2019 is a year to remember. We see you Game of Thrones. We’re still salty.
But seriously, because this newsletter is all about digital marketing, we thought it’d be fitting to share what Google Ads did in 2019. They did a lot!
Here’s the highlight reel:
- The retirement of average position: Average position was the OG of search advertising metrics. Google said goodbye to it in September in favor of more precise metrics including top impression rate, top impression share and more.
- The evolution of phrase match & broad match modifier: At the end of July, Google announced that phrase match and broad match modifier keywords are now eligible to show for same-meaning close variants such as synonyms and paraphrases. Before this announcement, the only close variants that could trigger a phrase match or broad match modifier keyword were plurals and misspellings. Make sure you keep an eye on your search term reports.
- Brand new audiences for search advertising: Yay, more audiences. Google added affinity audiences (folks who demonstrate an interest in a particular topic) and seasonal event segments. The latter will allow you to connect with consumers who are actively researching a product or service for a specific occasion.
- A long-awaited audience expansion tool: Do you like the Facebook lookalike audience feature? If so, you’ll like the Google audience expansion tool. It allows you to grow your display campaigns by reaching new prospects who behave similarly to the users you’re already targeting—i.e., boost impressions, clicks, and conversions without touching your budget.
- Gallery ads: Gallery ads were unveiled at Google Marketing Live. This brand new mobile ad type features a swipeable carousel of up to 8 unique images. Google’s early tests indicated that gallery ads drive 25% more engagement than standard text ads do. You’re gonna want to check out gallery ads ASAP.
Ok, we’ve reached our word count, but there’s more. A lot more. Hit that button below for more changes that Google Ads made.
More importantly, if you’re interested in what’s happening in 2020, you’ll want to check out the tool recommendation.
