Google recently delighted advertisers by introducing support for Expanded Text Ads within the Google Ads platform (previously known as Google AdWords). This significant update provides a larger ad format, granting advertisers an extra 45 characters to craft more persuasive messaging and entice users to click. The announcement of this enhanced ad format, much like Beyoncé’s surprise release of Lemonade on Tidal, was met with immense enthusiasm. I eagerly cleared my schedule, excited to dive in and start creating with this expanded canvas. However, my initial excitement was short-lived. Crafting these ads proved to be much more challenging than I had anticipated. Finding comfort in shared struggles, I turned to Twitter, where many seasoned PPC professionals echoed my sentiments.
The Challenges of Expanded Text Ads
Why the widespread struggle? For years, the constraints of traditional text ads trained us to be concise with our messaging. Like seasoned Twitter users effortlessly staying within the 140-character limit, experienced PPC professionals mastered the art of writing succinct and impactful ad copy. Now, with ETAs becoming the standard, adaptation is crucial. We must embrace these new formats and develop fresh strategies for crafting compelling ads. Fortunately, our marketing services team at nexus-security had early access to Expanded Text Ads through beta programs. This allowed us to experiment and gain valuable insights over several months. Initially, we assumed a seamless transition by simply transferring existing ad copy into the new template, adding a secondary headline, and incorporating slightly more elaborate language in the description. However, we quickly realized that maximizing the potential of this expanded ad space required a more strategic approach. In this article, we’ll delve into our approach for each component of this new format, guiding you on how to create highly effective ETAs. Continue reading or download our free guide and cheat sheet to unlock the secrets of Expanded Text Ads success!
Deconstructing Expanded Text Ads
Final URL
The final URL should direct users to the specific landing page corresponding to the keywords targeted in the ad group. The fact that Google prioritizes selecting this URL before creating ad copy is commendable. It ensures that the copy remains focused and relevant to the intended destination page.
Headline 1 – 30 Characters
Undoubtedly, this is the most crucial element of your new ad. Given the limited attention spans of today’s users, particularly on search engine results pages (SERPs) saturated with paid and organic listings, capturing attention is paramount. Users often skim through results, rarely going beyond headlines. Therefore, a powerful and pertinent headline can disrupt this scanning behavior and entice users to read the entire listing. As the gateway to the rest of your ad, Headline 1 demands significant attention. Use language directly related to user search queries (i.e., top keywords) and/or highlight your unique selling proposition to pique their interest. You can even begin with a question, but remember that exclamation points are not allowed in headlines. Pro-tip: Leverage successful headlines from other marketing channels. With the expanded character limit, you might finally have the space to incorporate them into your PPC ads!
Headline 2 – 30 Characters
The challenge with Headline 2 lies in its inconsistent visibility. It may not always appear in its entirety. However, when displayed, it enjoys excellent prominence. This makes it an ideal space for supplementary information that complements the key message conveyed in Headline 1.
The example above demonstrates this effectively. While Headline 1 stands strong on its own, Headline 2 enhances the message by introducing an emotional element (financial security) and emphasizing a compelling value proposition (affordable insurance).
Why the uncertainty surrounding Headline 2’s appearance? While Google uses character count to regulate ad creative size, the actual display on SERPs is determined by pixel count.
Each of these examples occupies 5 characters, yet their pixel width differs. If the combined pixel width of Headline 1 and Headline 2 surpasses the allocated space for ads on the SERP, Google will truncate the ad. Pro-tip: To minimize truncation risks, Google recommends a conservative approach, limiting both headlines to 33 characters.
Description – 80 Characters
Consider the description section as the heart of your ad. Headlines grab attention; the description compels action. Treat it like writing standard ad copy, but with the added advantage of a larger character limit, providing greater creative freedom.
Here are some effective strategies for crafting compelling description copy:
- Employ emotional triggers to encourage immediate action.
- Utilize ad customizers to create a sense of urgency (FOMO).
- Dynamically tailor ad copy to resonate with individual users. Incorporate a clear call-to-action, explicitly stating the desired action upon reaching the landing page. This subtle yet powerful technique can subconsciously influence users towards taking the desired action after visiting your website.
URL Paths – 15 Characters Each
While optional, we strongly recommend leveraging this new ad component. For years, we’ve encouraged advertisers to utilize the extra space alongside their domain in Display URLs. This doesn’t have to be a functional URL but rather a vanity link that reinforces messaging and indicates relevant content. Standard ads limited Display URLs to 35 characters, posing challenges for advertisers with long domains and insufficient space to add keywords. These new URL paths level the playing field. With ETAs, Google automatically extracts the domain from the Final URL and incorporates it into the Display URL. This provides two 15-character paths to enhance the URL, regardless of domain length.
Utilize your ad group’s keyword list to populate these fields. Incorporate your most popular keywords, or for even greater relevance, employ Dynamic Keyword Insertion in one of the path fields to tailor them directly to user search queries. Seeking further inspiration for crafting effective ETAs? Explore Mark Irvine’s 7 Best Practices for Google’s NEW Expanded Text Ads.
Bulk Uploading Expanded Text Ads
Creating numerous ETAs can be time-consuming, but fortunately, you don’t have to build them individually within the Google Ads interface. Shortly after the global release of ETA support, Google Ads Editor was updated to facilitate their creation.
The process is straightforward. Select ETAs within the ads tab, choose the option for multiple changes, and then construct your spreadsheet.
Once you’ve populated the spreadsheet with your new ads, submit and review the changes, and then publish them to your Google Ads campaigns!
FREE Expanded Text Ad Creation Template for Excel
Prefer Excel over Google Editor? Create your ETAs in Excel using our downloadable template (complete with detailed instructions) and then upload the document to Google Ads.