As we come to the second half of the year, a number of new features go into effect on the Google Ads platform. These updates at this point in the year allow us to test and gather data during the quieter search summer months, ready to maximise opportunities in the last quarter of the year.
These new features include:
Smart Shopping and Local campaigns are now eligible to be upgraded in efficiency by incorporating Performance Max. This is the best of Google’s automation by helping advertisers to connect with the right customers at the right moment, with an array of ad inventory and formats. Google’s initial figures show an average 12% increase in conversion value.
Within the Google Ads interface, there has been an update to the columns function by now allowing users to create custom columns. This allows for an easier way to see information on the performance of campaigns. Custom columns can allow you to finetune the data you want to view for specific devices, dates, formulas, conversions, and many more.
Last summer, Google announced that the standard expanded text ad would be expired in June 2022. As of last month (July 2022), advertisers can no longer edit or create new standard ads.
By doing this, advertisers have to use Responsive Search Ads that use machine learning to test the best combinations of copy for ultimate engagement.
Historically, Google Ads has segmented audiences into ‘types’; similar, custom, in-market and affinity.
However, this has now changed to audience segments, where different audiences are referred to as either ‘segments’ or ‘remarketing’. What does this mean? It’s easier to see how people engage with campaigns; adding and copying audiences across different campaigns is simpler. This change comes alongside a greater emphasis on adding audience types to campaigns in observation, to enhance reporting.
In order to gain more interest in products, Google is rolling out video and app campaigns onto YouTube Shorts, which will link to product feeds later in the year. So what will it look like? This will make products even more shoppable by gaining awareness with video and encouraging users to shop with products generated from the Merchant Centre.
This comes with other advances to video activity, including Discovery video ads and connectivity to TV apps through YouTube. For advertisers though, this means eCommerce sites can generate awareness at a large scale and generate ROAS in a way that has not been available previously.
For more information, or to test out some of these new features, get in touch with our team today.