In introduction – Google Adwords has recently announced a change from classic advertisements to the newly improved expanded text ads. This vast change includes an additional 45 characters that you can now utilize in painting your ad creative picture. Below is a photo including character count of classic ads vs. extended text ads.
Headline
Headlines will now come in twos and allows for up to 30 characters each. They will be separated by a hyphen so keep this in mind when structuring. This is an increase from the classic one headline of 25 characters.
Description
Description line will switch from two lines of 35 characters each to one full description 80 characters total – adding an additional 10 characters of text!
Final Url
Googe will now give the option to construct final URL’s with path 1 and 2 both 15 characters each(example.com/path1/path2). Google will automatically build display URL’s using the domain in your final URL excluding Path 1 & 2. That’s right no more entering manual 35 character display urls.
So now that you know the new format and character counts you may ask – Where do I begin in adding an additional 45 characters to extend my text advertisements? Here are a few tips from our team to keep in mind when reconstructing your ads.
1. Remember your brand’s story – and tell more. There may be perks or added benefits that you could not display in classic text ads. Play to your competitive advantage and increase your likelihood of standing out.
2. Use all characters at your disposal. With the new real estate, Google is giving you 45 additional characters to capture your target. Be sure to utilize your resources.
3. Be realistic and personable. It’s important that you don’t add fluff to take up all of these new 45 characters. Be realistic and tell the customer directly how your product or service is going to solve their marketing problem.
4. Utilize all ad extensions for an increased user experience. These can really boost your ads performance, help your target reach a solution faster, and increase your real estate on the results page.
Be sure to keep these 4 tips in mind when building your new extended text ads. It’s always best to brainstorm and consult with co-workers before choosing your winning ads to display. Lastly, don’t forget to run continuous A/B ad tests and use any findings to better understand your target audience. Contact us for help expanding your current text ads.
