Executives at Google have been discussing changes and updates to Google Ads during the latest company earnings calls. We know that Google Ads trends are always changing, so it’s important to stay up to date with what will be rolling out within the coming months. The executives spoke about several features and programs relevant to search marketing that Google Ads users will want to be aware of, as they may affect the way webmasters and search users will interact with Google.
One of the biggest trends to be on the lookout for are AI-powered search features. Google is working on a program that will allow users to pick up where they left off during a previous search. These “activity cards” are just the beginnings of more AI features Google is planning to set in motion. Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google, also noted that the company is investing in enabling users to find information in more visual ways, through things such as photos and videos. For example, Google Lens is now able to identify over one billion products and can pull up related information like similar items and product reviews.
Shopping ads are going to be getting more attention. Google is in stiff competition with Amazon ads, which is seeing ad business grow rapidly. Pichai mentioned that “the number of shopping daily active users on Google.com during the holidays doubled compared to last year.” This is a huge amount of growth, especially for a site that already sees so many users each day. Google understands that many people come to Google during key shopping periods, so they’re looking to invest more effort into the shopping experience in order to meet their audience where they’re at.
As there are now over 20,000 businesses using Smart Campaigns, a feature that launched last year, there will be some upkeep to that as well. These campaigns work with Google My Business and are specifically oriented towards the business owner’s stated goals. Goals can be anything from phone calls to website visits, and the channels of directing these specific traffic goals are delivered through ad creation, audience targeting, and ad delivery across Google channels.
Click volume is on the rise as CPCs decline. Paid clicks on Google’s sites including YouTube went up a whopping 66% compared to the fourth quarter of 2017. YouTube is a huge contributor to lower costs per click, now down 29% compared to a year ago. YouTube TV and developments in performance advertising have a huge hand in lowering the CPC of ads, though the exact metrics weren’t discussed in the sales call.
There will always be new Google Ads trends to stay on top of, and Google makes it simple by allowing us access to a lot of information that they share internally. However, the ever-shifting nature of Google trends and digital marketing can make it difficult to understand exactly what these changes can mean for your marketing strategy. If you need some help deciding what the best step is for your business’s online presence, let us help — our team of talented and knowledgeable marketing agents can work with you on making the changes that you want to see.
