5 Ways To Make The Most of Expanded Text Ads

Providing us with the next generation of text ads, expanded text ads are designed for a world wide web that is becoming increasingly mobile-friendly for both users and advertisers alike. Expanded text ads are able to give advertisers more control over what their messaging entails and users will be provided with more information before they click on the ad. Quite simply, they offer businesses a better way to get their message heard in a crowded internet marketplace.

Here at Promote, we are a PPC agency with many years of experience in helping all manner of businesses to improve their online presence, which in today's fast-moving, digital world, is vital in order to be a success. Whether you need help with advertising, marketing – or want to make an impression on social media, Promote are here to help.

Why Online Advertisers Need To Transition To Expanded Ads

At the moment, AdWords (Google's advertisement service) supports the creation of both standard and expanded ads. When a new ad is created, it will automatically default to an expanded ad, with users being able to switch over to a standard ad. From the 31^st January however, AdWords will not support the creation or editing of standard text ads. All new ads created after that point will need to be displayed in the format for expanded text. After the cut-off date, standard ads will continue to be displayed, but only expanded ads can be created and edited.

The Differences Between a Standard Text Ad and Expanded Ads

Although similar in some ways to standard text ads, there are a number of key differences with expanded ads, which include:

• Expanded ads have TWO headline fields, instead of one. Possessing an extra headline field will allow for the inclusion of additional text in ads, presenting more of an opportunity to make the ad attractive enough to click on. The added bonus is that advertisers will now have 30 characters to use in each field, instead of the 25 that can be used in standard text ads. Both headlines will appear next to each other, separated by a hyphen – although dependent upon the size of the screen used, they may wrap onto a second line.
  
  
• One description field, instead of two . Standard text ads contain two 35-character description lines, whereas expanded ads have just one, 80-character description field which gives the advertiser more scope to send out their message without the presence of another line affecting other elements of the ad.
  
  
• The 'display URL' is now based on the 'final URL domain' . Advertisers will no longer have to enter in a display URL when they create their new ad; instead, the domain address from your targeted page can be shortened – for example, instead of the display URL displaying the targeted address as ' www.promote.agency/digital-marketing-services/pay-... ', it can simply display 'www.promote.agency'. The URL can be also be accompanied by two additional fields of text, which can give users an insight into what is behind the link once they click it.
  
  
• Text ads will be optimised for mobile browsers . With expanded text ads being automatically optimised to be viewed on mobile browsers, there will be no need for the advertiser to select the 'mobile device setting' when creating or editing their text ad. A preview of the ad, as it's seen on both a desktop or mobile browser, will be generated at the same time an expanded text ad is being created.

Making the most of expanded text ads

If you're interested in implementing the usage of expanded ads to promote your business, here's some tips on getting the most out of your ads:

1. Think about the message of your ad. If you're already undertaking a campaign with a standard ad, don't just add a second headline to the existing ad. Rethink the entirety of message that you're trying to send out, taking all aspects of your advert into account.

2. Take advantage of the new character limits. Thanks to the expanded headline fields of the thread, the clickable area of your ad increases. This will allow you to place in more text to communicate to the reader about how your services can benefit them – with the clickable area providing them with a tempting virtual shop doorway to enter into.

3. Placing focus on headline optimisation. The most likely area that a reader will see of your ad at first glance will be a headline – so you can see why it needs to be attractive enough to catch their eye. When viewed on the results page of a search, the headline fields of the ad will be combined using a hyphen, whereas on mobile, the headline may wrap around beyond the first line. Aside from providing attractive words in the text of the headline, have a think about the different ways in which your headline may look to anyone viewing it on different devices – is it easy to read, as well as compelling?

4. Using ad extensions. The performance of an advert has been shown to increase when extra information such as additional links into your website or your business location are placed alongside it – all aspects which can be achieved with an expanded ad.

5. Using a PPC management service. Taking the time to undertake an expanded ad campaign yourself could prove time-consuming, especially if you're new to the world of PPC. This is time that could be taken away from other aspects of your business. A PPC agency are able to do the work for you and what's more, they are able to keep an eye on the latest changes and trends in the digital marketing industry, making for a better, more attractive expanded ad for your business.

Promote – A high-quality PPC agency

Aside from our PPC management services, we also offer help on social media management , search engine optimisation , e-mail marketing and much more. All of our services are simply designed to give your website the best opportunity to be discovered by the right people. Vastly knowledgeable and experienced, our experts will go the extra mile to help you to learn how to get the maximum potential out of your website.

For more information on how we can help your website to achieve the rankings that you desire, please feel free to contact us on 0118 380 1002 or send us an e-mail at hi@promote.agency. If you're on social media, why not follow us on Twitter?