If you haven’t switched to the new AdWords interface yet, now is the time! Earlier this week, our friends at Google sent another email to AdWords advertisers reminding everyone that the old interface won’t be around for long and is scheduled to be sunset by the end of this year.
So, you may wonder: Why are so many advertisers lagging on switching over? Well, the new interface is a bit slower, and it’s a total overhaul from their old interface – nothing feels familiar like it has with their other minor updates over time. This makes even the most skilled PPC professionals need to slow down and relearn how to do things. It might not be fun, but it is worth it – because not only is AdWords wearing a new face making it cosmetically different, it’s also got a ton of great, new features packed into it!
Today, we’ll walk through some of the coolest and quickest-to-implement features that can make an impact for your business or your clients right away.
Bid Adjustments on Call Extensions Now Available
If you do any type of phone sales, you are likely using Call Extensions. By using a Google Call Forwarding number, a third-party call tracking service or some combination of the two, you should be tracking all calls that come to your business from ads. If you’ve set this up, the phone number in those ads likely shows as a Call Extension (different from Call Only ads) below your existing ads. While these have been around for ages, along with the ability for us to determine the location the call generated from, the area code, duration and more – what hasn’t been around is a good way to optimize this data.
Enter: Bid Adjustments! Bid adjustments have been around for a while, allowing us to stack bids against ages, gender and remarketing lists for search and display, but in the new AdWords interface, you can now bid adjust for Call Extensions as well. A higher bid makes the extension show more often, while a lower bid makes it less likely to show. To find the right bid adjustment, you’ll want to make sure you are reviewing performance data, average CPC and average position.
How to: To change your bid adjustment for Call Extensions, log into the new AdWords interface and start either at the campaign level, or in a specific campaign, click “Advanced bid adj.” and filter for the Interaction type called “Calls”.
Here you will see all your call extensions and can increase or decrease your bid. Remember that this stacks on top of any other bid adjustments currently at play.
Promotion Extensions Are Here to Stay
Over the last few years, Google has introduced “Promotion Extensions” to advertisers, but there was always a catch – they were only available in Q4, and they were always tied to a pre-set occasion. Now, those Promotion Extensions have been revamped and are available year-round, with no forced pre-set occasions, in the new AdWords interface. Promotion extensions work just like your regular extensions, showing underneath ads when you win the ad auction and are placed in a high enough position. The Promotion Extensions support money-off and percentage-off discounts and are a great way to help get the word out about your upcoming sales.
How to: To add a Promotion Extension, log into the new AdWords interface, navigate to all Search campaigns or a select campaign, click Ads & Extensions, go to the Extensions tab, hit the (+) sign, and select Promotion Extensions. Once you do, you’ll be taken to the page below, where you will be guided through how to set up your promotion.
Create Customer Match Lists Based on Addresses and Phone Numbers
Last year Customer Match was all the rage. The feature allows advertisers to upload a list of hashed email addresses, which Google works to match to their database of Google accounts. If there is a match, Google will allow the advertiser to add that user to a Remarketing list. The catch is that the list can only be used for Search and Video at this time, not Display. The feature has worked extremely well for clients we service, and now it’s only getting more advanced. In the new interface, you can now upload a list of hashed addresses or phone numbers, and Google will do the same matching, allowing advertisers to add these users to a list eligible for Retargeting Lists for Search Ads (RLSA) on Search or targeting on YouTube. This is a huge win for advertisers with a large direct mail or call tracking database of current, previous or potential clients.
How to: To upload addresses for Customer Match, log into the new AdWords interface. Click the wrench in the top right corner and select “Audience Manager,” under “Shared Library.” Once you get to that page, click the (+) and select “Customer List.”
From here, follow the guide to create your list. Keep in mind that the list can take a few days to be processed and matched. While you’re waiting, brainstorm all the ways you can use your new list!
As you can probably tell by now, switching to the new interface really has its advantages – and this article only scratches the surface. If you’re ready to take the plunge, check out this quick help article on how to switch the new interface, and on the right-hand column see the additional links to help you learn even more about the latest and greatest features.
Need help taking advantage of all the new features the new Adwords interface offers? Contact Us today about our Adwords Management Services.
Have questions? Leave a comment below!