Are you looking to stay up-to-date with all the Google Ads updates for 2023?
With digital marketing ever evolving and keeping on top of algorithms and best practices becoming an increasingly complex task, staying in the know can be challenging.
But if you want your digital strategy to stay ahead of the game, you need to understand what’s happening in the world of Google Ads updates.
That’s why we have put together this list of 2023’s biggest Google Ads updates. Keep reading for a breakdown of every essential update so far this year.
11 Crucial Google Ads Changes
Any search engine marketing professional must keep up with the constant Google Ads changes, and that’s not so easy.
Luckily, we are here to present to you a list of 11 crucial Google Ads updates for 2023:
- Changes to audience targeting
- Expanded and smart shopping ads
- Audio advertisements for Youtube
- New business name and logo
- Voiceover features for video ads
- Performance Max campaigns
- Smart Bidding campaigns with broad match
- Switch to Google Analytics 4
- New campaign types
- Ads Transparency Center
- GA4 API in Looker Studio
So, let’s dive in!
1. Similar audiences will no longer be supported by Google Ads
The first important Google Ads update is a change to audience targeting.
On May 1, 2023, Google Ads will phase out their Similar Audience (Similar Segments) feature for targeting and reporting.
In addition, historical reporting data on any previously used similar segment campaign remains accessible.
The advantage of this update is that leveraging different campaign types can be a powerful tool in reaching your target audience and optimizing for business goals.
2. Expanded text ads and Smart Shopping ads are history
Google Ads gave advertisers quite a shock when they sunsetted Expanded text ads and Smart Shopping ads back in 2022. Although many companies were happily using them, it appears that Google had different plans.
Smart Shopping ads are a powerful tool to help businesses in today’s digital world, and now, they can be even more effective as Google has upgraded them to Performance Max campaigns which we will talk more about below.
On the other hand, responsive search ads have now become the standard for Google Search ads, leaving Expanded text ads firmly in the past.
Responsive ads create a dynamic and tailored experience for searchers, with multiple expanded text ad headlines and descriptions rotating to match their unique queries.
Despite their potential to serve more personalized ads, responsive search ads have been overshadowed by doubts as they don’t always deliver the most effective headlines.
To ensure your ads reach their maximum potential, it’s important to keep an eye on headline performance and make necessary adjustments.
Pinning the strongest headlines can eliminate weaker alternatives from appearing in ad campaigns.
3. Audio advertisements for Youtube
Google has been making updates to its Ads platform, and one of the changes is to place audio ads on YouTube.
This opens up a new opportunity for advertisers, as they can unobtrusively target YouTube listeners through music and podcast placements.
Businesses target their ads on YouTube through “Music Mood Lineups” and “Podcast Lineups”.
The advantage of this change is that it gives advertisers greater control over where their ads are heard on YouTube, allowing them to better reach their target audience.
This Google Ads update is designed to help brands maximize the potential of YouTube targeting, making Google advertisements more effective than ever before.
4. Highlighted business names and logos
Google is committed to making its search results more intuitive by providing visual-first experiences.
To further this goal, Google recently announced design changes to both Google search and Google ads that highlight business names and logos in search results, making them easier to spot at a glance.
This Google ads update is expected to roll out as a beta over the coming weeks and stands as just one step on the long-term path toward enhancing the user experience for Google users.
In addition, it also enables businesses to gain increased visibility and build brand recognition across Google’s search platform.
When their algorithm recognizes your business name and logo, it will automatically add them to your campaign.
You also have the capability to review and remove any content that doesn’t belong, as well as manually add a business name and logo if preferred.
Be aware that any Google ads updates created from the landing page will be visible in your ads unless removed or overridden with supplied details.
5. New voiceover characteristics for video ads
This summer, Google launched a range of updates to its video ad content to provide the utmost convenience for advertisers.
Perhaps the most groundbreaking update was the ability to add a voice-over to existing YouTube video ads without having to go through any additional editing or post-production processes.
Prior to this, studies from Google illustrated that fewer than half of video ads featured a voiceover. However, Ads that included one were seen to increase ad recall by up to 25% and lower the cost per lifted user by an impressive 50%.
On the other hand, with the new Google Ads update, advertisers can access a selection of eight different voices (four male, four female) for their voice-overs and make all necessary edits directly within Google Ads.
This incredible innovation is an awesome advantage for people of all backgrounds looking for greater audience engagement and thus should not be overlooked.
So, in 2023 you should pay attention to this update and take full advantage of it.
6. Performance Max campaigns
This useful campaign is fully automated and combines all your Google Ads assets in one swoop for goal-based advertising across all of Google’s networks.
That means, the Performance Max campaign is an all-in-one campaign type that shows ads across:
- YouTube
- Display
- Search
- Shopping
- Discover feed
- Gmail
- Maps
With the automated process of Performance Max, advertisers don’t need to keep their text ad assets (headlines and descriptions) separate from creative assets (images, videos).
Also, it allows all assets to be thrown into the mix with the expectation that Google will pick out the best-performing strategy for each campaign, ultimately boosting engagement with your target audience.
So, Performance Max is an effective way to make sure you’re staying up-to-date with Google ads updates and getting the most out of your advertising efforts.
