New Google Search AI features to help you plan, research and learn

Tags

Search Engine Land

Google is adding new AI-powered search features to Google Search and in Google Search Labs, in addition to rolling out AI Overviews to searchers in the U.S. this week.

The new AI-powered features include the ability to adjust AI Overviews, multistep reasoning capabilities, planning capabilities, AI-organized search results and a new Google Lens ask-with-video feature. The new capabilities require users to opt-in.

Adjusting AI Overviews

Coming to Search Labs is the ability to adjust the AI Overviews to “simplify the language or break it down in more detail,” Liz Reid, the head of Google Search, explained. Clicking on “Simplier” will give users a more basic AI Overview response; clicking on “Break it down” will provide a much more detailed response.

This functionality refines search results without requiring multiple searches in the same search session.

Here is how it looks:

Refining AI Overviews is coming soon to Search Labs for English-language queries in the U.S.

Multistep reasoning capability

Google Search can now provide multistep reasoning using Gemini step-by-step reasoning logic. “Rather than breaking your question into multiple searches, you can ask your most complex questions, with all the nuances and caveats you have in mind, all in one go,” Reid wrote.

The example provided by Google below demonstrates how multistep reasoning works. The example shows when you’re searching for a new yoga or pilates studio, that is popular in your community, conveniently located for your daily commute, and that also offers a discount for new members. You can ask Google Search to “find the best yoga or pilates studios in Boston and show details on their intro offers and walking time from Beacon Hill.”

Here is how it looks:

Multistep reasoning is also coming soon to Search Labs, for English queries in the U.S.

Planning capabilities

The planning capabilities feature gives you the ability to plan what you need directly in Google Search. This will give you choices and the ability to co-create plans with others, it will show you links to recipes across the web, you can export those results, and replace specific plan details with another option within the various plan set. Plus it is not just showing you search results but planning them with you along the way with you.

For example, you can search for “create a 3 day meal plan for a group that’s easy to prepare,” and you’ll get a starting point with a wide range of recipes from across the web. You can swap out parts of the plan, as you wish and then export them to Google Docs or Gmail.

Here is how it looks:

Planning is coming to parties, date night and workouts in Search Labs later this year within the U.S.

AI-organized search results

Google Search will use AI to group the search results into specific categories. This will help you brainstorm options for your query, Hema Budaraju, the Senior Director of Product, Search Generative Experience, Google told us.  You will be given search results “categorized under unique, AI-generated headlines, featuring a wide range of perspectives and content types,” Google wrote.

Here is how AI-organized search results will appear:

This functionality will roll out for dining and recipes, followed by movies, music, books, hotels, shopping and more later this year directly in Google Search for U.S. English results. It is not available as a Google Search Labs opt-in feature.

Lens search with video

Lens search with video enables users to record a video and ask questions while recording; Google will respond to based on the questions asked. “We’re able to take visual search to a whole new level, with the ability to ask questions with video,” Reid said.

This reminds me of Multisearch with images and Circle to search but with video.

Here is how this will work when it goes live later this year.

Searching with video will be available soon for Search Labs users in English in the U.S.

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/new-google-search-ai-features-to-help-you-plan-research-and-learn-440468

Google rolls out AI Overviews in US with more countries coming soon

Tags

Search Engine Land

AI Overviews is rolling out to all US based searchers in Google Search, making AI Overviews available to hundreds of millions of searchers by next week, Liz Reid, the company’s new head of Search, announced at Google I/O. AI Overviews will launch in more countries soon and be available to more than a billion users by the end of the year.

Hema Budaraju, the Senior Director of Product, Search Generative Experience, Google, told us that the link cards within AI Overviews generate a higher click-through rate than traditional web search results. However, Google will not break down impressions and click data for AI Overview links in Google Search Console.

In addition to AI Overviews, Google is rolling out new Search Labs AI features, including multistep reasoning capabilities, planning capabilities, AI-organized search results, and a new Google Lens ask-with-video feature.

What are AI Overviews? AI Overviews was introduced as part of the Search Generative Experience last May 2023. It was opt-in within the Google Search Labs, until Google began testing AI Overviews in the wild for a subset of users in March 2024.

AI Overviews gives answers to queries using generative AI technology powered by Google Gemini. It provides a few snippets of an answer based on its understanding of queries and the content it found on the topic across the web.

