Google has done it again. Improving Google AdWords to make it easier for businesses to reach customers without breaking the bank. See the full overview on Inside AdWords or watch the full replay of the live stream.
The 3 areas Google has made improvements are Mobile App Management, Ad Measurement and Enterprise-Class Tools.
(Note: Google claims that overall, no existing functionality will be lost, and new features and functionality will be rolled out over the next few months – ensuring continuity for current AdWords users.)
Here is an overview of what is next:
1) Better Mobile App Management
With the addition of AdMob in 2012, Google helped businesses extend the reach of their mobile apps by creating targeted campaigns to reach over 350 million users seamlessly through the AdWords interface. Moving forward, Google will enhance their mobile app offering in 2 ways:
Increase Reach
For mobile app advertisers using the AdMob network to reach customers, Google takes a more targeted approach based on the types of apps customers use and the purchases they make. The example Google provides: if you exercise regularly and use an app to measure how far you run, you might see an app that helps you measure your food and caloric intake. Advertisers can more effectively use keywords that will promote more app downloads – helping businesses not just reach more customers, but the right customers.
Encourage Reuse
Ever downloaded an app just to delete it later because it doesn’t seem as useful? Just because someone downloads your app, doesn’t mean they will use it again. Google aims to help customers reuse an app without having to visit the home page each time. The example Google provides: If you have a travel app on your phone, and you do a Google Search for a hotel, you may be redirected to that page in your travel app – letting you take advantage of the currently installed app without being directed to the home page and having to start over. Nice.
Ads are now most effective when they connect people with the information, content and places that matter most to them, at the moments they are looking.
2) Improved Ad Measurement
As more people search online and then make in-store purchases, Google is investing in ways to provide a more accurate image of how search advertising drives conversions across mobile devices, (whether an app, in a store, calling in or online) thus giving businesses a clearer picture of how consumers convert to customers. Google’s latest enhancements will help businesses better understand ROI by measuring conversions from installing a mobile app to in-app purchases to re-engagement. This means measuring conversions from people who use smart phones to search for products and services, and/or using other devices at home or the office to do the same –and then making an in-store purchase.
One Google case study showed a 106% increase in ROI once a retail company started tracking sales that started with a Google search.
3) Advanced Enterprise-Class Tools
Google is also getting a lot of buzz over adding new enterprise-class “workflow, reporting and optimization tools” to AdWords. You will now be able to make changes to all ads at once in a bulk format – streamlining seasonal campaigns and branding updates. AdWords reporting will have advanced features like data analysis tools (including pivot tables that can be reviewed in multiple dimensions (like time of day, device, age, gender, etc.) and formatting options like graphs and charts that can be easily shared externally with your team without time-consuming exports to excel. They have also created an “Ad Lab” where you can create experimental campaigns and test them with live traffic – allowing you to test new keywords, bid changes, formats, and more. And the Conversion Optimizer enhancements will allow businesses to optimize AdWords for maximum conversions and revenue.
Intrigued? So are we. Stay tuned on these changes and additional details by visiting our blog where you can read all the latest updates as they are released.
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