Google is constantly making changes to the way they do things with Search Engine Optimization, but have left the text ads associated with Google AdWords largely unchanged since their launch. That’s about to change – and it means great things for businesses that have embraced mobile marketing.
Mobile marketing is a growing field for people advertising online – and one that shows no signs of slowing as people rely on their mobile devices for more aspects of their daily lives. This includes the way people find local businesses and take care of their shopping needs online.
The Changes that are Coming to Google AdWords
Google is currently conducting closed beta tests on a new AdWords format that is bigger, bolder, and better than before. This new format is designed to enhance the user experience specifically for mobile users. Of course, what works for mobile devices will quickly make its way to the larger Google audience. This has particular benefits that improve readability on mobile devices, though and is a good thing for people marketing to mobile audiences.
What are these new features? Be prepared to be impressed.
Bigger Headlines
The standard Google text ad allows for one bold headline with 25 or fewer characters. The new ads being tested allow for two bolded headlines with up to 30 characters each. This means you can use superlative and really draw attention to your ads. It’s a great way to make your ads personal to your target audience – and to fun it up a little bit.
Easier to Read
Because you have two bold lines of text, visitors will find that part of your ad much easier to read when surfing along – especially on smaller mobile screens. This grabs more attention and results in better click-through rates for marketers.
More Characters within the Ad
Formerly, the description consisted of two 35-character lines of text. The new format offers one consolidated line for the description with 80 characters – extending the total character count by 10 additional characters.
URL Changes
Changes to the URL formatting allow for you to create two different link paths within your budget. For instance, if your website is WidgetsRUs.com you could designate two different link paths. One for your location “/Indiana” and perhaps another for your best-selling product “/SuperWidgets” or even your contact page.
How to Take Advantage of All the New Changes?
While the test ads are currently only available to those who are beta testing them for Google, now is the time for you to take action to prepare for their launch. Ideally, you want to take action to improve your quality score – a large part of which depends on the relevance of your ad text and keywords along with your page rank for those keywords. Ideally, you want your website positioned in the number one spot. With the new ad format, you may want to make sure you don’t fall below the third spot.
