By now, you’ve probably heard of Google’s new responsive search ads (RSAs). What are they? How do they work? Can you have multiple campaigns in one ad group? Are there any best practices? Here are five tips to help you optimize your responsive search ads!
What are they?
A responsive search ad (RSA) is a new type of AdWords ad that enables you to create, manage, and serve ads that automatically respond to changes in your website’s text. These ads appear on search results pages alongside other text ads. Once you add an ad, you can edit it as often as you’d like.
How do they work?
First of all, RSA’s are a relatively new offering from Google, and they essentially allow you to serve a different ad to desktop users than mobile users. In other words, if your business is best suited for mobile visitors (like an electrician), and you’re concerned that desktop users may click on your ads while searching with their phone, then RSAs are a great option.
Can you have multiple campaigns in one ad group?
A single ad group can contain multiple campaigns and one or more ad schedules. What’s best for you will depend on your specific business goals. Use our tips to find out how to set up your responsive search ads to deliver better results for your business.
These 5 tips will help you to Optimize Your Google Responsive Search Ads:
1) Avoid Direct Calls-to-Action
When people are searching for something online, they’re often in a very specific frame of mind. They’re looking for information on a topic and typically have no intention of buying something right then and there. If you put an immediate call-to-action on your responsive search ads, it can seem like you’re trying to force them into a buying decision before they’ve even decided if you have to offer what they need or want. By avoiding direct calls-to-action with responsive search ads, you can appeal to people who may not be ready to buy just yet. And that means more opportunities for sales in the long run.
2) Choose the Right Keywords
Optimizing your responsive search ads will require a little research on your part. Start by choosing keywords that make sense and are relevant to your business. Use Google Keyword Planner to find keywords with high search volume and low competition. If you aren’t sure what keywords would work best for your business, you can reach out to an SEO professional to help you figure it out or just run a test ad campaign using broad, long-tail keywords. You don’t have anything to lose, which could pay off in the end!
3) Use Multiple Ad Variations to Test, Test, Test
One of the benefits of RSA is that you can add several lines of text to each ad and use them as a call-to-action. The line above your main headline should be top of funnel or trial offer related. The larger body copy beneath it should be used to explain more about your product/service with a more detailed CTA. Please don’t underestimate how important testing is, especially regarding responsive search ads on Google. Use A/B testing software (Google Experiments is free) and split test different headlines, CTAs, and page descriptions for best results.
4) Keep it Visually Appealing
Responsive search ads (RSAs) are an alternative to expanding text ads that can be served on desktop and mobile devices. Both ads share certain characteristics, such as adding your brand logo and color scheme; however, some elements are specific to responsive search ads. Keep it visually appealing by including a photo, relevant images, or graphics (depending on whether your ad targets mobile or desktop) and having text organized in a way that makes sense when viewed on a smaller screen. Google offers several templates to make it even easier for you to create winning responsive search ads.
5) Target Visitors in Specific Geographic Locations
You have some options when you choose to target users in specific locations. If you know where most potential customers live, then targeting those regions is a good idea. But if your business caters to a national audience or location isn’t a big factor for your customers, then it may not be worth limiting yourself in that way. Remember that locations are tied to campaigns and can be adjusted at any time during optimization or by changing budgeting and bids. This allows you to refine your geographic targeting over time and ensure it fits within ROI goals.
Summary:
Online advertising offers many options for advertisers, and new features and strategies are seen every year. As 2022 comes to a close, it’s important to consider which search advertising features are best for your business now and what features could benefit you in 2023. These features include responsive search ads (RSA), enhanced campaigns, and ad extensions. By utilizing these components on your site, you can optimize it so that it stays relevant throughout various mobile device sizes while still being seen on Google searches. These five tips will help you begin using responsive search ads in 2022. Follow these tips to ensure your advertising strategy is ready for next year’s changes and updates.