How To Navigate Through Google’s Latest Platform Changes

With Google’s continuous updates — introducing changes in match types, automated assets, and Performance Max (PMax) campaigns — the landscape of paid search and search campaigns is transforming. Whether you’re a seasoned marketer or new to the digital marketing realm, understanding Google’s latest platform changes can significantly bolster your campaign’s effectiveness and unlock the full potential of your search marketing efforts.

Understanding Search and Paid Search on Google

When a user types a query into Google, the platform leverages its algorithms to display relevant organic search results alongside paid advertisements. Advertisers use Google Ads to bid on keywords related to their business, products, or services. Their ads may appear at the top or bottom of the search results page, depending on factors such as the relevance of their ads to the search query, the quality of the ad, and the amount of their bid compared to other advertisers. This system ensures that users are presented with ads that closely match their search intent, while advertisers get the opportunity to showcase their offerings to a targeted audience actively seeking information or solutions related to what they provide.

Simplifying Google’s Latest Advertising Updates

Google updates to match types, automated assets, and PMax campaigns aim to make advertising easier and improve results by using its machine learning technology to better match ads with people who might be interested in them. While these changes could lead to better ad performance, they also mean marketers have less control over specific details, like which keywords trigger their ads. This has brought up concerns about marketers losing the ability to use their detailed knowledge of their audience for more targeted strategies and also raises questions about how much control and insight marketers will have in the future.

Here’s a closer look at the updates and our tips for running successful campaigns with these changes:

Navigating Google’s Keyword Changes: Implications for Marketers

Match types determine how similar a user’s search query needs to be to an advertiser’s chosen keyword to trigger an ad. In Google Ads, there are three main types: broad match, phrase match, and exact match. Then there are negative match types also known as negative keywords, which are used for a different reason. They help filter out unwanted searches that either don’t perform well or are not relevant.

Previously, broad match keywords could trigger ads for searches that included any of the words in your keyword or something closely related. Now, your ads might appear for searches relevant to your keyword. Phrase match used to only show your ads for searches that contain your exact phrase in the same order. However, now ads can show up for searches that convey the same meaning as your phrase. Exact match once required the search to contain precisely the keyword in the exact order to show your ad. But now, ads can be displayed for searches that share the same meaning as your keyword.

The recent updates to the platform mean that when you broaden your keyword targeting, it might not be as precise, leading to your ads getting more views and clicks from searches that aren’t as relevant. This can result in lower performance. With more advertisers bidding on a wider range of keywords, the cost per click (CPC) goes up, and there’s more competition in the auctions for those keywords. Because of these changes, it’s becoming more important to focus on getting conversions rather than just focusing on keywords.

Also Read: How To Really Be A Force for Good

Google’s AI Impact on Automated Assets

What do the changes mean for automated assets? Google’s AI analyzes text from landing pages and websites to create headlines, descriptions, and other ad elements like site links and images. To prevent the auto-generation of numerous site links, callouts, and image extensions, these must be turned off manually. Additionally, Google’s AI recommends headlines and descriptions for ads. There’s an “Ad Quality” rating system that evaluates how well these AI suggestions are used, which is distinct from the “Quality Score.”

Overview of Performance Max Campaign Updates

Google’s updates to Performance Max campaigns mean that targeting options are broad, giving Google significant control. It’s hard to leave out specific keywords and placements, and you can’t exclude networks. Geo-targeting and geo-exclusion options are not fixed, and the reporting is like a “black box,” providing limited visibility into the campaign’s inner workings. Our experience shows mixed outcomes; these campaigns usually do well with a smaller budget but face difficulties when attempting to expand. Often, there’s a noticeable drop in the effectiveness of other campaigns, particularly those focused on brand promotion. There are also limited options available to fine-tune and enhance the campaign’s performance.

Staying Ahead of Google’s Updates

To keep up with Google’s updates, we recommend concentrating on several essential approaches that have proven effective for us in adapting to these changes.

• Pay more attention to the Search Terms report and negative keywords by regularly reviewing and updating them.
• Perform detailed checks on your account to spot any changes or anything that looks odd.
• Be careful and sometimes skeptical when trying out new features, campaign types, recommendations from Google, and automatically generated ad content, but don’t shy away from testing them.
• Pay extra attention to tracking conversions, not just as numbers, but in a way that accurately shows how valuable your search campaigns are to your clients.
• Working with Google’s platform and its updates can be tough without experience, so consider partnering with a digital marketing agency that knows how to navigate these changes. This way, you can stay ahead of the competition and make the most out of Google.

Google’s changes in match types, automated assets, and PMax campaigns aim to simplify ad management and improve results using advanced technology. However, these updates towards more automation in advertising also raise concerns about the level of control and insight marketers will have in the future. By applying some of the strategies we’ve discussed, you can adapt to these changes and maximize your success with Google.