Implications of Google Eliminating Expanded Text Ads
For Marketing Directors that rely on paid search, Google is rolling out an important change that requires preparation from your team in order to minimize the impact to your paid search campaigns.
It’s a new year, so out with the old and in with the new – right? Well, sort of. While the announcement that Google will no longer support Expanded Text Ads moving forward isn’t new, the date that this change takes place is quickly approaching. Marketing teams should prepare to adopt Responsive Text Ads as Google’s preferred paid search ad format, beginning June 30, 2022. Here’s what you need to know.
Things to know
- What are Expanded Text Ads?
- Expanded Text Ads (ETAs) are Google’s soon-to-be eliminated paid search ads that are made up of three headlines (30 characters) and two descriptions (90 characters). These ads always serve the same, designated headlines, and descriptions.
- What are Responsive Text Ads?
- Responsive Text Ads (RSAs) are Google’s preferred ad format that serve headlines and descriptions in a mix-and-match style, as determined by Google. This ad format has up to 15 headlines (30 characters) and up to four descriptions (90 characters). Because of the multiple variations in headline and descriptions, Google can select the most relevant content within your ad, based on the searcher’s query.
- On June 30, 2022, Google will eliminate the ability to create new or edit existing Expanded Text Ads as part of their plan to sunset this ad format in lieu of Responsive Text Ads.
- It is important to note that Google will not delete existing Expanded Text Ads within your accounts. In addition, advertisers will still be able to serve, pause, and deactivate them.
- As of June 30, Google recommends every advertiser have a minimum of one Responsive Text Ad per ad group.
- At Kose, we recommend pairing a new Responsive Text Ad with existing Expanded Text Ads now. That way benchmarks can be established between the two formats and you can begin understanding which components of your Expanded Text Ads you may want to carry over into Responsive Text Ads moving forward.
Key Takeaways
In general, this means advertisers will have less control over which headlines and descriptions are served to the user. Via Artificial Intelligence (AI), Google will serve the most relevant content based on the search query and the goal of the campaign. Although the advertiser has less control, moving to Responsive Text Ads gives Google more inputs to increase relevancy and sets the stage for utilizing other Google products that lean more heavily into its AI solutions.