Be in the Know
- Instagram hides false content behind warnings, except for politicians
- Lime launches weekly subscription service for frequent riders
- Amazon Cuts Off FedEx Ground for Prime Holiday Shipments
- Boeing’s Halt on 737 Max Output Could Add More Stress on Airlines
The Biggest Google Ads Updates of 2019
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.
Wordstream Webinar
If you’re in advertising or with a marketing agency, do yourself a favor and take advantage of today’s recommendation.
The fine folks at Wordstream are hosting a webinar (TODAY) on what’s to come in 2020 for Google Ads. Mark Irvine (voted #1 most influential PPC expert of the year) will be sharing:
- How to beat the competition in 2020
- Changes that secretly caused chaos in your campaigns
- The intelligent tool that will help you reach new audiences
- Where Google expects massive growth
It’s 100% free. You know we’ll be sitting in on this one. Hope to see you there.
Sign up below to claim your spot.
Facebook Question of the Day
Hey crew, Joey wants to know, “Anyone out there running ads on iHeartRadio and/or Pandora? If yes, are you buying through an agency or using a desktop app? I found a desktop app for placing digital audio ads that is like a scaled-down version of the Facebook ads platform and am curious to hear what is the best option to buy digital audio ads. Thanks in advance!”
Watch
The Burnt Christmas Tree
As far as famous trees go, this ad spot is right up there with Eat ‘n Park’s Christmas Star commercial from ’82. And the purpose behind it deserves applause.
In the aftermath of the devastating bushfires, Red Cross Australia inspires unity. The team gathered remains hit by the fires and created a symbol of remembrance for people to come together and support their neighbors.
This Red Cross ad from Australia reminds us that not everything is picture-perfect for everyone this holiday season. But when things do look bleak, boy, we rally together.
“You can be rich in spirit, kindness, love, and all those things that you can’t put a dollar sign on.”
Dolly Parton
