You may or may have not noticed that you can’t create expanded text ads in the adwords web interface. You may not have noticed if you primarily build ads in Google Ads Editor. It’s been disappearing for accounts over the past year.
As you can see below, expanded text ads are still available in Google Ads Editor.
In the web interface though, there is no longer the option to create expanded text ads.
Expanded Text Ads Sunset
You may have missed that in August Google announced that indeed expanded text ads are going away. It’s understandable considering the title of the announcement was Making it easier to show the right message on Search. We all now have a timetable of June 2022 to prepare for the change.
Once Google officially sunsets ETAs, you’ll still be able to run existing expanded text ads as they’ll continue to serve for now, as well as pause and start them. But, you will not be able to create new ones. So if you are a control freak about ads, you’re going to have to learn to adapt to the variability of responsive search ads.
Enter the Age of Machine Learning
Whether you like it or not, whether you’ve noticed or not, Google has been pushing automation and machine learning hard. There have been subtle and not subtle tweaks to google ads to start steering you towards fully embracing automation, and letting Google test through your copy & creative.
Responsive search ads and responsive display ads are the way of the future, now. This may complicate your account management, but it’s crucial to start preparing now, especially if you have ads that have stringent copy requirements.
First steps are to look at adapting your existing extended text ads into responsive search ads. You’ll want to at least have one responsive search ad per ad group. And it may be easier than you thought once you get going. Google ads will offer up suggested additional headlines and descriptions based on your landing pages. But make sure these suggestions make sense for your strategy and check with parties needed on the copy.
Next you’ll want to take a fresh look at your landing pages and draft bigger, better responsive search ads(more headlines and descriptions). A good place to start looking for ideas is your search terms report to identify search trends your current ads may not be addressing. And pin headlines and descriptions to better align with your preferred flow of messaging.
Final Thoughts
In conclusion, be prepared, because come June 30 2022 you can count expanded text ads gone from your toolbox of ad formats you can create. And eventually they may disappear altogether from Google Ads and be nothing more than a memory, like standard text ads.
If you need help, reach out to see how MKG Marketing Inc can help you make the transition.
