What Google AdWord Changes Mean For Your Business

This spring, Google announced updates to their AdWords platform in an effort to better match the needs and values of today’s web users. Google frames itself as a champion of the people, adapting their features to intuitively meet consumer demand for paid advertising that is transparent, trustworthy, and valuable. However, Google didn’t forget about its loyal advertisers. These updates are intended to be mutually beneficial to each party, providing more opportunities for advertisers to reach their audiences and a more personalized experience for consumers.
You’re probably wondering, “Okay, okay, but what does this mean for my business?” We hear you. That’s why we’ve broken down the top five changes to Google AdWords that you should know. Before we dive into it, we should note that the platform formerly known as Google AdWords has updated its image and is now known as Google Ads. Sure, it’s not a drastic change, but this update allows Google to better encompass their range of paid advertising features beyond keywords.  

Local Search Ads on Google Maps

One of the more significant changes to Google Ads is the increased visibility of paid advertisements within Google Maps. Let’s say that you search for a grocery store in your local area. Not only will a paid advertisement populate at the top of your search results, but this brand’s logo will also be featured directly on the map itself. This logo has the potential to lead web users directly to an inventory of available products with the tap of a button.
The change will be consistent across all devices, from desktop to mobile. So, what drove Google to make this change? Google Maps serves over a billion users worldwide and these users visit 1.5 billion destinations based on their Google searches. Location searches account for approximately a third of all mobile searches in particular. Google is hoping these changes direct more traffic to local businesses by improving their visibility and accessibility on Google Maps.

Attention Grabbing Headlines

You’ve probably already noticed that PPC advertisements have relocated from their original place at the right of your search results to the very top of the list. Now, advertisers will have the freedom to create longer headlines with a maximum of 60 characters between two lines. This is an increase of 35 available characters!
Descriptions have also been awarded an increased limit, now capping out at 80 characters. This update enables you to write more captivating descriptions of your products and/or services to draw leads to your site.
Additionally, the amount of shear real estate longer ads take up, especially on mobile device, makes it more likely that users will notice your ad. This change means that businesses can better target potential leads by featuring descriptive keywords that will drive interested clicks to their site. In fact, upon initial testing, Google found that longer headlines increased click-through-rates by a spectacular 35%.

Responsive Search Ads

Google’s new and improved responsive search ads can populate 43,680 different variations of copy for headlines and descriptions. Of course, your team isn’t expected to brainstorm thousands of headlines. Instead, you provide Google with a template of copy to pull from and the responsive search ads will automatically test different combinations to find out which variations are the most effective. Google doesn’t settle for just one combination, either. The search engine will deliver the best headline and description to each web user based on their online behavior, device type, keyword search, and other factors. This means that your advertisement is more likely to receive traction because it specifically targets leads based on their preferences.

Responsive Display Ads

Display ads, also known as banner ads, have also gotten a makeover. Since display ads populate in various formats on different websites, they often need multiple edits to satisfy design specs. Google Ads seeks to remedy this problem with responsive display ads. Simply provide the search engine with a headline, description, image, and URL, then sit back while Google does the hard work for you. Google will intuitively format your display ads based on the website’s accepted specs so that your ads look their best no matter which platform or device they are accessed on. However, don’t expect this update to take effect right away. Responsive display ads will up and running by the end of the year.

Google Marketing Platform

In an effort to create a complete PPC program, Google has consolidated its many available features onto one platform. Google Marketing includes ad management, analytics, site testing, and other useful tools for you to oversee your paid advertising efforts. The new Google Marketing platform is essentially a combination of Google’s Analytics Suite and DoubleClick, combining advanced ad management with data tracking to provide comprehensive oversight over marketing resources. This platform supports 100+ integrations with exchanges, measurement solutions, and technology providers managed in one portal. It will also allow you to buy, plan, and measure media as well as manage bids and track performance. Google hopes that this platform will encourage more collaboration between team members by increasing transparency and streamlining processes. It also aims to improve the user’s experience by providing relevant advertisements with opt out abilities.

Hassle-free PPC Solutions

We know this is a lot of information to take in. In between appointments, emails, and practice management, it can be difficult to find the time to stay up to date on marketing trends, let alone implement them at your business.
If you’re looking for a stress-free way to get on Google’s first page, your search (pun intended) is over. iMatrix’s digital marketing packages with paid advertising provide everything  you need to boost your search engine discoverability and attract new patients. Don’t just take our word for it, see for yourself at imatrix.com. Want to chat? Give us a call at 888.767.7303 to learn how we can help you reach your business goals.

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