Google announced new AdWords features to drive engagement and simplify conversion data.
Showing its commitment to advertising on mobiles, earlier this week Google announced three significant updates to AdWords which will come in to effect over the next few months. These included new apps, better AdWords reporting and new ‘enterprise’ tools to collate and present metrics across all platforms.
Discussing the need to pull together the various ways through which the consumer uses technology, VP of Product Management for AdWords, Jerry Dischler said: “It’s no longer about (which) devices, it’s about connecting people to the content they care about, whether online, mobile sites or on apps.”
New apps
Google intend to make better use of information gleaned from app purchases in order to better target app advertising and to drive app engagement. From Google Play they will look at what results in the greatest number of installations and target consumers based on what they install, how frequently and what in-app purchases they make. To encourage further engagement (Google have observed that 80% of app downloads are used once and then deleted) they will focus on ‘app deep linking’ where they will allow advertisers to link their ad to a specific app page.
Conversion tools will allow advertisers to track success and collate key metrics.
Increased AdWords reporting
Google have also committed to more advanced and clearer reporting, the challenge being measuring conversions from consumers who are constantly connected and who flit from one device to another. As many may start the conversion from one device and end it on another it can be difficult to track the entire process.
Previously Google launched ‘estimated total conversions’ in order to factor in multiple device use, now they will be able to offer in-store purchases which are completed elsewhere, giving the advertiser a far clearer picture of what is happening. It will also mean that more targeted advertising is possible.
New ‘enterprise’ tools
AdWords will also be launching a new way for advertisers to track results across all areas of their campaigns in one interface, eradicating the need to import and export conversion results. Their new enterprise workflow tool will support bulk actions which will mean campaigns can be managed from one page. This will mean, for example, thousands of ads can be launched with a few clicks for a number of campaigns.
Improved metrics and collated information will mean results are easier to see and to analyse. Bidding and maximising conversions will also be manageable from one primary interface. In it advertisers will also be able to test campaigns first to estimate the conversion, changing different elements of it to see how that changes results.
Currently third party suppliers can collate this information so Google would offer this integrated service in competition with them.
