30-Second Summary:
Google Ads has rolled out a series of significant updates and changes that will reshape how advertisers create, manage, and optimise their campaigns. Including the introduction of advanced AI-driven tools, these latest Google Ads updates are designed to enhance ad relevance, user engagement, and overall campaign performance.
Below you’ll find the Google ads updates to know about so far in 2024 and how they can streamline your advertising efforts if you’re not already taking advantage of them. If you want to ensure your strategies remain ahead of the competition, you’ll want to explore the latest changes and see how they can help improve your PPC campaigns effortlessly.Top of Form
Advancements in AI and automation within Google Ads updates were to be expected this year, and in January Google confirmed it was significantly enhancing the way campaigns are structured and executed. One of the standout innovations is the introduction of Gemini, Google’s conversational AI, which will assist advertisers in creating higher-quality Search campaigns that drive more performance with less effort.
This simplifies the ad creation process by suggesting optimised ad combinations, thereby improving the overall ad strength. Google says that users who trialled this reported that it not only speeds up the setup process but also elevates campaign performance, as evidenced by higher “Good” or “Excellent” ad strength ratings that assess the relevance, quality and diversity of ad copy.
Further integrating AI, Google Ads will feature automatically created assets, where generative AI can suggest ad components like images and text based on existing content and performance data. This feature is being added gradually since January and is aimed at enhancing relevance and engagement, tailoring ads more precisely to user interests and behaviours. These AI-generated assets are designed to evolve continuously through machine learning, adapting to changes in user interaction patterns and improving campaign effectiveness over time. They will also have an invisible watermark added using SynthID, which was announced as a beta back in August 2023.
These AI enhancements are demonstrating Google’s commitment to streamlining ad management and boosting effectiveness through automation and advanced analytics. Those who can use these tools well can expect not only to improve the efficiency of their ad creation processes but also to achieve better alignment with their marketing objectives, driving more tailored and impactful ad experiences.
Google also introduced significant updates to Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) in February, using AI to optimise ad performance further. These Google Ads updates are primarily focused on the flexibility of asset display and the integration of automated asset suggestions. Now, RSAs can dynamically show one headline instead of two if AI predicts it will enhance performance based on user query and context. This change allows for a headline to appear at the beginning of the description lines, providing a more streamlined ad presentation that can be more effective in capturing user attention.
Additionally, Google has introduced the option to set headlines and descriptions at the campaign level, making it easier for advertisers to manage promotions across multiple ad groups simultaneously. You can schedule these assets to display during specific promotions and pin them to desired positions within the ads, ensuring consistency and relevance across the campaign.
Google Ads has also enhanced its capability to use dynamic assets such as image assets, sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets. These AI-generated assets can now be displayed alongside or in place of manually created assets, depending on their predicted performance impact. This approach is designed to increase engagement by adapting the ad’s content to better meet the needs of the audience, based on real-time data and predictive analytics.
In January, Google significantly enhanced its EU User Consent Policy (EU UCP) enforcement, reflecting its commitment to aligning with European privacy laws like the ePrivacy Directive (ePD) and GDPR. This policy mandates that advertisers using Google platforms must obtain and respect users’ consent when targeting ads to consumers within the European Economic Area (EEA). To support this, Google has updated its consent mode in Google Ads, Google Marketing Platform, and Google Analytics, requiring advertisers to send verifiable consent signals to maintain the personalisation features of their campaigns.
Google has also improved the consent mode API, introducing new parameters that offer advertisers additional control over consent management. They are also investing further into partnerships with Consent Management Platforms (CMPs), which help advertisers implement or upgrade consent banners on their websites or apps. CMPs can help with managing consent banner content and communicating consent signals back to Google, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. There are also more resources for those who want further control so that they can create custom solutions.
These updates, particularly in anticipation of Chrome’s planned deprecation of third-party cookies, can help businesses be much more prepared.
In February, Google launched enhancements to its AR and VR shopping features to help consumers engage with products online during the Spring shopping season. These updates include AR tools for virtual try-ons so that shoppers can see how makeup and clothes look on them before deciding to purchase. Google’s AR functionality showcases lipstick shades directly on users via Search, and the clothes try-on feature displays clothes on various body types from XXS to XXXL.
The backend integration eases AR asset management for brands that simplifies the inclusion of interactive features like this in ads. Google also supports 3D images for products, enriching the shopping experience by allowing users to explore items in detail through spins and zooms in Search.
If you’re looking to use these features in ads, you will need to meet criteria that Google mentions under its AR Beauty guidance, including having a Merchant Center account that contains the products wanting to use for try-on and a Manufacturer Center account that is linked to this. You’ll also need to have a Google Ads account with an active Performance Max campaign or Shopping campaign.
Looking ahead, Google Ads is set to keep transforming, getting more intertwined with cutting-edge AI and emerging tech like AR. So, if you can keep up with these Google Ads latest updates and further developments, this will be key to harnessing the full power of Google’s new tools. And let’s not forget about privacy – keeping up to date with the latest regulations is just as crucial.
You’ll want to stay proactive in adapting strategies that will help ensure that your marketing efforts are both effective and compliant. Let’s see what the rest of 2024 has in store.
For more insights, please visit our blog, where you can discover more about the Gmail Spam Update and Google’s March Broad Core algorithm update.
