Are you serving ads on the Google Display Network?
If so, beware!
Google is back at it again, taking away control from advertisers to make more money by showing your ads on places you don’t want to. In a disappointing change, Google basically “helps” you get in front of more eyeballs with less control over who those eyeballs are. This change is starting in March.
Google explains:
“…to help you reach more potential customers, your ads will now show on content that matches any of the topics, placements, or display and video keywords you target. For example, an ad targeting a topic and a placement will be eligible for impressions which match either.“
Note that currently, your ads will only show on content that simultaneously matches all of the topics placements and videos and display keywords you target.
So, starting in March, your display ads will run much more broadly. The less strict targeting allows Google to serve your ads far more frequently. You’ll probably get more impressions, more clicks, potentially a lower cost per click, and almost certainly a higher percentage of your budget spent.
BUT the precision of the targeting is gone!
This will almost certainly lead to lower conversion rates and potentially increased cost per conversion.
How to combat this?
There’s no escaping. We need to embrace the change. Give Google your money and trust that this new way of automated targeting delivers on the promise. Here’s how you can increase the chances of that happening:
1. Make sure you track each and every conversion as precisely as possible (think: Offline Conversion Imports, Enhanced Conversions)
2. Switch to some sort of smart bidding
3. Monitor traffic/lead/conversion quality and adjust when needed
4. Use scripts to do this monitoring for you and alert you when the smart bidding goes haywire
Always remember: Whenever Google’s announcement starts with “to help you reach more potential customers”, it usually means “we’re helping you to give us more money”.
It is our job to make sure they don’t waste that money.
– Nils
PS: Ready to finally get started writing your very own Google Ads Scripts?
Register today for my next “Google Ads Scripting Workshop for Beginners” and get started with your own scripts in no time!