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Google AdWords Updates: New Mobile Ad Innovations Announced

Reading Time: 7 mins

Google held an AdWords livestream event to showcase a number of new mobile ad innovations, all designed to enhance marketing efforts through the search network on mobile devices.

These mobile innovations include a whole new host of tools and features in order to boost mobile marketing conversions, showing that Google really do have mobile on the mind.

Whether they’re looking for answers, information, locations, or purchases; mobile users are certainly using Google to the fullest potential. It’s no longer an alternative way to access the web and Google itself, but for many internet users, it’s their primary way to get information at home and on-the-go.

More mobile users are Googling than ever before. As Google states: “more Google searches take place on mobile devices than on computers in 10 countries including the US and Japan. This presents a tremendous opportunity for marketers to reach people throughout all the new touchpoints of a consumer’s path to purchase.”

So what exactly are Google introducing to make AdWords even more effective on mobile devices?

Ad Experiences

As Google have highlighted, internet users have much higher expectations of their online experience than ever before. Users have many more needs in the moment, and are no longer willing to wait around for the information they require.

In order to keep the attention of users, it’s important to ensure all advertising material is inviting and intuitive. To show their support for this, Google have included richer, more engaging advertisements which make use of screen swiping; much more suitable for those on their mobile device.

Automotive

Google explained that on average, people spend 15 hours researching cars, with 50% of automotive searches happening on mobile devices. That is not a statistic to ignore if this is in your industry.

To combat this, Google are introducing two new types of ads in the auto vertical:

  • Automotive Ads for OEMS –  Google will display a carousel of car images, including both the interior and exteriors; and tapping the image brings up more information about the vehicle in question.
  • Dealer Ads –  New ads featuring nearby dealer listings, whereby tapping the dealer link in the ad or landing page goes to the results page with a three-pack of ads for dealer listings.

Automotive AdWords Updates

Hotel Adverts

Google is often the first port of call for those looking to travel or go on holiday, and these new holiday advertisement enhancements should prove to revitalise the listings.

Google had previously revamped the format for Hotel Ads, on both desktop and mobile devices, and it is now rolling out globally. Some key information the ads will provide include:

  • Rates
  • Availability
  • Locations
  • User Reviews
  • Editorial Descriptions
  • Google Street View
  • High resolution photos

Hotel AdWords Updates

Hotel ads will show globally for hotel partners, with Hilton Hotels already on board, meaning one click from Google is all it will take.

Hotels will have special information pages, alongside ads to directly “Book a room” which will include both specific hotel websites and online travel sites which provide prices from a variety of sources, and will allow users to complete reservations on the partner’s site.

Mortgages

Mortgages are one of the biggest financial decisions people will make, and so it’s no surprise that shopping around on Google for the best deal is something many of us will do. That’s why it makes sense for Google to address the marketing opportunities around mortgages.

At present, Google Compare in the US is expanding to show multiple mortgage providers, with certain criteria such as interest rate and loan terms to be displayed.

These adverts allow you to apply directly with an approved lender, or link through to speak to an adviser for additional information. Allowing this directly from the ad in search listings is great news for marketers looking to boost conversions.

Automations

New Google AdWords Automations allow more searchers to engage with brands. And now, new automations will allow brands to master the complexity of marketing to consumers across many devices and different forms of interaction, allowing marketers to show the right ad for the level of intent the consumer is showing, and the context of the situation itself.

Automated Bidding

A new reporting dashboard is allowing for more transparency and control across your bid strategies, meaning it is easier to evaluate and improve on your marketing efforts.

Not only this, but new simulation tools will allow for advertisers to view the trade-off between volume and cost, at various cost-per-acquisition targets.

Dynamic Search Ads

Dynamic adverts are great for showing timely and relevant ads to consumers based upon your website content, all without needing you to manage a long list of keywords.

The user interface has been revamped in order to make it much easier for advertisers to use, and will include several new enhancements:

  • Recommended category targets based on site content
  • Suggested CPC for each category
  • Increased visibility into ads which will show and where customers will land

Measurements

Measuring the impressions and conversions of your PPC is more important, as you can spend your money more efficiently, and hone your marketing efforts by refining your processes.

Nowadays, the purchase path is more complex than ever; as there are numerous ways to access information; including apps, calls, stores, and devices.

In order to refine the measurements of these touchpoints, Google are introducing a range of new products in order to measure the impact of your marketing campaigns:

  • AdWords Attribution integrates with Bidding Strategies

Search Funnels reporting is now called Attribution within AdWords, and allows you to select an attribution model based upon conversion types. Your choice is reflected in reporting, and integrated into the automated bidding.

Google are also introducing data-driven attribution, which uses your conversion data to work out the contribution of each keyword across the conversion path.

  • Cross-device conversions integrate with automated bidding

Later this year, Google will be allowing you to take action on insights taken when cross-device conversions are integrated into automated bidding.

Alongside this, estimated conversions will include measurements for transactions that began in-app, but were completed on the web.

  • Marketing experiments

Google are introducing new tools to help measure the incremental impact generated from any of your Google ads.


It looks like Google are set to enhance many different varieties of ad experiences, and they’re very likely to keep expanding unique advert experiences to other industries.

Some of these features are beginning to roll out, but we may not see many of these features for a while yet. However, if you’re not focussing on mobile marketing yet, then now is the perfect time to get started.

To watch the livestream in full, see the video below.