In his latest column, Shout! Agency CEO Michael Jenkins (pictured below) takes a look at what’s new  in the latest iteration of Google AdWords…

Google AdWords constantly changes the features on their ad platform. Some of the biggest changes happening on the platform right now include time-sensitive ads, countdown ads, and messaging ads.

Let’s get up to speed quick smart!

Countdown Ads: Urgency is a strong psychological indicator. That is why you see a lot of sales that last for specific periods of time. It plays on the fear of loss. The idea that you ‘might lose out on something if you don’t act now’ has been used in sales since the dawn of marketing.

The great thing about the new sales countdown ads for AdWords is that this advertising strategy can now be used on Google.

As you can see from the image below, you can add a sales end date ’countdown’. Getting 50 per cent off an LCD TV does not happen every day. Therefore, if you know that you need to purchase in four hours, consumers will act on the opportunity to save money.

This type of ad works even better with remarketing ads. That is because a remarketed ad can help you increase your conversion rate by connecting your ads with an audience already used to your business. 

Gmail ads: One of the biggest consequences of Google AdWords is the over-saturation of ads on searches. Because of this, Google found a new home for ads. Gmail is an ideal location. The email service is free and now has over 1 billion active users every month.

However, if you want to gain traffic from Gmail ads, you need to do it strategically.

Google AdWords helps by segmenting users in various ways:

1. Domain and keyword matching to improve the intended target and your ability to connect with potential customers.
2. Re-engaging your email list through retargeted ads and customer matching.

Using the similar audience tool in Gmail, helps reach potential ‘lookalike’ customers.  According to Google, this tool can help you double your reach to highly qualified users.

Demographic targeting: Just like the location and remarketing options available to target your ads, you can also use demographic targeting. This targeting allows you to check the age and gender of the users performing searchers.

For example, if you have a business that caters to women, you can direct your content towards women. Previously, your content would have to be more generic due to a lack of targeting.

This works great for age-specific products as well. If you have a product for 25-35 year olds, you can produce content that works for specific age ranges. That way, you do not send content designed for young adults to retirees!

Google Shopping Ads:

Added late last year, these ads are for retailers who want to bring in sales direct from Google.

Because so many shoppers use Google to find a product, it makes sense that Google Shopping Ads can be paired with Google search. That is why they have become so popular on Google over the past year.

In fact, Google Shopping ads grew 52 per cent from 2015 to 2016, because shoppers see the value of the ads and click through to purchase the products.

Promoted Places:

• Another great product is the promoted places ad.
• This is perfect for smartphone users looking for shopping deals closeby to their current location!

That is because shoppers on the go rely upon Google Maps to find the nearest shops with their preferred goods. Using Promoted Places helps these shoppers complete their task quickly and easily.

As the Google AdWords platform continues to evolve, it is vital to understand this ever-changing beast to quickly take advantage of the new formats on offer before your competitors do!