2021 Update: [RIP Expanded Tex Ads Time is running out! On January 31, Expanded Text Ads (ETAs) will become the only text ad format available.

If you haven’t switched to ETAs yet, don’t delay any longer! In this post, we’ll show you why adopting ETAs is crucial, using five compelling graphs.

Expanded Text Ad Chart #1: More and More Accounts Have at Least One ETA

It’s no surprise that the percentage of AdWords accounts with at least one ETA has risen from September to January. ETAs have been a hot topic for good reason: they represent a significant change in how advertisers write ad copy.

While Google has made changes to the search engine results page (SERP) before, such as experimenting with ad label colors and removing side ads, none have been as impactful as ETAs, which effectively double the character limit. For over a decade, advertisers have had to shorten their value propositions and settle for generic calls to action (CTAs) like “Call now!” or “Buy now!” With ETAs, you can finally unleash your copywriting skills and use the extra space to engage customers and showcase your brand’s personality. Standing out from the competition is key to dominating the SERP. This can be surprisingly difficult when every paid ad relies on slight variations of the same message. Bidding on the right keywords is essential, but differentiating yourself from other advertisers and organic listings requires enticing headlines and engaging body copy. You might be thinking, “Won’t everyone be doing that?” Not necessarily. Firstly, the increased character count reduces the likelihood of overlap. Secondly, as you’ll see in chart #5, a significant portion of advertisers in most industries haven’t even started using ETAs. Seize the opportunity while your competitors lag behind: write compelling ads!

TL;DR

Short, choppy value propositions and overused CTAs are a thing of the past. However, only 70% of advertisers seem to be aware that “Buy Now!” is outdated.

Expanded Text Ad Chart #2: …But the Proportion of ETAs to All Text Ads is Decreasing

This one is concerning. Although most surveyed advertisers have experimented with ETAs, they account for less than 40% of active ads in the accounts we’ve evaluated. Even more surprisingly, the number of ETAs decreased from December to January.

This seems counterintuitive with the deadline rapidly approaching. Why would advertisers create new standard text ads (STAs) or remove newly created ETAs? Several factors could contribute to this trend:

• ETAs can be challenging to write. Some advertisers who tried them in November and December might have felt overwhelmed by writing numerous new ads and reverted to STAs.
• The decline could simply reflect a return to proven post-holiday ad copy. Many B2B businesses experience a surge in activity after the new year, so instead of crafting new ads following the holiday season, they might have reactivated older, effective copy.
• Advertisers might have forgotten about the January 31 deadline. They may have put ETAs on hold, believing there wasn’t enough time to write compelling copy for all their ads.
• Some advertisers may have seen a dip in click-through rate (CTR) because new ETAs lack historical data. They might have abandoned ETAs prematurely without considering the long-term benefits.

TL;DR

Two weeks into 2017, and ETAs aren’t getting much love.

Expanded Text Ad Chart #3: Advertisers Generally See CTR Improvements with ETAs

The unexpected drop in ETA volume from December to January is surprising because our data shows that ETAs are effective. We’ve observed significant increases (a median CTR increase of 28%), with some advertisers experiencing even greater gains.

However, these improvements are not guaranteed. While our overall data supports the claim, our own AdWords account didn’t see substantial gains from ETAs initially. Our Senior Marketing Specialist, Brett McHale, who manages our PPC and paid social accounts, explains, “It took about three weeks for our ETAs to perform as well as our standard text ads. Even then, the CTR was lower than some of our older ads. However, the conversion rate improved. It’s as if the prospects who click on ETAs are more qualified.” Brett also noted that, after an initial testing period, Expanded Text Ad CTRs have stabilized and even improved within some ad groups. He attributes this improvement to “understanding that most people only read headlines. You have to make them count.” How can you maximize the 58% increase in headline space offered by Expanded Text Ads? Don’t simply reuse copy from your old ads. Reimagine how you write them. TL;DR The key to highly effective ETAs? Craft an irresistible second headline.

Expanded Text Ad Chart #4: ETAs Lead to Better CTRs on Bing Too

Bing offers ETAs as well! And guess what? They’re effective on Bing too.

As you can see, CTRs for standard text ads were already slightly higher on Bing compared to AdWords. This trend continues and becomes even more pronounced with Expanded Text Ads.

TL;DR

Older, more affluent demographics seem to appreciate longer ad copy. Don’t forget to implement your AdWords ETAs on Bing as well.

Expanded Text Ad Chart #5: Many Industries Still Have Low ETA Adoption Rates

Here’s a reality check… As of this post, we are just two weeks away from ETAs becoming the only option. Yet, over 30% of advertisers in most industries still haven’t implemented a single ETA in their account.

Take a look at the graph above and find your industry. Notice that science, jobs & education, and finance have the highest ETA adoption rates. Conversely, books & literature, food & drink, and beauty & fitness have the lowest. If you’re reading this blog post, chances are you fall somewhere on one of those blue bars. Congratulations! However, if you’re in the minority who haven’t adopted ETAs yet, don’t panic. Just be aware of the approaching deadline and get prepared by checking out our Countdown to ETA’s webinar featuring Mark Irvine or any of the blog posts linked in this article.

TL;DR

Don’t just reuse old ad copy. Take advantage of the additional characters to infuse your ads with personality. Have you switched to ETAs yet? We’d love to hear about your successes and challenges.

Data Sources

Data for graphs 1, 2, and 5 is based on approximately 15,507 AdWords Grader analyses from SMB accounts across all industries, advertising globally on the Google Search Network between 9/15/2016 and 1/3/2017. Data for graph 3 comes from a sample size of 11 accounts (nexus-security clients) using Expanded Text Ads on the Google Search Network in June 2016. Data for graph 4 is based on 15 nexus-security client accounts with early access to Bing’s Expanded Text Ads, advertising on both Google and Bing Search Networks in October 2016.