Here is a GIF of how AI Overviews look in Google Search:

Limited queries. You won’t see AI Overviews for all your searches. AI Overviews are reserved to answer more complex questions where Google feels it can add value beyond the search results, Budaraju told us. If AI Overview doesn’t add value to what Google Search shows by default, Google will not show an AI Overview.

Google would not say what percentage of queries will generate an AI Overview. I asked numerous times and was told, “we won’t share those figures.”

I asked if we would see AI Overviews only when ads are not displayed, and I was told, that was not the case. The types of queries AI Overviews will show for have “less to do with ads” and more to do with adding value to the search results, Budaraju said. Reid wrote, “As always, ads will continue to appear in dedicated slots throughout the page, with clear labeling to distinguish between organic and sponsored results.”

Google may show AI Overviews for health, medical and financial queries – the YMYL (your money, your life) queries.

A recent study concluded Google is showing fewer AI Overviews since testing began a year ago. Plus, Onley shared similar data showing AI Overviews showing up a lot less often recently.

Clicks. We speculated that when Google launches AI Overviews and SGE (by the way, AI Overview graduated from SGE and Labs, so we should call these AI Overviews and not SGE, Google told me), that Google would only launch them for queries that would not hurt its ad performance and revenue.

Budaraju told us that the click through rate on the AI Overview link cards are actually higher than the click through rate on normal web results, similar to what we saw for featured snippets, she said.

AI Overview impressions in Search Console. Google will begin reporting AI Overview impressions and clicks in its Search Console reporting, but won’t distinguish those generated by traditional search and AI Overview. Google will lump them all together, Budaraju said. There will be no way to see if your site was referenced in just AI Overviews, if there was an impression for just AI Overviews, and a click for just AI Overviews.

This approach is similar to Microsoft’s use of Copilot in Bing Search, formerly known as Bing Chat. Bing Webmaster Tools lumped the impressions and clicks for Copilot with normal web search clicks. This is how Google handles showing (or not showing) featured snippets in Search Console, despite creating a filter for it in 2016 but never launching it to the public.

To me, this makes me feel Google (and Bing) are hiding something from content creators. That the clicks and CTR from these AI powered answers may not generate a healthy click through rate to publishers. I mean, why else won’t they show those details?

When AI Overviews get it wrong. Just like any new technology, things can go wrong. We recently saw AI Overviews advise you to drink urine to pass a kidney stone, Google removed that response within 24-hours. In the past, we saw examples of how the old featured snippets got it wrong.

Searchers can report harmful and inaccurate AI Overviews by clicking on the three dots at the top of the AI Overview. AI Overviews results are likely to improve over time, displaying fewer inaccuracies, just like we saw with featured snippets when those first launched.

Opt out. Since AI Overviews are a search feature, the only way to opt your site out of showing up in the AI Overviews is through normal search controls. That means blocking your site from showing up in Google Search completely, either through robots.txt, meta tag controls or other means.

Searchers do not have a way to opt out of these AI Overviews at the momemnt.

Featured snippets. Featured snippets are not going away. They will continue to show up on the search results even with these new AI Overviews. Some thought AI Overviews would be a replacement for featured snippets, but at this point, Google told us featured snippets will continue to show up in the Google Search results.

Ads. Google Ads will host its Google Marketing Live (GML) event on May 21st. I am sure they will announce a lot of ad based features at that time (more on GML here).

“Innovation and improvements to the user experience on Search have historically opened up new opportunities for advertisers. We saw this when we successfully navigated from desktop to mobile,” a Google spokesperson told Search Engine Land. Google expanded, “As we use generative AI to expand the types of questions we can help people with and serve new intents in Search, we see this also opening up new opportunities for ads to be helpful and businesses to connect with customers.”

Google also said that “People are finding ads either above or below AI Overviews helpful. And we’re continuing to experiment with new ad formats, including Search and Shopping ads alongside Search results in AI Overviews.”

Why we care. Like it or not, AI Overviews are rolling out to searchers this week in the US and to more countries later this year. Will it always be perfect? Nope, but this is the next evolution of Google Search.

Google has been testing them for the past year, telling us that they served billions of queries using generative AI. The company claims people are clicking to a greater diversity of websites thanks to AI Overviews and that users “love the answers” they are providing.

