Starting next year on June 30, 2022, Google is doing away with Expanded Text Ads, and Responsive Search Ads will be the only Search ad type available in standard search campaigns. Their intent is to push toward a more automated platform, as they see automation as the key to keeping pace with ever shifting consumer trends. Google maintains that 15% of search queries are searches that have never been seen by the engine before and, in an effort to keep ads as relevant as possible, they have decided responsive ads are the way of the future. If you currently run expanded text ads, then those ads will continue to run after the change next year, but you won’t be able make any edits to them besides pausing, enabling or removing the ad. This change won’t affect Call Ads or Dynamic Search Ads.
What’s The Difference?
What is the difference between Expanded Text and Responsive Search Ads? Really it comes down to machine learning and ad dynamism. Let’s take a look at Expanded Text Ads first.
Expanded Text Ads (ETA’s) offer 3 headlines (2 required and 1 optional) and 2 descriptions per ad. In comparison to Responsive Search Ads (RSA’s), ETA’s have less asset options (headlines and descriptions) and less dynamic ad variations, but by default will offer more control in what searchers will see.
If ETA’s are your favorite ad type and you think you need to create more to prepare for the change, then now is the time to build all the ads you think you’ll need. If you need to create a lot of ETA’s, then the Google Ads Editor is a great option. If you only need a few and you want to use the Google Ads interface, then they have recently hidden the ETA creation link in the RSA creation option. Click the blue plus button and click the option to create an RSA, then toward the top of the page there is a link to switch to ETA’s instead.
It’s important to note that even though existing ETA’s will still be eligible after the change, Google is actively encouraging the switch to RSA’s and may favor showing these ads, potentially reducing impressions of current and new ETA’s.
What To Know About Responsive Search Ads
If you are inexperienced with RSA’s, it’s time to start getting familiar since they will be the only option next year. It’s recommended that you have at least 1 RSA in each ad group of your campaigns. There are a few things to know when making the switch. The biggest difference comes down to how dynamic the ads are. Google wants to show more variations of ads to hone in on the heavy hitters.
RSA’s allow for 15 headlines and 4 descriptions, and will show different combinations of these assets in an effort to see which combinations are the most effective. This can be great for those who like the variety and the dynamic nature of these ads, but for those who have specific calls to action or disclaimers and need more control over their advertisements, this dynamic nature can be an inconvenience. Not to worry though, Google has provided the option of pinning assets to give advertisers more control.
RSA’s have a 3 headline and 2 description minimum, very much like the max of ETA’s. This, combined with pinning, essentially allows you to create ETA’s with a few extra steps. So, if you have a CTA or disclaimer that you want in every ad shown, you want to make sure that they are pinned to headline 1, headline 2 or description 1. When you are in the ad and looking at the assets, if you hover over a headline or description, then you can hit the pin icon to the right of it and choose which position you want to pin the asset to. A few things to think about when pinning assets
- Pinned assets will only show in chosen positions and will prevent other assets from being shown in that position
- Pinning reduces the dynamic combinations possible
- You can pin multiple headlines/ descriptions to the same position and those assets will be dynamic. This gives you more control on the specific position and combinations of assets
- If all positions are pinned, then no unpinned assets will show
As you can see, the control that was provided with ETA’s is not lost with RSA’s, at least for now. Another thing to know about RSA’s is the Ad Strength feature. It’s important to note that, along with other factors, pinning assets will affect your Ad Strength, usually negatively. This is not a huge deal, however, because Ad Strength is not like your Quality Score, and won’t affect eligibility or impressions.
Last Thoughts
This is not the first time we’ve seen a change in ad formats (Original Text Ads to Expanded Text Ads a few years ago) and it won’t be the last time. For now, Google has maintained the option of control by the use of pinning assets to specific positions; however, as they push toward increased automation, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see this change. Google is tasked with balancing keeping up with consumer trends, maintaining a useful platform for users, and preserving an effective space for advertisers. As they move to increased automation, it will be interesting how this will affect advertisers, it could potentially reduce the control advertisers have over their ads, but that remains to be seen.
If you need help gearing up for this change in June 2022, Direct Placement, LLC can help you with your preparations. This way you won’t have to spend valuable time learning the ins and outs of Google’s constantly changing platform and focus on your business instead.
Direct Placement, LLC is a digital marketing agency that offers a variety of digital ads and services. Our trained and certified team of Account Managers and Internet Marketing Advertisers is dedicated to helping your business achieve its advertising goals. They will work diligently with you to help ensure our advertising efforts are tailored to your specific needs. Contact Direct Placement, LLC today or visit our website to discover how we can start transforming your business one click at a time! You can also follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or Blogger for more online marketing related content.
Direct Placement makes digital marketing easy. Your Marketing Pro is a Google Premier Partner and ready to boost your ad to the top of search results. Get started now.