Get ready to bid goodbye to Standard text ads as Google Expanded text ads (ETAs) are live. Standard ads not be accepted from 26 October. After a long wait, Google has finally launched expanded text ads. The expanded ads with double headlines started showing off different devices from July 26, 2016.
In June, during the SMX Advanced, Sundeep Jain announced that existing standard ads will also be available with expanded text ads. But from October 26, 2016, standard ads will not be visible. Advertisers will not be able to create or upload standard text ads. This gives the advertisers enough time to compare both the ad formats and come out with the strategies to maximize the benefits from ETAs. It will give them time to notice the problems they are facing with the ETAs and find right solutions.
What are Expanded Text Ads?
In simple terms, ETAs are a sigh of relief for the advertisers who find it hard to adjust a compelling ad copy in just 25-35-35 character limits. The expanded text ads include two headlines with 30 characters each and a description of up to 80 characters. Google’s spokesperson said that the objective behind this update was to offer more information to the mobile users. The early tests showed an average CTR bump of 20 percent.
The point to notice here is that though the advertisers have got an increased total character count for the headline, the second headline gets shortened on the desktop if Google doesn’t wrap it.
If you still have some confusion about the usage, testing and implementation of expanded text ads, you can go through the new best practices guide from Google, which the search engine has published to help the advertisers.
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