“This is all made possible by a new Gemini model customized for Google Search. It brings together Gemini’s advanced capabilities — including multi-step reasoning, planning and multimodality — with our best-in-class Search systems,” Reid said.

And there’s more to come. Google added a bunch of new AI features to Google Search Labs including:

• Multistep reasoning capabilities
• Planning capabilities in Google Search
• AI organized search results
• Google Lens Ask with Video

You can learn more on these new features over here.

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/google-rolls-out-ai-overviews-in-us-with-more-countries-coming-soon-440418

10 powerful reasons to enter the Search Engine Land Awards

Tags

Search Engine Land

Now, more than ever, it is critical for brands and agencies to stand out against the competition. Being able to call your company “award-winning” is one of the most powerful differentiators you can have.

That’s just one amazing reason to enter the 2024 Search Engine Land Awards. Keep reading for more.

Deadline alert: Super Early Bird rates expire at the end of this month! Submit your entry by Friday, May 24 for just $395 — $300 off final rates!

1. Showcase exceptional work. The campaigns and initiatives you feature in your application will demonstrate to the judges, the community, and the industry at large just how talented you and your team are.
2. Generate new business. Customers and clients want to work with the best in the biz. And when you take home a Search Engine Land Award, that’s exactly what you’ll be.
3. Dazzle existing clients and customers. New work aside, your existing contacts will be thrilled to tell their circle they’re associated with an award-winning company.
4. Boost company morale. Winning a Search Engine Land Award is a wonderful way to put the spotlight on your hardworking colleagues and praise them for their tremendous work. You’ll ride those good vibes for years to come.
5. Earn international recognition. Search Engine Land Award winners — like Search Engine Land readers — come from all corners of the earth. When you win, you’ll be in the company of some of the world’s most exceptional organizations.
6. Savor legit bragging rights. New business is terrific. Industry praise is humbling. Bragging to friends, family, and your entire LinkedIn network is no less a well-deserved perk!
7. Wave from the front page of Search Engine Land. As a Search Engine Land Award winner, you’ll be featured in editorial coverage on Search Engine Land, the industry publication of record.
8. Enjoy potential speaking opportunities at Search Marketing Expo. Search Engine Land Award winners are often invited to speak at our sister conference, SMX — yet another opportunity to showcase your expertise and boost brand awareness.
9. Display a stunning trophy. Because, at the end of the day, who doesn’t love something beautiful and shiny to look at?
10. Take home the highest honor in search. This is your field. This is your career. This is your chance. You deserve it.

What are you waiting for?Super Early Bird entry fees are $395 per application — and you can submit to as many categoriesas you like. But hurry! This exclusive rate expires next Friday, May 24. Begin your application today! 

Our judges look forward to reviewing your work. Best of luck to you and your team!

 

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/search-engine-land-awards-news-383667

Technical SEO tips to master Google core updates by Digital Marketing Depot

Tags

Search Engine Land

Unpredictable Google core updates can wreak havoc on your website traffic, leaving you struggling to keep up with the ever-changing search landscape. But what if you could future-proof your online presence and skyrocket your search rankings – even during the most volatile algorithm changes?

This in-depth white paper reveals the essential technical SEO strategies you need to future-proof your online presence and skyrocket your search rankings – even during the most volatile algorithm changes.

Visit Digital Marketing Depot to download Technical SEO Tips to Master Google Core Updates.

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/technical-seo-tips-to-master-google-core-updates-440484

How to build a custom GPT to redefine keyword research

Tags

Search Engine Land

A new era of customized AI models is emerging. Known as custom GPTs (generative pre-trained transformers), these tools enable SEO professionals to harness the capabilities of language models like ChatGPT and tailor them to their unique processes and philosophies. 

This article covers the benefits of custom GPTs and provides a step-by-step guide to building your own “Striking Distance Keyword Opportunity Analyzer” – a GPT specifically designed to identify high-potential keyword opportunities that align with your website’s existing rankings. 

From plugins to custom GPTs

The arrival of GPT-4, available in ChatGPT Plus, ushered in a new era with the introduction of plugins. These add-ons extended the functionalities of the already robust language model, integrating it with third-party tools.

This integration allowed ChatGPT to perform previously unachievable tasks, such as syncing with Google Sheets for extensive keyword data analysis or using Noteable for data manipulation in shared databases.

However, ChatGPT plugins had their limitations. They offered one-size-fits-all approaches that often struggled to handle the intricacies of specific niches and complex SEO activities. 

