2022 is well underway and as usual, the fast-paced nature of digital marketing means things have changed already so much since the year began. This article summarises some of the key changes in Google Ads this year. What you need to know and what you need to do in order to keep your campaigns current.

Expanded Text Ads Are Being Phased Out

Google announced last year that Expanded Text Ads were going to be phased out, whilst responsive search ads would be the only search ad type that can be created or edited in Standard Search Campaigns. This change will come into effect from June 30, 2022.

This means that as of June 30, 2022, expanded text ads will not be able to be created or edited, however, they will continue to be served alongside responsive search ads.

Why the change? It’s simple. The way people search is constantly changing. 15% of search queries are totally brand new searches that haven’t been searched before. There’s a constant evolution of consumer behaviour. Automation is the key to addressing this. By using responsive search ads, Google’s machine learning will adapt ads to show more relevant messaging depending on the query searched.

So what do you need to do? Aim to have at least one responsive search ad in at least each ad group in search campaigns. Use Google’s Ad Strength indicator to understand your ad asset quality, and aim to get as high a score as possible.

Offline Conversions Have Just Become Easier

Service-based businesses rejoice! If you generate leads with your Google Ads campaigns, it is now a lot easier to report on closed leads that happen in the offline space. Prior to now, it was a lengthy process requiring developer input and changes to your CRM or Website. Now, all you need to do is set up your offline lead measurement through Google Ads or Google Tag Manager. For more information on how to set this up, check out Google’s support article.

Ad Extensions Improvements

You’ll know by now that automation is the way of the future. Automated extensions allow Google to create extensions on your behalf and show them with your ads. Previously, automated extensions weren’t eligible to show when there were manual extensions added to the account. From March this year, automated extensions are now eligible to show simultaneously to manually added extensions. This means you will be able to reap the benefits of both your manually created extensions, and Google’s automated extensions. View your automated extensions by clicking on “Ads and Extensions” in your Google Ads page menu. Then click on “Extensions” in the sub-page menu. Click on “Automated Extensions” at the bottom of the page to view your automated extensions.

Performance Max Campaigns Updates

In November 2021, Performance Max campaigns became available to all advertisers. Performance Max campaigns are the way to run Google Ads across a range of placements including YouTube, Display, Search, Discover, Gmail and Maps from a single campaign. Smart Shopping and Local Campaigns are upgrading to Performance Max over the course of the year. You can start upgrading your campaigns from April 2022, and the upgrade should be completed by the end of September 2022. Google has made it simple to upgrade by introducing a one-click upgrade tool within their Performance Max campaign set-up. Learn more about upgrading here.

New Google Partners Program

Google relaunched their Partners Program in February 2022. The new program is more robust, and in return, Google Partners are rewarded with benefits for meeting and maintaining these requirements. Some of these benefits include access to product betas, receiving advanced Google Ads support, invitations to industry events and other higher-value benefits for our clients. All new advertising accounts may be eligible to receive US$500 equivalent in ad spend credits. We are proud to continue our partnership status with Google in 2022.

Conclusion

Google Ads and the advertising landscape are constantly evolving. From new campaign features to major technical updates, the list is endless and ongoing! Navigating these changes can be overwhelming, time-consuming and confusing. It’s our job to simplify the process and support our clients along the way. If you’re looking for a trusted partner to help guide you through changes to Google Ads, please get in touch with us. One of our directors would love to chat with you.