What Does Google Have Planned for 2021?

Look to the Future

What does Google have planned for Google Ads and marketing in 2021?

You will be amazed…

Here are some of the important nuggets from the recent Google Livestream.

Insights Page
A new page in the Google Ads Control Panel helps you to know what is trending in the very near future. For one client who sells scientific equipment Google surfaced that after July 11th lab glassware and centrifuges would have increased activity. We set up a centrifuge campaign to leverage that information into sales for this client. We’ll be looking for ways for each of our clients to leverage this information that Google is revealing for the first time in advertiser accounts as part of their new transparency into trends they see coming.

Performance Max
This is a new campaign type that maximizes performance across all Google inventory. It offers rich insights into automation. It is currently in beta but due to roll out late 2021. It features advanced automation. Testers so far have had significantly improved lead performance. We’ll let you know when we see it and test it in client accounts.

Privacy Changes
This year the use of 3rd party cookies will be stopped. Google has decided to embrace an ad serving model that protect privacy and offers choice. Thanks to Apple and the GDPR we will see broad and striking changes this year in regard to an individual’s privacy and how ads will be served. This is a significant change.

Google has given significant advice to Google Partners on how to help customers move into this privacy first world and yet still achieve great results with targeted advertising. We will do a separate blog post on these recommendations and contact all our clients to offer assistance to help them embrace these new changes.

Future of Measurement
Without 3rd party cookies on which Google Analytics is based, measurement will now be based on 1st party data, sitewide tagging, and then fill in the gaps with modeling.

The Google Tag Manager now has additional features enabled called consent mode that recovers 70% of the customer journey. New capabilities will be rolled out this year as well.

Google Analytics will now offer more insights for the complete customer journey in a privacy safe method. The new advertiser experience in Analytics will provide deeper insights into website traffic and ad performance. Attribution models will now include YouTube and Display.

Automation
The key take away is that automation provides performance, opportunity, and control. Google is recommending the use of responsive search ads with broad match keywords, and smart bidding to boost leads by nearly 20%. Excellent rated ad text plus 4 extensions appearsto be the winning combination. for success.

The key for account management is to steer these automation tools, improve account automation, and leverage insights.

eCommerce
The future looks bright for ecommerce with a new and significant relationship between Shopify, Shop Pay, and Google. Success appears to be tied to curated, immersive experiences on your website with easy integration of Shopify stores into the Google Shopping platform and the Merchant Center.

Google is introducing a Deals tab on Google.com to help highlight your promotions. New also is Google’s integration with your Loyalty Program.

Conclusion
We don’t have details on a number of these new features and enhancements, but they are coming and they are exciting.

For more information about who we are and what we do, as Google Partners, we invite you to visit our website and dig deeper into how we can help you improve your online visibility and improve your marketing’s value to growing your business.

Important News We Are Watching From This Week

Be in the Know on Microsoft Advertising

Be in the know! This week we have found a few nuggets that you may want to review or do a deeper dive into from our blog post.

Is It Worth Writing Website Meta Descriptions?

“Many SEOs debate the importance of creating unique meta descriptions. It can definitely help with click-through-rate from SERPs, but, for most, it’s often a low priority SEO task. Will the news that Google overwrites our work make us less likely to spend time on it?” Read the full article.

From our point of view, we do still recommend writing these to assist in click through rates from the search results. We have seen Google write there own before and then later roll back their action.  It makes sense to write them and if Google does or does not use them is a non-issue at this point.


Google is Tweaking the Layout of Google Local or Google Maps Listings

We are seeing the removal of addresses in Google Maps listing tests by Google. See pic.

Google also appears to be listing the years in business in some Google Maps listings. Read the article and see the pic.


Google Ads Does Away with Broad Match Modifiers

Google has announced that it will no longer honor broad match modifier keywords and will instead merge the broad match modifier into phrase match. For now if there are broad match modifier keywords in the account, Google will simply deliver them as phrase match.

How do we feel about this? Well, we expect to spend more time on negative keywords list creation to sculpt ad results. We are not terribly worried about this due to the extensive use of machine learning used in ad delivery. We do expect broad match modifier keywords in the account to start to receive fewer and fewer impressions over time. We will no longer add broad match modifier  to ad accounts. Read the full article for more details.

11-27-2020 The Week in Review

The Role of Social Media on Your Website: If You're Not Using It- Lose It

Interesting things have happened last week and this week. Here is a brief synopsis to keep you up to date.

Google Ads Sneaks in Auto Update without Approval Features

You’ll want to be smart and watch your account. Google has rolled out a beta program that makes automatic account updates without your approval. These changes are not, as of now, even reflected in change history. You’ll want to make sure you know what is happening by reading the article linked below. If we manage your account, Google has provided us with a master control panel to turn on and off features as a Google Partner.  More info…


Unconventional Link Building Strategies

You may have actually fallen prey to some of these tactics yourself already, but that being said, some are savvy and could possibly be leveraged for your own needs. More info…


Google Guaranteed Starts to Be Visible in Maps Listings

We are just now starting to see the Google Guaranteed checkmark in Google Maps listings. This program is one Google rolled out earlier in the year and costs a business $50 a month after a certification and vetting process. These are actually upgraded Google My Business profiles. Google has stated that this is an experiment and may keep or may not keep this update as it rolls out more businesses. Right now, only certain business sectors are eligible for this feature. Some businesses are choosing instead to do local service ads instead of participating in the Google Guaranteed program. More info…


Why Your Website May Have Lost Search Placement

This article details 5 points as to why your website may have lost organic search placement. There is no ground breaking information here, but it is a good review.  The writer focuses on changes to competition, search algorithms, expectations, and your own website changes. Still a good read for this week. More info…


Duck, Duck, Go Search Engine is Trending

Duck, Duck, Go is considered a possible replacement for Google due to its privacy related focus. Although it does not have near the traffic Google does, searches on the platform are trending up. Of note is that Duck, Duck, Go shows Microsoft Advertising ads. This could be a huge consideration for some clients in the very near future. Learn more…