Do you often find yourself frustrated with the low character count allowed by Google AdWords? That might change soon, as Google is currently beta testing a new layout for text ads that search engine marketers are raving about. The new layout – termed “Expanded Text Ads” – allows text-based ads with longer headlines and greater display URL flexibility.
Increased Headlines & Display URLs
For search engine marketers, the most exciting aspect of the new format is the new character count placed on headlines. This was made possible when Google got rid of right-column ads, shifting all ad content to the much wider mainline of SERPs.
Because of this change, Google currently allows longer headlines, but only under certain display conditions. The problem is that Google creates longer headlines for you, which it does by adding the first line of your ad’s main copy to the headline.
There are a few problems with this system. First, Google does not create a longer headline if you have not entered a punctuation mark that separates the two sections. Second, it reduces the amount of ad copy in your ad. Third, it places limits on the kind of headlines and copy you can write.
Google’s new tested format fixes all of these issues. Headline length is extended to 70 characters, and search engine marketers have control over what goes into all of those characters. Even better, Google doesn’t need to steal part of your ad’s main copy to create the headline, so all parts of your ad display in full. In fact, ad copy is now a single, longer field instead of two short fields, opening up new possibilities for the kinds of copy search engine marketers can write.
These is also a little bit of added flexibility for your display URLs. Search engine marketers can now enter a second path or directory to their ads. So a display URL that previously ended with “/HDTVs” can now end “/HDTVs/Megasale”. This gives search engine marketers a little bit of extra room to entice potential leads.
Google Mum on Possible Rollout
While search engine marketers are eager to try out the new format, it may be a while before most of them can do so. Google’s test is in closed beta, with a limited number of participants. Right now, Google is not giving any information about when new participants might be allowed to join the test, or what a timeline might look like for a full rollout of the new ad format.
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