, we’ll be able to set separate bid adjustments for mobiles, desktop computers and tablets, tying keywords to whatever device is best suited for our businesses’ target audience. Then, we can simply adjust for other devices.
This update affords greater control over device-level bidding and is desperately needed considering over half of all Google searches are now done by mobile device. No longer will bids be awkwardly tied to a limited desktop multiplier.
Expanded text ads are being rolled out for all devices.
Later this year, all advertisers will be able to maximize their ad space with more text. Coinciding with the removal of right side ads, text ads with more characters will have a uniform appearance regardless of the device you’re using. They’ll also be specifically optimized for smartphones.
Marketers will then be able to make the most of ads, capturing the attention of a growing number of consumers who are keen to know exactly what we have to offer them before they click over to our websites. Attention spans are getting shorter as information becomes more readily available, so it’s up to advertisers to garner attention as quickly as possible.
The new ads will feature two longer headlines, at up to 30 characters each, and longer descriptions at up to 80 characters. The accompanying display URL can also have two directory paths used to describe the landing page content, neither of which has to match the landing page URL.
With such significant changes occurring, it’s time we all begin updating our marketing and advertising strategies!
Mobile searches will soon feature promoted pins.
Google has calculated that local search is growing at a rate that’s 50% faster than overall mobile search, and this statistic has lead them to place more emphasis on advertising through Google Maps.
Soon, marketers will be able to develop customized experiences targeted at consumers on Google Maps. Instead of just seeing the pin marking where a new restaurant or hard to find boutique is, we’ll see branded pins for all nearby locations. These can even include a range of content and customization options, from local product inventory to promotions, all designed to drive traffic to businesses.
Marketers who want to take part will need location extensions in order to appear in promoted pins, and as this feature is still being tested and experimented on, it’s expected to evolve further in the near future.
With these and several more changes on the horizon, what do you make of the future of Google AdWords? Do you see these as exciting new opportunities for marketers?