In addition, an important thing to mention is that the updated PMax campaign will be replacing two other campaign types: Local campaigns and Smart Shopping campaigns.
For those of you already utilizing these tools, Google has provided a self-upgrading tool which was made available in September 2022.
But, if you’re not ready to make the switch, Google Ads will automatically migrate your campaigns over to Performance Max in 2023 – though a specific date for this process hasn’t been determined yet.
So, keep an eye out for any Google Ads update announcements that may affect your advertising strategies.
7. Expand your Smart Bidding campaigns with Broad Match
Last but not least, the Google Ads update you should know is a combination of Smart Bidding campaigns and Broad Match.
Google’s Smart Bidding offers incredible account growth with its machine learning technology and automation, which can take into consideration hundreds of signals that manual bidding would otherwise have lacked.
As more data is collected by Google’s automation and machine learning technology, it increases the potential for desired conversions.
It’s no wonder then that they suggest utilizing Broad Match keywords to optimize the gathering of data faster, which can be found in the “Recommendations” admin tab.
With fewer exceptions than ever before, there really is no stronger recommendation than Google’s Smart Bidding strategy when it comes to maximizing account growth and potential conversions.
On the other hand, by combining Smart Bidding with broad match keywords, you can maximize optimization without having to segment the bids by match type.
The bidding system provided by Google Ads has advanced capabilities that enable it to assess queries on an individual basis and adjust bids accordingly in order to reach desired performance metrics.
This is especially advantageous when it comes to broad match keywords due to its invaluable learning capabilities as it can find additional actions that lead to further growth objectives.
8. Switch from Universal to Google Analytics 4
In 2023, Google Ads experienced a significant transition with the switch from Universal Analytics to Google Analytics 4. This major update marked the moment when Google Analytics 4 supplanted Universal Analytics as the primary analytics platform.
One important date to remember is July 1, 2023, as it signified a crucial milestone in this transition.
On this date, all standard Universal Analytics properties ceased to process data, prompting advertisers and businesses to adapt to the new Google Analytics 4 framework to continue tracking and analyzing their digital marketing efforts effectively.
This transformation underlined the importance of staying up-to-date with evolving analytics tools to optimize Google Ads campaigns and ensure accurate data-driven decision-making in the ever-changing landscape of digital advertising.
9. New campaign types (beta)
Exciting news! Google Ads is launching two new campaign types to address your specific needs:
- video views and
- demand generation.
Video View Campaigns are meticulously crafted to maximize your view count and supercharge your campaign’s performance.
This campaign type seamlessly blends a diverse array of ad formats, including skippable in-stream ads, in-feed ads, and Shorts ads, ensuring your audience stays engaged and captivated.
Demand Generation Campaigns are powered by cutting-edge AI technology, designed to resonate with consumers across platforms such as YouTube, Discover, and Gmail placements.
10. Brand-New Ads Transparency Center
This innovative addition serves as a comprehensive repository for all ads served by verified advertisers. It’s like having a backstage pass to the world of online ads, tailored to your needs.
Imagine you’re scrolling through your favourite website, and you come across an intriguing skincare product ad. The catch? You’ve never heard of the brand before.
Questions start swirling in your mind. Is this brand reputable? Have they run other ads? Is this the latest campaign, or have they been advertising for a while? The Ads Transparency Center provides answers to all these queries and more.
With just a few clicks, you can unveil the mystery behind the ad.
You’ll have access to invaluable information, such as the complete ad history of the advertiser, which regions their ads were shown in, and even the ad’s format.
It’s a game-changer for consumers looking for transparency and confidence in their online interactions.
11. Updates in Looker Studio
Looker Studio, the dynamic hub for data reporting, has unleashed a substantial system upgrade, introducing a whopping 170 new fields for reporting purposes.
This transformative product update promises to revolutionize the way you craft your Looker Studio reports, offering deeper insights and enhanced precision.
However, there’s a catch – unlocking this treasure trove of data requires a crucial step: refreshing your GA4 data sources.
Among the treasure trove of new fields, some are undeniably game-changers.
- Want to dive deeper into your ad performance? You can now scrutinize metrics like Ads clicks and cost.
- Interested in user engagement? Discover insights with Average session duration.
- Want to pinpoint where your audience is landing and where they’re coming from? The new Landing page and Page referrer fields are your new allies.
But the innovations don’t stop there. You can now delve into Session and user conversion rates, track Session conversion rates by event name, and even slice and dice data with time dimensions like hour or week.
The possibilities for refining your reporting are endless.
It’s worth highlighting a significant shift: the new Google Analytics 4 data sources are now directly linked to the GA4 API.
Previously, GA4 data sources adhered to a fixed schema with predefined fields. Now, with the revamped integration, you have the flexibility to refresh fields within an existing data source to tap into the wealth of data made available by the GA4 API.
How to track and apply these Google Ads updates?
Staying up-to-date on the latest Google Ads updates is essential for any online business.
In order to stay ahead of the curve and make sure your Google Ads campaigns are successful, it’s important to be aware of any changes or updates that might be coming down the line.
For 2023, there are a few key updates you should keep in mind, which we’ve outlined in this blog post.
If you have any questions about how these updates might affect your campaigns or need help getting started with Google Ads, our team of experts is always here to help.
Thank you for reading!
