10+ Adwords changes on the way

On a post written yesterday on the Google Adwords blog, the search engine marketing communities have been teased with an announcement of 10+ new advertising features. The Adwords updates will be publicised next Tudsay (22nd April 2014). Adwords invite you to keep up with the announcements with a livestream that will email you (register here), we’ll be watching out that’s for sure. Its great to see Adwords plough on with more innovations and advertiser tools following on from recent negativity surrounding rumours surrounding Google moving to a ‘not provided’ model for Adwords external keyword data.

Here are Spike’s top 10 desirable Adwords enhancements:

1. Simplify keyword research. Let’s be honest, it’s a bit of a mess as it stands. An old ‘SEM’ whinge for starters: bring back the old keywords tool (never gonna happen, objectively this would be an enhancement in the eyes of the search engine marketer but not a particularly progressive innovation).

2. Simplify the display interface options. Display and remarketing campaigns are OK once you get going but for the newbie can be a bit frightening which normally converts into wasting media spend.

3. Improvements to the MCC dashboard synchronisation. Hardly an enhancement but if the numbers were up to date and accurate this would be a thing of true beauty.

4. Putting keywords on to broad match by default. Its one for the rookie to watch out for…it just seems like a bit of an unfair banana skin that must be slipped upon thousands of times each day.

5. Proactive ad recommendations. Google Adwords talk about inserting promotions or offers into ads – what about something that guides the advertiser against the live creatives already within their account?

6. There is a big hint towards the transformation of device use in relation to business generation. ‘It’s no longer about devices’ is a very good statement – which could point towards a Universal Analytics equivalent … or even further to cover off offline, in-store interaction. Could Google follow you to the Mall? Bonkers!

7. Strengthen conversion optimiser or ditch it. Over time, conversion optimiser campaigns seem to lose their potency with relation to average position – a lot of the conversion team in Google Ireland seem to steer advertisers away from its implementation…the core proposition is great but it needs to keep pace with the auction / historical data of the account.

8. A content marketing led interface. As companies venture out further with content marketing should Google be doing more to be in tune with other paid social promotion tools?

9. Conversion opportunities. The concept of selling highly relevant traffic is good but what about also highlighting where extra spend against high converting keywords/ad groups/campaigns would result in more sales/leads? Obviously the person responsible for the account management should spot these gold nuggets but the ‘self serve’ element could be improved within Adwords.

10. Landing page recommendations. The better a page converts, the more the advertiser will get hooked…a win win so guide us with what is right/wrong with our landing pages? This would be great for the SMEs.

Watch this space on the 22nd April!