Google AdWords Redesign
March 31, 2016Google is ready to change the way online marketers advertise once again with the introduction of a refresh to AdWords.
BACKGROUND
Tired of the Google AdWords lag? Apparently, so is Google. After more than 15 years of changing the way online advertising is fashioned, it is time for AdWords to have a facelift. Google has added tons of features since its last visual update in 2008 and on Monday, March 28th 2016, they announced a redesign aimed for a “mobile-first world.”
WHY THIS MATTERS
Stating that “Now we are in probably the biggest shift since AdWords was introduced with mobile,” Paul Feng, AdWords Product Management Director, added that “advertisers are running ads in search, display, shopping, mobile, video. Ultimately, that’s why we’re re-imagining AdWords.”
IMPLICATIONS
This will allow for a redesign that takes into account all the current features, as well as, how advertisers are using AdWords. One complaint is that features are hard to find and often the platform is “un-intuitive”, Feng notes. Another being that features within the UI don’t complement one another and are hard to find within the outdated design.
One major caveat to note is that functionality is not on the changing block. Although the way a campaign is displayed may be modernized, the actual configuration will remain intact. This is key as with any update, there is a learning-curve that is expect.
WHAT ARE SOME OF THE MAJOR DESIGN CHANGES?
- Overview screen: Google will now provide an overview in the campaign,
ad group, and ad level, which will show a graphical snapshot of the performance (including clicks and conversions). - Menu: Although there is a top menu, the main menu will move to the left side. The upper menu will now show breadcrumbs. The main menu will include options that were previously found within the settings tab.
ad group, and ad level, which will show a graphical snapshot of the performance (including clicks and conversions).WHEN ARE THESE CHANGES COMING?
The goal is to have the redesign fully rolled out to all users by the end of 2017, says Feng; however, certain advertisers will be presented with the redesign as early as today. Others will start to see certain aspects of their AdWords change on a rolling basis. Nevertheless, Google will make the decision as to which advertisers they include in the beta, but hope to include companies from all verticals so as to receive diverse feedback.
HOW WILL THIS REDESIGN IMPACT ADVERTISERS?
- Advertisers will now have a simplified interface with easier and more robust navigation
- No more having to dig within settings and other tabs to be able to accomplish a simple task
- Mobile performance and data will be front and center, allowing advertisers to not only work with the data, but also measure its impact
- This does away with the need to segment and the complexity of separate reporting
- The redesign won’t affect campaign structure or how ads are being served
- No opt-in will be available as the roll-out will take 12 to 18 months to complete, but certain advertisers will see changes sooner as Google is interested in hearing feedback
- Integration with platforms has not been mentioned, but we suspect that part of the reason Google is redesigning AdWords is to accommodate the increase in third party bid management tool usage, to add features and be forward-thinking
Please reach out to your Paid Search Team to better understand the full impact of this redesign and to prepare for next steps.
