If you're an active Google AdWords user, you'll be (should be) well aware of Google's rollout of the new expanded text adverts (ETAs). After 15 years of 25-35-35, we're now being forced to use 30-30-80 and you'll notice that when you try to edit an advert in your account, you'll no longer have the option of switching back to standard adverts. Now is the time to start updating all of your adverts to the new layout and today we want to walk you through the new 30-30-80 layout.
When creating a new advert, you'll be given a form with a similar layout to the following. It doesn't look too different at the end of the day, but a number of factors have changed and we've put them down on paper for you below.
#1 Final URL
The Final URL is the actual link on a website that a person will arrive on when they click the advert.
#2 Headline 1
The first thing to notice is that there are two headlines, the first one highlighted in yellow below and consisting of 30 characters instead of the previous 25 characters. This provides advertisers with the ability to create a more prominent headline, but also creates challenges when converting old adverts to new. The important thing to remember is that you do not need to use all 30 characters so you could literally keep the old headlines as is.
#3 Headline 2
The second thing to notice that is there is a second headline now, also consisting of 30 characters as highlighted below. This is another reason why the new headline provides the ability to make an advert more prominent. The important thing for us here is that by having short headlines (1 and 2), the advert doesn't wrap and the forced hyphen can make an advert look great. Below is an example of what it looks like when all the characters are used and Google forces the wrap.
#4 Description
The new description is 80 characters long! That's more than double and almost triple what we've had available to us until now. The description is now one consolidated line rather than the previous two. A lot more characters doesn't necessarily mean better, when searchers are scanning results pages, it's important to make your adverts clean and clear so that they are easy to consume.
#5 The Path
The Path is a new inclusion which allows you to include the path to the page that the person is going to arrive on when they click the advert, similar to that of the Display URL in the previous text adverts.
The Path may also be used for some advanced features:
So long 25-35-35, we'll miss you but we welcome your 30-30-80 replacement! Let us know how your campaigns are performing with the upgrade?
#2 Headline 1
The first thing to notice is that there are two headlines, the first one highlighted in yellow below and consisting of 30 characters instead of the previous 25 characters. This provides advertisers with the ability to create a more prominent headline, but also creates challenges when converting old adverts to new. The important thing to remember is that you do not need to use all 30 characters so you could literally keep the old headlines as is.
#3 Headline 2
The second thing to notice that is there is a second headline now, also consisting of 30 characters as highlighted below. This is another reason why the new headline provides the ability to make an advert more prominent. The important thing for us here is that by having short headlines (1 and 2), the advert doesn't wrap and the forced hyphen can make an advert look great. Below is an example of what it looks like when all the characters are used and Google forces the wrap.
#4 Description
The new description is 80 characters long! That's more than double and almost triple what we've had available to us until now. The description is now one consolidated line rather than the previous two. A lot more characters doesn't necessarily mean better, when searchers are scanning results pages, it's important to make your adverts clean and clear so that they are easy to consume.
#5 The Path
The Path is a new inclusion which allows you to include the path to the page that the person is going to arrive on when they click the advert, similar to that of the Display URL in the previous text adverts.
The Path may also be used for some advanced features:
So long 25-35-35, we'll miss you but we welcome your 30-30-80 replacement! Let us know how your campaigns are performing with the upgrade?