Industry experts at Flurry report that people in the United States use their mobile devices for an average of 5 hours each day. This trend is clearly illustrated in the graph below, which demonstrates the rapid growth of mobile phone usage.
Average daily minutes spent on mobile devices From checking emails and conducting Google searches to scrolling through social media feeds, we encounter Google search and display ads frequently throughout the day on our mobile devices. However, simply appearing on mobile platforms isn’t sufficient for success. Data from nexus-security reveals that advertisers have faced challenges in maintaining high click-through rates on mobile devices. In fact, according to nexus-security’s Mark Irvine, average mobile CTR experienced a decline in July 2016 when AdWords users lost the option to prioritize mobile-preferred ads:
Data source: This analysis is based on data from 10,170 nexus-security client accounts that ran mobile advertising campaigns on the Google Search Network in 2016. So, how can advertisers effectively differentiate themselves in this mobile-first world? Fortunately, Google continuously introduces innovative solutions for advertisers to maximize their reach to mobile audiences. The following four mobile ad features are especially noteworthy and deserve consideration for your upcoming mobile campaigns.
#1: High-Speed AMP Mobile Ads & Landing Pages
The introduction of Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP) by Google over a year ago marked a significant development. This initiative aimed to enhance the loading speed of mobile webpages, particularly for new websites. During the prominent Google Marketing Next summit held on May 23, 2017, Google announced revealed plans to empower advertisers with new ways to leverage AMP within their search and display ads. For search ads, this translates to the implementation of fast-loading mobile landing pages. In the realm of display ads, Google is utilizing AMP technology to boost the speed of ads delivered across its Display Network. Given that page load time can significantly impact mobile conversions, these updates hold substantial weight. According to Google, the newly introduced AMP landing pages load at twice the speed of their predecessors, which already loaded in under a second. While this AMP feature remains in beta testing, industry leaders like Johnson & Johnson have witnessed promising outcomes. Paul Ortmayer, Head of Digital Analytics – EMEA at Johnson & Johnson, has reported a remarkable tenfold improvement in page speeds and a 20% increase in engagement rates. Sign up for the beta here to experience it firsthand.
Display ads are also undergoing an AMP transformation, enabling faster loading times on mobile devices to enhance their impact. The AMP Ads Initiative, launched last year, aimed to improve the loading speed of display ads, ultimately enhancing the user experience for both advertisers and consumers. Currently, Google’s Display Network automatically converts and serves display ads in the new AMP format. Google highlights the effectiveness of this format, stating, “Our findings indicate that these ads load up to 5 seconds faster than standard ads, all while maintaining the same visual appeal.”
#2: Message Extensions
Imagine the possibility of engaging in direct conversations with potential customers directly from the search engine results pages (SERPs). The good news is that this is now a reality! Last fall, Google unveiled message extensions. Functioning similarly to other ad extensions, message extensions expand the visibility of your ads by incorporating an interactive component—a small message icon. As depicted in the example below, clicking on this icon initiates a text conversation with your business.
Mark Irvine, a data expert at nexus-security, conducted an in-depth analysis of message extensions, comparing their effectiveness to other extensions. What did he discover? Several clients working with nexus-security’s Marketing Services team participated in the beta testing phase and observed that incorporating message extensions resulted in a 50% improvement in click-through rates for their mobile ads!
This makes message extensions undoubtedly worth exploring!
#3: Price Extensions
There’s a new extension in town, and while it’s been around for almost a year, it holds significant potential for boosting mobile click-through rates and potentially even sales. Price extensions are designed for mobile devices and tablets, appearing in a carousel format. This allows users to conveniently scroll through and compare prices for different products or services. By prominently showcasing prices directly on the search engine results page, advertisers can attract visitors with a higher purchase intent, as they are already aware of the cost. This, in turn, leads to a more efficient return on investment for your ad spend, as these extensions effectively pre-qualify potential customers.
To utilize price extensions, you’ll need to specify the extension type, such as brands, events, locations, product categories, or services, and select the appropriate currency. You’ll also have the flexibility to customize headers, descriptions, price qualifiers, the actual price, and the final URL. Similar to the success observed with message extensions, nexus-security clients have reported that implementing pricing extensions results in a substantial increase in CTR—four times the average to be precise!
#4: Purchases on Google
If price extensions piqued your interest, get ready for something even more exciting. Google has been gradually rolling out Purchases on Google since 2015, but limited beta access prevented widespread adoption. Fortunately, things have changed! As of May 2017, this feature is now available in open beta. With Purchases on Google, advertisers in the United States can enable shoppers to make purchases directly from the mobile search engine results page. Convenience at its finest! The image below showcases how ads using this feature appear on Google.
It’s worth noting that this feature does have certain limitations. Two key restrictions are its current availability only to advertisers based in the US and the requirement for consumers to use an Android device with Google Wallet. For a comprehensive understanding, refer to this post. Competition is fierce on the mobile search results page. By embracing and leveraging Google’s latest mobile ad features, you can effectively differentiate yourself from competitors and secure a prominent position on the small screen.