Google has announced that it will be phasing out expanded text ads (ETAs) for search engine marketing. This is a major change, as ETAs have been around since 2016 and offered advertisers more space to communicate their message. However, Google believes that the time has come to move on to a new format – responsive text ads (RTAs). RTAs are designed to adapt to different screen sizes, making them more effective on mobile devices. In this blog post, we will discuss the functionality of RTAs and how they differ from ETAs. We will also explore the ways in which automation will affect advertising in the future.
RTAs still allow advertisers a degree of control by being able to designate the order in which headlines will appear. However, the automatic shuffling of headlines means that data about which combinations work best for campaigns is generated more comprehensively. This could lead to more effective campaigns and better ROI for advertisers.
The Difference Between RTAs and ETAs
The change to RTAs is a major shift in the search engine marketing landscape. It is important for marketers to understand the differences between ETAs and RTAs, and how they can make the most of the new format. With the right approach, responsive text ads can be a powerful tool for driving traffic and achieving success in search engine marketing.
ETAs allowed advertisers to include two headlines of up to 30 characters each, as well as a description of up to 80 characters. This gave marketers a lot of space to communicate their message and persuade potential customers to click on their ad. However, ETAs did have some limitations. For example, they were not designed for mobile devices and could often appear truncated on smaller screens.
RTAs are designed to be more flexible and effective on mobile devices. They allow advertisers to include up to three headlines of up to 30 characters each, as well as a description of up to 90 characters. This extra space can be used to highlight special offers or promotions, or simply to provide more information about the product or service.
In addition, RTAs are automatically shuffled by Google so that the most effective combinations of headlines and descriptions are displayed to users. This means that advertisers don’t have to worry about manually testing different combinations of headlines and descriptions – Google will do it for them.
Automation in Advertising
The move to RTAs is just one example of the ways in which automation is changing the landscape of search engine marketing. As more and more businesses adopt artificial intelligence and machine learning, we can expect to see more changes in the way that ads are created and delivered.
For example, Google’s new SmartCampaigns use machine learning to automatically create and deliver ads that are tailored to the user’s needs. This means that businesses no longer have to spend time and money on creating separate campaigns for different devices or demographics – Google will do it for them.
In addition, businesses can now use Google’s new responsive search ads to automatically create ads that are optimized for different screen sizes and devices. This is a major change that will save businesses a lot of time and money.
New Challenges For Advertisers
Whilst it might seem like increasing automation and Google’s moves to implement it will make marketing more accessible and easy, it’s important to keep a few caveats in mind.
Firstly, businesses will need to make sure that their data is clean and of good quality. This is because machine learning algorithms are only as good as the data they are given. If businesses want to take advantage of the new features that Google is rolling out, they need to make sure that their data is up to scratch.
Secondly, businesses need to be aware of the potential for click fraud. This is when businesses or individuals click on ads with the sole purpose of generating revenue for the advertiser. As more and more businesses adopt automated advertising, it’s important to be aware of the risks of click fraud and take steps to prevent it.
As the technology being implemented is still in development, it can be prone to oversights that human monitoring is required to correct. Additionally, as with any new technology, it will take time for businesses to learn how to use it effectively.
As you can see, the move to responsive text ads is just one example of the ways in which automation is changing search engine marketing.
If you want to learn more about how the landscape of marketing is changing, check out our articles about how automation is impacting pay-per-click marketing, or what digital marketing experts can do for you in 2022.