Google's New Advertising Trends (2022)
Google Marketing Live took place on the 24th of May this year. The annual event is a great way for people in the digital marketing world to keep their finger on the pulse, and discover where they should be directing their efforts in the coming twelve months. We're going to cover the most interesting things that the Google Ads representatives have been working on this year.
PERFORMANCE MAX
You will have heard of the most automated ad campaign, but did you know that in 2022 it's getting a revamp? Google are encouraging people to use this type of campaign over other options by enhancing elements that will help you reach the best audience in the best way. From the list of upgrades we love:
• "Burst Campaigns" - that allow you to target and capture seasonal traffic
• Renewed support for the Google Ads app and Search 360
• "Experiment" tools – that help you to test your ad options for the best fit
RESPONSIVE DISPLAY ADS
We've covered this in another blog <<< link previous blog >>> but it is very much at the forefront of people's minds. Google responsive display ads are improving. One of the notable refinements is the option to use portrait images and videos on a mobile device. Previously these were not accommodated, and therefore campaign designs could feel a little restricted. In 2022 ad units in different sizes are going live!
UNCROPPING IMAGES & MACHINE LEARNING
These two go hand in hand, because, it seems that Google has listened to their users complaints. It can be enormously frustrating to create a set of designs for a campaign, only to be restricted by the advertising platform when it comes to image unit shapes and sizes. Your voices have been heard, this year Google is using machine learning to deliver your campaign in the fastest and most efficient way possible.
The way it works is that they are speeding up the 'design and iteration' process. As a business you need only provide a few images and headlines, then Google does the rest. They present your potential customers with 'striking combinations' of your content to millions of customers, learning what work's the best... therefore streamlining your efforts and delivering you with great results.
Where does uncropping come into it? Well, you may have noticed professionally, and in your own user experience, some ads can show up on devices with a white border or slightly misaligned. This is currently because when responsive ads are shown in some places the unit size can be restricted. When this happens the extra 'space' is filled with a generic white border, or the image is over-cropped and doesn't have the intended aesthetic. Through machine learning, Google responsive ads will now be able to detect when your image doesn't quite 'fit' and crop/uncrop it. So, your ads will look the way that you intend them to.
GET INSPIRATION FROM THE HUB
Have you or your team every struggled to breathe life into an ad campaign? It can be difficult to keep things fresh, especially when these days advertising is not reserved for seasonal footfall. Google want to make things easier for you, and also inspire your brand. They have put together a space where you can see real-world examples of advertising set-ups that have worked in the past.
This inspiration hub is already active, you might have received an email about it earlier in the year and thought "I'll check that later..." now is the time to take a look! The Creative Inspiration Hub gives you advertising demonstrations across all the Google platforms; Discovery, Display, YouTube and Apps. No matter where you advertise, take a few minutes to explore your options.
#SHORTS LATER IN 2022
Something that we have all been waiting for will finally be available... a 'shoppable' YouTube experience. Considering how long YouTube has been around, at the forefront of browsing consumers (yes, we've all fallen down that 'rabbit hole' and ended up watching videos for far too long!), and it's advertising reach – it's astounding that this feature hasn't been developed sooner.
Google is implementing product feeds for an interactive YouTube shopping journey. Advertiser will soon have the option to connect their product feeds to campaigns that include YouTube #Shorts videos. In their own words: "[this is a] key step on our road to developing a long-term Shorts monetization solution for our creators, which we’ll share more about soon.”
3D MODELS - COMING SOON!
In the very near future merchants are going to have another option to add to their ads. With the use of AR (augmented reality) on some websites, Google has taken the leap to offer 3D AR models as part of their creatives. This is not available yet, but it looks like this is definitely the next step in advertising.
If you'd like to see an example of AR being used on a daily basis by customers, you need look no further than the Specsavers website. This allows you to take a panoramic photo of your head, and then virtually try on glasses. Simple, yet effective. Seeing something in a tangible 'real life' way can be the tipping point for a customer who's sitting on the fence about a purchase.
PERFORMANCE MAX
You will have heard of the most automated ad campaign, but did you know that in 2022 it's getting a revamp? Google are encouraging people to use this type of campaign over other options by enhancing elements that will help you reach the best audience in the best way. From the list of upgrades we love:
• "Burst Campaigns" - that allow you to target and capture seasonal traffic
• Renewed support for the Google Ads app and Search 360
• "Experiment" tools – that help you to test your ad options for the best fit
RESPONSIVE DISPLAY ADS
We've covered this in another blog <<< link previous blog >>> but it is very much at the forefront of people's minds. Google responsive display ads are improving. One of the notable refinements is the option to use portrait images and videos on a mobile device. Previously these were not accommodated, and therefore campaign designs could feel a little restricted. In 2022 ad units in different sizes are going live!
UNCROPPING IMAGES & MACHINE LEARNING
These two go hand in hand, because, it seems that Google has listened to their users complaints. It can be enormously frustrating to create a set of designs for a campaign, only to be restricted by the advertising platform when it comes to image unit shapes and sizes. Your voices have been heard, this year Google is using machine learning to deliver your campaign in the fastest and most efficient way possible.
The way it works is that they are speeding up the 'design and iteration' process. As a business you need only provide a few images and headlines, then Google does the rest. They present your potential customers with 'striking combinations' of your content to millions of customers, learning what work's the best... therefore streamlining your efforts and delivering you with great results.
Where does uncropping come into it? Well, you may have noticed professionally, and in your own user experience, some ads can show up on devices with a white border or slightly misaligned. This is currently because when responsive ads are shown in some places the unit size can be restricted. When this happens the extra 'space' is filled with a generic white border, or the image is over-cropped and doesn't have the intended aesthetic. Through machine learning, Google responsive ads will now be able to detect when your image doesn't quite 'fit' and crop/uncrop it. So, your ads will look the way that you intend them to.
GET INSPIRATION FROM THE HUB
Have you or your team every struggled to breathe life into an ad campaign? It can be difficult to keep things fresh, especially when these days advertising is not reserved for seasonal footfall. Google want to make things easier for you, and also inspire your brand. They have put together a space where you can see real-world examples of advertising set-ups that have worked in the past.
This inspiration hub is already active, you might have received an email about it earlier in the year and thought "I'll check that later..." now is the time to take a look! The Creative Inspiration Hub gives you advertising demonstrations across all the Google platforms; Discovery, Display, YouTube and Apps. No matter where you advertise, take a few minutes to explore your options.
#SHORTS LATER IN 2022
Something that we have all been waiting for will finally be available... a 'shoppable' YouTube experience. Considering how long YouTube has been around, at the forefront of browsing consumers (yes, we've all fallen down that 'rabbit hole' and ended up watching videos for far too long!), and it's advertising reach – it's astounding that this feature hasn't been developed sooner.
Google is implementing product feeds for an interactive YouTube shopping journey. Advertiser will soon have the option to connect their product feeds to campaigns that include YouTube #Shorts videos. In their own words: "[this is a] key step on our road to developing a long-term Shorts monetization solution for our creators, which we’ll share more about soon.”
3D MODELS - COMING SOON!
In the very near future merchants are going to have another option to add to their ads. With the use of AR (augmented reality) on some websites, Google has taken the leap to offer 3D AR models as part of their creatives. This is not available yet, but it looks like this is definitely the next step in advertising.
If you'd like to see an example of AR being used on a daily basis by customers, you need look no further than the Specsavers website. This allows you to take a panoramic photo of your head, and then virtually try on glasses. Simple, yet effective. Seeing something in a tangible 'real life' way can be the tipping point for a customer who's sitting on the fence about a purchase.