I watched the Google Live Stream this past week with curiosity. What was Google going to cook up next to wow us with and when would it launch? I was not disappointed.
Here’s what’s in store from Google for the rest of 2016 and early 2017
Longer AdWords Ad Text
AdWords will be moving to a title and ONE line of descriptive text not two 35 characters each long lines. This single longer line will be 80 characters long. Doesn’t sound like much, but in the world of AdWords this is huge!
AdWords Bid by Device
This is a really big one and one I have wanted for a while. Now I will be able to bid by device, not just do a bid adjustment. This will allow me to fine-tune my strategies for mobile and give me more flexibility as an AdWords account manager.
AdWords Google Display Network (GDN)
The AdWords display ad builder will now take your image and make it device responsive in the GDN. Excellent news!
Google Maps is Now Ad Inventory
Promoted Pins are in the queue, expanding AdWords more fully into Google Maps. Google Maps is now part of the search network. This will be very important for mobile advertising. But be ready to see these as you use Google’s driving directions.
Local Search Ads are Coming
In an effort to increase store foot traffic Google AdWords is revamping location extensions. Google will use beacon signals to record local store visits and these will now be recorded as conversions in AdWords.
RLSA – Remarketing for Search Improvements
Google AdWords is continuing to refine and revise RLSA ads and expanding your reach in this product by offering similar audiences now for RLSA and search ads.
Demographics for Search Ads
This one is pretty big, but Bing Ads has been doing it for a while. Google AdWords will now offer demographic targeting for search ads. Just another way to refine your targeting by age, gender, and potentially income.
It’s a Mobile First World
Google stated that search activity is now a “mobile first” world compared to just one year ago a “desktop first” world.
Google Analytics Updated for Mobile
Tying in with a mobile first world, Google Analytics is undergoing a major platform update and redesign. Many of the best features are in the paid model, but expect to see some nice changes even in the free version.
Google Data Studio
Interesting, this new application could be very good. It connects all your data together and let’s you build dynamic reports that are very visual. They are allowing some free reports in the trial beta.
What interesting plans and great new improvements. I am looking forward to each one of them.