Major Adwords Changes in 2016 Every Marketer Must Know

According to Google, AdWords is more effective than ever and driving massive economic activity. Last month, Google announced a list of major updates and new products for Google AdWords. These products and updates are developed, keeping in mind, the gradual shift of users from desktop to mobile. Here are some insights that Google released on how consumers use mobile search to connect with brands and businesses.

• Every month people visit 1.5 billion destinations related to what they searched for on Google

•  There are more searches on mobile than on desktop

• 1.3X increase in mobile searches for “where to buy/find/get” in the past year

• 76% of searchers who search on a smartphone for something nearby visit a business within a day. 

So, what's new for advertisers in the mobile first world?

Expanded Text Ads

Did you find it difficult to pitch your potential customer in the 25 characters limit headline? 

Now, you’ll have more characters to explain your product, thanks to Expanded Text Ads. This feature will be globally available to the advertisers later this year.

Based on early testing, some advertisers have reported a 20% increase in the clickthrough rate as compared to the current text ads, reports Google.

Responsive Ads for Display

New responsive ads for display will adapt to the content on the site on which they appear. The advertisers just need to provide a headline, a description, an image, and a URL -- and Google will automatically design these beautiful responsive ads.

Individual Bid Adjustments for each device type

In the next few months, advertisers will be able to set individual bid adjustments for each device type -- mobile, desktop, and tablet. 

The advertisers can choose to bid more or less for mobile, desktop, or tablets. With more control and precision, advertisers will have a wider range to adjust bids, up to +900%. 

Local Search Ads on Google Search and Google Maps

Google reports, almost a third of mobile searches are local. Their new local search ads for Google Search and Google Maps will empower advertisers to showcase their business locations when consumers search for things like “grocery store” or “car rental near me”.

Searchers will be able to see special offers or browse available inventory right from the Google Maps ad.

Click to SMS extension

According to a post published on Search Engine Journal, Google is experimenting with a new ad extension- Click to SMS.

Clicking on the text messaging icon will open the default messaging app on the phone. It will prefill the advertiser’s details in the message. The consumers just need to tap on send and the message will be delivered to the advertiser.

It is unclear whether this extension will be added to Google AdWords permanently. When SEJ reached out to Google for more information, they were given this statement:

“We’re always experimenting with new ways to connect our advertisers to customers but don’t have further details to share at this time.”

These changes in the AdWords will open new avenues for advertisers. It will offer more flexibility and customisations to the advertisers than ever. This also means that Quality Score will be of paramount importance, to rank at top 3 positions.