Google Ads is changing so fast, and it can be challenging to keep up. We can see that the advertising platform shifted toward a far greater emphasis on machine learning and automation. Responsive search ads (RSAs) are now the default.
Google now uses Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) to determine the keyword prioritization. They’ve doubled down on automation for display campaigns by consolidating smart displays and standard displays.
The Google Ad Trends We're Tracking Right Now
Digital marketers continue to invest in digital ads to reach and engage more consumers, of which Google Ads is a central cog in the machine. As one plan for their 2022 Google Ads strategy.
Here are a few Google Ads trends to keep in mind:
Shift from Efficiency to Effectiveness as the Google Ads Model
Too many advertisers are dependent on efficiency (that is, low cost per lead) rather than effectiveness (campaigns that generate actual new customers and revenue).
With regard to Google Ads, we have two options:
- Directly integrate the CRM with Google Ads (most common).
- If direct integration is not available, then pass the data back manually.
Interestingly, higher-quality leads are the more
expensive ones. However, as they become customers and generate revenue, the overall customer acquisition costs will trend downwards.
New and Ubiquitous Data Restrictions
We might have seen that Google Chrome plans to phase out browser cookies by 2023. It’s yet another step toward the era of cookieless browsing. And it’s part of a broader shift toward protecting consumer data. There was the iOS 14 update, which requires that apps get permission before tracking certain user data. Google announced that it’s limiting the data it shares with third parties to comply with European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
These new data restrictions aren’t going anywhere, and they’re not the last of their kind.
The Growing Need for First-Party Data
Facebook, Google, and Apple limit the data available to digital advertisers. However, it’s perfectly legal, ethical, and acceptable to use first-party data. This is the data that our marketing team is already collecting, including:
- Names and email addresses of people who fill out forms or contact us through our website
- People who’ve registered an account made a purchase, etc.
- Existing clients, customers, partners, or leads
Various marketing activities feed first-party data into the customer relationship management (CRM) solution). Lead generation forms on the website (eBooks, webinars, etc.) are the most common. However, we can attain first-party data using Google Ads, chatbots, and even newsletter/mailing list sign-ups. We can also use Google click IDs based on how people arrive at our website.
A Peek at Keywords and the Future of PPC
While the keyword is still the foundation of PPC strategies, we anticipate that their role will deteriorate, and it’ll lose its place in digital advertising. Google retired the broad match modifier option in 2021, just the beginning. Like what happens in performance Max campaigns, we’ll continue to see the keyword disappear.
Instead, advertisers—or rather machines—will target based on signals from the system and serve ads to the audience with a higher probability of converting.
Here are a few trends to keep in mind:
Evolution of Smart Bidding
Smart Bidding is a machine learning-controlled automated bidding system. It uses machine learning to optimize conversions and conversion values in auctions.
Smart Bidding will only become more powerful, and its strategies are set to become more prevalent. We could see manual Bidding become a relic of the past! This won’t be a bad thing, as it will allow marketers to focus on areas like analytics and strategy.
Amazon’s Emergence into Paid Advertising
While Google and Facebook still dominate paid advertising, Amazon is nipping at their heels. They are now the third-largest and fastest-growing advertiser. Amazon ads are displayed on and off Amazon, which has skyrocketed its popularity with online retailers.
The other reason they’ve grown in popularity? Buyer intent. It’s the largest advantage they have over Facebook and Google.
Facebook and Google give access to the largest audiences, but users aren’t usually looking to buy something.
Compared to Amazon’s perceived buyer intent, this could mean lower conversion rates on these platforms. This means we could be spending more for less.
Going Social Is More Important
Around 70% of people check at least one social media platform a month, and these numbers are growing. If we ignore social media in our PPC strategies, we must miss something.
Most people check platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn, and Pinterest daily. Many of these demographics are on multiple platforms, especially younger people.
This means that PPC marketers will be focusing on ads for social media platforms. Since most people use several social media platforms, we’ll want to cash in on this multi-platform trend. Facebook and Google are still the bread and butter of paid advertising, but we should look to expand our horizons through the remainder of 2022.
