In the two decades since its launch, Google has completely revolutionized the way consumers search, and marketers advertise their products. Moreover, the way people use Google to search is constantly changing as well. According to an internal study conducted by Google, 15% of daily searches are completely new and haven’t been seen before.
So, as the trend shifts, it’s crucial for marketers to connect with their audiences through relevant and powerful ads. This thought gave birth and led to the eventual popularity of Responsive Search Ads (RSA), one of the most effective programmatic advertising types.
Marketers can no longer ignore RSAs since Google has officially announced that expanded text ads would be phased out and that, from June 30, 2022, RSAs would be the only search ad type that may be developed for typical search campaigns.
In this article, we’ll discuss what RSAs are, clarify some pressing issues regarding this transition and provide some tips on how to create a successful search campaign using responsive search ads.
Text advertising in Google used to be limited to headlines and description lines. The advertiser would put them in the order they were meant to be written. Each version would be a stand-alone product, and Google would rotate them against each other.
Using responsive search ads, the original dynamic is changed slightly. For the first time, each item of an advertisement is considered an "asset" rather than a separate piece. Google then uses these assets to discover the ideal headline and body content combination for a campaign's aim.
Responsive search ads can help businesses be more adaptable in the face of changing market conditions. Machine learning is being used to build RSAs by analyzing the purpose of the campaign and determining the most effective combination.
Basically, Google Ads analyzes several combinations to see which performs best over time, and the ads dynamically adjust to what users are searching for. While setting up RSAs can be more time-consuming, the extra effort upfront pays off in the long run when it comes to marketing RSAs.
The growth toward RSAs is in line with the increasing use of automation and machine learning to optimize for performance. In order to participate in more relevant auctions, responsive search advertisements deliver ads that adapt to show the proper message for each inquiry. As a result, you can spend more time on strategic goals for your company while driving incremental conversions and creating fewer ads.
Case in point, according to Google, Standard Chartered Bank witnessed a 156 percent boost in branded advertising and an 84 percent rise in generic advertisements when they used responsive search ads and Smart Bidding.
After June 30, 2022, you will be unable to alter or create expanded text advertising. However, your current extended text ads will continue to display alongside responsive search advertising, and you will continue to get information on their efficacy in the future. It is also possible to suspend and restart your text advertisements, as well as delete them if needed.
Creating and updating call advertising, as well as Dynamic Search Ads, will continue to be options. It is advised that you have at least one responsive search ad in every one of your Search campaigns, as this will assist you to prepare for the transition.
What should paid media managers be doing to set up Responsive Search Ads for success?
While this ad format is powerful, human optimization and set-up time are still required to lead strategic decision-making in RSAs. To make the most of RSAs, there are a few things to keep in mind:
There should be a minimum of three headlines and two descriptions in every responsive search ad. However, just meeting the basic requirements is rarely the best option. Responsive search ads have the advantage of allowing for more variations and testing than regular search ads. In order to get the most out of this feature, you can test as many as 15 headlines and four descriptions simultaneously. So, your responsive ads should have at least ten different headlines and three different descriptions for the most optimal results.
Repetition and monotony are the enemies of a good headline. Even if your headlines and descriptions are unique, Google will ignore them if they are too similar. Try using the tips below while creating your headlines and descriptions:
To ensure that a particular message (such as a brand message or a disclaimer) appears in your advertisement at all times, you can "pin" the headline or description in question.
When crafting your most crucial title, hover over to the right of that heading and you'll see a pin symbol. You can choose from a variety of alternatives to ensure that your headline is always visible by clicking on the icon. This applies to descriptions as well.
That being said, while the most important portions of your ad will always be visible if you pin your headlines or descriptions, it will also limit Google's ability to undertake automatic variant testing for responsive search advertising, which could have an adverse effect on how well your ad performs. Hence, you should try to limit what you’re pinning to get the most out of your RSA campaigns.
Responsive Search Ad campaigns can be extremely lucrative, but like all other advertisements, there are some mistakes to avoid to implement them optimally. As Google sunsets the Expanded Text Ad, it’s recommended to monitor the performance of Responsive Search Ads vs Expanded Text Ads to adjust account setup and strategy to help you transition through the shift to Responsive Search Ads. This is crucial because it’s possible that Google could expand this update and eventually cease the Expanded Text Ad format entirely. If you’re confused about where to start, you could consider contacting our experts and we’d be happy to help you!