Google Ads is an ever-changing landscape. New features are released regularly and it can be difficult to keep up to date with every new update.
Itâs not unusual to be browsing your Google Ads account and stumble across new features, with little explanation as to what they are or what they do.
In the constantly evolving world of Google Ads, itâs crucial to keep on top of these new releases. Some may have little effect on your account⌠but being an early-adopter of others could prove very lucrative indeed.
In this article I will be covering just a few of the recent changes to Google Ads over the past few months.
Average Position
Average Position has gone! This metric has been a mainstay in Google Campaigns for years, but itâs all changing!
By the time you read this article, the âaverage positionâ metric will be no more.
Google now recommends using two new metrics;
1 – âsearch top impression rateâ – the percentage of your ad impressions that are shown anywhere above the organic search results.
2 – âsearch absolute top impression rateâ – the percentage of your ad impressions that are shown as the very first ad above the organic search results.
So, whatâs the reason for removing Average Position & adding these new metrics? Well, Google states, âThese new metrics give you a much clearer view of your prominence on the page than average position does.â
In short, Average Position didnât consider the impact of organic search results between the Ads at the top and bottom of the search results page.
So, Google might have told you that your average position was five. Whereas in reality, you had a whole page of organic results above you on the page, plus the paid Ads at the top.
Personally, I think these metrics will be helpful for those self-managing their accounts, who may not have taken into consideration organic results, but I feel the real impact will be increased competition and CPCâs as advertisers become more aggressive in their bidding.
Being the very top Ad isnât always the most profitable place to be and I think a lot of advertisers could get burnt pursing that elusive âabsolute topâ spot.
Optimisation Score
The next new feature within Google Ads Is âOptimisation Scoreâ.
Google describes the Optimisation Score as âan estimate of how well your Google Ads account is set to perform. Optimisation score runs from 0% to 100%, with 100% meaning that your account can perform at its full potential.â
Alongside the score, Google offers a list of suggestions on how you can reach 100%.
Some of these suggestions can be great. However not all of them!
For example, you may find that manual bidding is working best for some of your Campaigns. However, Google will always recommend using an automated bidding strategy, regardless of the situation.
One of the main problems with the recommendations tab is that Googleâs advice is very generic. Their advice may work for certain campaigns, but it doesnât guarantee it will work for you.
It’s important to take this score with a pinch of salt. Having a 100% score doesnât guarantee success.
However, they do offer lots of helpful advice, so itâs well worth checking the recommendations tab. Just make sure that you donât take Googleâs advice as gospel.
Accelerated Delivery
The last change to Google Iâm going to touch on is the removal of âAccelerated Deliveryâ.
As of last month, Accelerated Delivery is no longer a feature within Google Ads, with âStandard Deliveryâ being the default delivery method.
The reason Google gives for removing this feature is âAccelerated delivery doesn’t help in better utilisation of budgets. Campaigns limited by budget and using accelerated budget likely see higher average Cost-per-click (CPC) due to the higher auction pressure in the early hoursâ.
I donât feel this change will greatly affect the majority of advertisers as âStandard deliveryâ was more commonly used.
If you were using Accelerated Delivery on your Campaigns, be sure to monitor the impact over the before and after date range as part of your regular checks and optimisations.
Itâs important to stay on top of the latest changes. If you see something appear in your Google Ads account and you are managing it yourself, just Google it! Find out what it is and whether you can capitalise on the change.
Would like a FREE Performance Review of your Google or Facebook Ads activity, from a multi-award-winning expert?
We’ll give you good, honest feedback on your paid ads performance, including what’s good, what’s not so good and the untapped potential in your account, to get more customers each day/week/month… without spending a penny more on clicks!
Just call us on 01420 408054 or email Steve on steve@pixal.co.uk