Performance Max

Get More From Google’s AI-Power

Google Ads Performance Max (PMax) has changed the way businesses approach paid search. Rather than managing separate campaigns across different Google channels, advertisers can use a single campaign to reach potential customers across Google’s ecosystem, with machine learning helping determine where, when and how ads are shown.

The appeal is clear - less manual campaign management and more opportunity to find customers across Google's network.

The challenge - automation is only as effective as the strategy behind it. Poor conversion tracking, weak creative, irrelevant traffic or an unoptimised product feed can all limit performance.

Google can automate bidding, targeting and placement decisions, but advertisers still need to know how to control many of the fundamentals that influence those decisions, including: campaign structure, conversion data, audience signals, creative assets, product information, exclusions and landing pages.

A successful PMax campaign is not simply about switching automation on - It is about creating the right environment for that automation to work in.

Bottom line: NEVER let PMax run on autopilot. Continue to improve the inputs that Google's automation uses to make its decisions, keep testing and refining campaigns.

Google's Responsive Search Ads

GAME CHANGER!

These are definitely the largest and most flexible of search ad formats yet. Unlike traditional search ads, where there is so much repetitive A/B testing and static headlines and descriptions, we can now create up to 15 different headlines and up to 4 different descriptions! We can also "pin" certain headlines or descriptions to make sure the essential parts of the ad are ALWAYS show, for example your company/brand name.

Collectively, these headlines and descriptions can be arranged in over 43,000 different permutations, which means our ad testing possibilities are HUGE.

But the best part is actually that Google will dynamically run multiple combinations of headlines and descriptions, which Google's Machine Learning will then optimise which combinations perform best and find and serve the best message for the different users, depending on the keyword they used, their device and even their historic browsing behaviour.

Showing the most engaging and relevant ads to users at their time of need, will no doubt improve overall account performance. According to Google, Responsive Search Ads can have a 5-15% lift in CTR, compared to standard search ads. When implemented correctly, it can also lower CPCs, help advertisers improve ROI and reduce wasted ad spend.

It's so exciting how Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning are becoming so much more integrated in Google’s advertising platform.

Exciting times are ahead!

HOW IS SEARCH EVOLVING?

Google has been personalising search results for years, using our search history, device preferences (especially mobile) and social signals, and attempting to integrate them to deliver the most useful results and relevant information to each user.

Mobile searches now outnumber desktop searches globally, eliciting the need to further enhance the capabilities of voice, visual and location-based searches.

Search has always been about bringing people the most relevant information in the shortest amount of time. People, of all ages now, have become tech savvier and with less patience. Search engines are revolutionising the way we access information through the growth of data and precision of targeting. When you turn on your phone, Google already knows where you are, providing additional context around our lives. It may only be a matter of time before someone decides to utilise such data to create a "decision engine". 

Sergey Brin (Google) once said, "My vision when we started Google.. was that eventually you wouldn't have to have a "search query" at all.. You'd just have information come to you as you needed it.."

The rise of Smart Apps and next-gen personal assistants such as Apple's Siri, may have shifted some people away from searching on Google and towards 'direct answers', by channeling certain interests and delivering specific information. I do believe that Search engines will always have a place regardless, perhaps just in a more sophisticated shape and form.. watch this space!

SEM crash course

SEM, SEO, search marketing, ppc, clicks, impressions, CTR, conversion rate, quality scores, maximum cpc bid, keywords, ad copy, landing pages, negative keywords.. sometimes things can seem overly complicated. 

Got 6 minutes? Checkout my quick crash course to better understand how this all works.

https://youtu.be/m_mXvHgCFnc

Enjoy & happy searching!

Yana