Part
01
of three
Part
01
Google Search Advertising Changes (1)
Ten changes that have been witnessed on Google search advertising include indistinguishable paid ads, favicons, side ads, expanded text ads, gallery ads, political ads, responsive search ads, standard ad delivery, affinity audiences, and seasonality adjustments. Details regarding these changes have been provided below.
Indistinguishable Paid Ads
- Google made a significant change in how its search results appear on desktops, which has made paid ads and organic search results harder to differentiate. Instead of the green ad label that made advertisements more distinguishable, Google is using a black "Ad" label, which has a more subtle look.
- The change is said to increase the number of clicks on paid ads, which is beneficial to search engine marketers.
Favicons
- Google recently added brand icons in front of the URL of paid ads. In the new look, brand icons have been added in front of organic search results while paid ads have an "Ad" label in front of them.
- The format is intended to make brands more noticeable. In addition, searchers can scan results easily and have a better understanding of the what they see.
Side Ads
- In 2019, Google got rid of the text advertisements that appear on the right side of Google search results.
- The move to remove side ads will result in more opportunities for using ad extensions. Previously, sitelink, location, and other extensions could only be seen in top of page ads.
Expanded Text Ads
- In 2019, Google made text ads larger. Therefore, brands will be able to add an extra description and headlines to their text ads.
- Expanded text ads will enable brands to distinguish themselves from their competitors in search engine results pages (SERPs) since they have three 30-character headlines instead of two, which was previously the case.
Gallery Ads
- Google introduced gallery ads towards the end of 2019. Gallery ads are search advertisements that have images, which users can swipe through. A call-to-action is included after the gallery.
- Gallery ads help brands to have interactive visual formats. These ads enable brands to easily convey their offerings to the intended audience.
Political Ads
- Google search ads no longer allow political advertisers to target their audience based on their political affiliations or public voter records.
- The change will enable Google to be on the same page with election advertisement practices on mainstream media, such as print, TV, and radio.
Responsive Search Ads
- Responsive search ads are now available to advertisers. Responsive search ads can have three headlines, two 90-character descriptions, and automatic rotation.
- The change will enable advertisers to reach their target audience more effectively.
Standard Ad Delivery
- Search campaigns only use standard delivery as accelerated delivery has been discontinued since budgets are spent faster when using this option.
- Standard delivery has become the preferred option for Google since it is useful in maximizing performance without exceeding one's daily budget.
Affinity Audiences
- Google search now uses affinity audiences, which enables advertisers to target audiences based on their browsing behavior. Affinity audiences were only available on Display Network and YouTube campaigns.
- Affinity audiences are beneficial to advertisers because it helps them in persona targeting.
Seasonality Adjustments
- In addition to targeting audiences based on the product a brand is selling, advertisers can now target prospects based on occasions or events they are shopping for by monitoring their purchasing pattern.
- The change has enabled advertisers to develop accurate and convincing ad copies for their search campaigns.