At Google Marketing Live back in July, Google introduced responsive search ads, which you can use to optimize your ad delivery for any relevant search entry. It’s accomplished using powerful machine learning capabilities. Start getting excited because Google says this new product is coming in September for English, French, German, and Spanish languages, with more to come soon.
What Are Responsive Search Ads?
Responsive search ads allow you to share more of your main message. You can create multiple headlines and descriptions when putting these ads together, which Google Ads will then test in various combinations to determine which delivers the best performance. This will improve your overall campaign because you will always end up with the optimal combination.
For example, if you own a clothing business, and you are running a special sale for camies, Google will use the headlines and descriptions you provide to determine which combination best matches what your audience searches for. The right combination will be used according to search queries to help optimize the results of your campaign. Using the magic of machine learning, Google is able to deliver various combinations without redundancy.
Responsive search ads are different from regular text ads in that they can show up to three headlines and up to two description fields containing a maximum of 90 characters. Additionally, regular text ads don’t test various combinations of headlines and descriptions.
Come late August, you can start adding a third headline and a second description to your existing text ads. You will also be able to include up to 90 characters in your ad descriptions.
What Are The Benefits?
Responsive search ads offer significant benefits. For one, they save you time that would otherwise be spent A/B testing. Google does the work for you. All you have to do is give it the text to work with. Second, they help you reach more people because even if one combination performs better than the others, the other combinations still appear to anyone whose searches closely match them. So your ad will always appear if at least one combination matches up with a search query.
Finally, responsive search ads help you increase ad group performance because they help you compete in more auctions. They attract more clicks and conversions than regular text ads.
Things to Keep in Mind When Creating Responsive Search Ads
Although the format does a lot of the work for you, you are still responsible for coming up with the text for your responsive search ads. Google suggests a few things to keep in mind when brainstorming text.
- Include primary keywords in your headlines. You should have at least one in each headline you create. This will help Google match search queries.
- Make each headline distinct. In other words, make each headline different enough from the others so Google has more combination options.
- Highlight offers or benefits. For example, if you offer free returns, include that in your text somewhere.
- Create headlines in various lengths. Don’t try to make each reach the maximum character limit.
- Make the first three headlines read as they would if they were to appear together in the ad.
- Try different call-to-actions in your headlines.
As you continue to explore this new format, which will be available in September, you’ll start to identify the combinations that perform the best and will therefore continue to optimize and provide Google with the best possible combinations to work with to make your campaign the best it can be.
New Google Ads
Last month, Google AdWords rebranded as Google Ads. While the new name includes all of the same advertising capabilities of its former self, it also introduced new brands and solutions to make Google Marketing Platform and Google Ad Manager. The former combines the capabilities of DoubleClick and Google Analytics 360 Suite to make a whole new marketing product while the latter unites DoubleClick for Publishers with DoubleClick Ad Exchange to simplify ad management. Changes like these demonstrate how the company is rejuvenating its ad offerings to give you the best possible advertising experience through the Google platform.
It’s an exciting time to advertise with Google. Start contemplating how you want to enjoy this time as September quickly approaches because this is just the beginning.
