2016 has brought a lot of big changes to Google AdWords, as Google first removed right hand text ads on its Search Network and made GTINs compulsory for branded products in Shopping feeds.
This week, the company announced even bigger changes coming to AdWords this year, based on a mobile-first approach caused by the fact that now over half of the trillions of searches that happen on Google are done using mobile devices, which further demonstrates how prevalent the use of smartphones has become.
Enhanced device-based bidding
At the moment, advertisers using Google AdWords can increase/decrease bids for mobile, in comparison to desktop/tablet which are grouped together. To improve targeting and device-specific bidding, Google has announced that later this year advertisers will be able to optimise bids for each device type, as they split desktop and tablet, and they will also be able to choose the base keyword bid based on the preferred device type, meaning that bids could be done around mobile, and then adjusted separately for desktop and tablet. This will allow marketers and businesses that have also embraced a mobile-first approach to make the most of AdWords and their mobile-optimised websites.
Radical changes for ads
Both text ads and display ads will see a make-over to make them more suitable for mobile browsing. Text ads will become bigger, having an expanded headline that will consist of two 30-character headlines and a longer description line of up to 80 characters, whilst display ads will be mobile responsive and advertisers will gain access to a new native inventory, allowing them to create display ads that will blend in with the content browsed by their consumers on mobile. These changes should help advertisers better promote businesses and products, whilst consumers will enjoy an improved browsing experience and see more relevant ads.
Making the most of local searches
According to Google, local searches account now for almost one third of all searches done on mobile devices, which is why advertisers will soon be able to start using local search ads across Google.com, as well as Google Maps. This means that businesses will be able to reach their local target audience easier via AdWords and convert online traffic into offline visits.
These changes will revolutionise the way marketers use AdWords, as well as placing a clear emphasis on the importance that mobile plays now for businesses looking to thrive online. If you’re interested in learning more about the benefits of Paid Search or use the expertise of our AdWords-certified marketing experts to grow online, contact us today on 0116 326 1116.
