Are you experiencing a sense of familiarity? Don’t be fooled, this isn’t a repeat of the online advertising news from a few weeks back. The digital marketing world keeps moving, and we’ve got a fresh batch of updates you absolutely need to be aware of. From Google and Facebook to other major ad platforms, here’s the latest news to keep your campaigns ahead of the curve.

Responsive display ads now support video content

Google has been on a roll with announcements lately. First up: YouTube advertisers can now include can now feature videos in their responsive display ads. For those unfamiliar, responsive display ads are dynamic and engaging units powered by Google Ads’ machine learning. You provide the ad copy and creative elements, and Google Ads automatically finds the best combinations based on webpage content and screen size.

How to select videos for responsive display ads in the Google Ads UI. Via Google. Previously limited to images and GIFs, “creative assets” now encompass video content for YouTube advertisers, expanding their reach across the Display network through responsive ads. Responsive display ads already outshine other Display Network ad types by generating more impressions (thanks to Google Ads’ preference) and clicks (due to their visual appeal). Now, they’re even easier to use. While standard banner ads require dedicated design teams, responsive display ads only need copy and visuals. For those short on time, Google Ads can even generate these based on your website content. Adding to the excitement, Google Ads introduced two new features alongside this update:

• A combinations report reveals the copy and creative pairings that yield the best results on the Display network.
• An ad strength scorecard provides insights for improving your responsive display ads.

Google Ads expands call-only ads with extra text

In the coming weeks, Google Ads will expand your call-only ads by providing more space for written content. You’ll gain two additional 30-character headlines and a 90-character description (up from the previous 80 characters). Additionally, Google Ads has added a dedicated field for your business name within the description box, freeing up all 60 extra headline characters to focus on conveying value to potential customers.

The highlighted business name field. Via Google. Call-only ads enable advertisers to drive phone calls directly from mobile search results, making them incredibly valuable for businesses prioritizing phone leads. For instance, a 24/7 emergency HVAC company would benefit greatly from call-only ads. Homeowners needing urgent A/C repairs can instantly connect with the business upon seeing the ad on their search results page. With 70 extra characters at your disposal, there’s never been a better time to leverage call-only ads for driving conversions.

Target launches a third-party marketplace

Exciting news in the world of ecommerce: Target has announced the introduction of its third-party marketplace, Target+.

Target’s impressive reach includes 1,850 US locations. Image via NBC News. Similar to Amazon’s and Walmart’s platforms, third-party marketplaces let ecommerce businesses sell their products alongside the host company’s offerings, tapping into a vast customer base. Unlike Amazon and Walmart, where any business can apply, Target will curate the businesses on Target+, making it invite-only for now. This approach allows Target to maintain control over product quality and brand image. Previously, third-party sellers operated indirectly through Target’s website. Target handled sales, while the third-party businesses managed shipping. With Target+, sellers will handle both sales and shipping independently. From a user perspective, Target+ products will be seamlessly integrated into the main Target website, providing a unified shopping experience.

Google Ads to sunset average position metric

Further emphasizing its shift towards automation, Google Ads has announced that September 2019 will mark the end of average position, a long-standing Search metric used by advertisers for manual bidding strategies. While ad position, determined by bid and Quality Score, dictates the order of paid search results, it doesn’t reflect their location on the page. Securing the top ad position doesn’t guarantee placement above organic results.

In November 2018, Google Ads rolled out the four metrics shown below, believing they offer greater insight into auction performance and visibility compared to average position.

• Top impression rate
• Absolute top impression rate
• Top impression share
• Absolute top impression share Google Ads provides several automated bidding solutions designed to optimize ad groups and campaigns based on these metrics. For a deeper dive into this update and actionable steps you can take, check out our dedicated blog post.

Facebook enables advertisers to target premium video content

To connect video advertisers with the nearly 100 million Americans engaging with premium video content across Watch, News Feed, and Pages each month, Facebook has announced the launch of Showcase, a new ad program. Available to US advertisers, Showcase comprises three key products:

• In-Stream Reserve. Secure placements in advance at a fixed cost within engaging, high-quality video content from hundreds of publishers and creators across Watch, News Feed, and Pages. Audiences are verified by Nielsen, a leading data and measurement firm.
• In-Stream Reserve Categories. This option includes all the benefits of In-Stream Reserve with the added ability to align messaging with the content being consumed.
• Sponsorships. Become the exclusive sponsor of a program. Showcase’s main draw is the high engagement level of targetable content, exceeding TV viewership among Americans aged 18 to 34. Additionally, Facebook’s research indicates that In-Stream Reserve leads to positive ad recall lift among users. If you’re already invested in video advertising and want to reach a young, engaged US audience with contextually relevant ads, Showcase might be the perfect solution.

Google extends Merchant Center to all ecommerce businesses

Previously, ecommerce businesses no longer needed to run Google Shopping campaigns to access Google Merchant Center, the platform enabling real-time product data feed uploads and information updates in Google search results. While Merchant Center access was mandatory for Shopping campaigns, ecommerce businesses not utilizing Google Ads couldn’t access it. Displaying product information in Search and Images required manually adding structured data markup to their websites for proper indexing.

Via Google. This is no longer the case. Now, even without running Shopping campaigns, you can upload product data feeds to Google Merchant Center, making product details visible in Search and Images results free of charge. Essentially, Google is offering a free way to provide online shoppers with up-to-date product information. That’s a win-win situation. Given the effectiveness of showcasing product images and information prominently on search results pages, we still recommend exploring Shopping campaigns. However, if you lack the resources right now, creating a Merchant Center account is a smart first step.