With the sunsetting of ChatGPT’s plugins, custom GPTs took center stage. Unlike plugins, GPTs are standalone AI models, each designed from the ground up to meet specific requirements. These models are not just about extending functionality; they create unique solutions finely tuned to the tasks at hand.

Imagine having a dedicated SEO GPT that can understand industry jargon and best practices while leveraging built-in features like DALL-E image generation or Advanced Data Analysis to consume and analyze large data sets. This level of customization unlocks a whole new realm of possibilities in SEO workflows. 

Building your competitive edge: Why SEOs need custom GPTs

Pre-built GPTs can be both impressive and powerful. The GPT library is filled with GPTs built by SEOs and designed to handle complex initiatives like keyword ideation and analysis, content brief creation, on-page analysis and more. But here’s the secret sauce: SEO isn’t just about automation; it’s an art form honed by your unique approach.

That’s where custom GPTs come in. Imagine having an AI partner specifically designed to understand your SEO philosophy. You’ve poured years into crafting your niche expertise; now, a custom GPT can leverage that knowledge. It becomes an extension of your strategic thinking, analyzing data through the lens of your unique approach to SEO.

This isn’t about replacing your expertise; it’s about amplifying it. Custom GPTs become tireless assistants, automating mundane tasks and freeing you to focus on the strategic nuances that make you a standout SEO.

Dig deeper: 9 of the best custom GPTs for SEO in the GPT store

From theory to practice: Building a real-world GPT

Imagine a custom GPT specifically designed to identify high-potential keyword opportunities within striking distance of your website’s rankings.

This “striking distance” keyword opportunity analyzer would be a powerful tool, saving you time and effort in uncovering hidden SEO gems. Better yet, you can build this tool based on your unique approach to SEO and you don’t need to be a programmer to do it.

Here’s a glimpse into how we might build this custom GPT using ChatGPT’s conversational GPT builder. This innovative platform takes the complexity out of custom GPT development. ChatGPT’s builder has a user-friendly interface that feels more like a conversation than coding. 

You simply interact with the platform, providing clear instructions and training data and the builder guides you through the process step-by-step.

This intuitive approach makes building custom GPTs accessible to SEO professionals of all technical backgrounds, allowing you to harness the power of AI regardless of your coding experience.

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

Subscribe
 Processing…

See terms.

---

1. Identifying the goal: Setting your sights

We begin by clearly defining the GPT’s purpose. In this case, we want it to analyze your website’s existing keyword rankings and identify keywords where you’re already ranking on the second or third page of search results (striking distance).

These keywords represent low-hanging fruit with the potential to drive significant traffic by boosting rankings to the top of the SERPs with focused SEO efforts.

2. Naming and appearance: A touch of personality

Next, we choose a name that reflects the GPT’s function – Striking Distance Keyword Opportunity Analyzer. We can even leverage DALL-E to generate a creative image visually representing this concept.

3. Training the knowledge vault: Feeding the machine

This is where our expertise comes into play. We’ll provide the GPT with a curated set of training data, including:

Sample datasets

We’ll feed the GPT a sample Semrush ranking data export to train it on the inputs to expect and what to do with them. Define position, volume, URL and other fields the GPT will need to analyze in the uploaded datasets.

Specific SEO expertise

This is our secret sauce. What makes our GPT unique is the expertise we add to it. We’ll share our distinct approach to SEO analysis as it relates to striking distance exploration. 

Make sure your training data includes:

• Your unique SEO perspective.
• How you define striking distance keywords.
• Why striking distance keywords are a good SEO opportunity.

Expected output

By providing details on the exact output we expect (e.g., .csv file, table format, specific columns), the GPT can perform the analysis as intended, delivering actionable insights from the start. 

Be as detailed as possible – outline every column you want included, how the GPT should calculate or analyze data and how you want the results prioritized. 

For example, if your site has 200 pages with striking distance opportunities, define how the GPT should prioritize them.  

Remember, the quality and relevance of your training data are paramount. While providing enough data is important, focus on curated high-quality information that aligns with your specific SEO approach and your expected outcome.

Configuration tweaks

By default, the GPT builder does not activate Advanced Data Analysis, which is necessary for reading and analyzing .csv files.

Once you have closed your training data, click the Configure tab and select Advanced Data Analysis as a capability.

4. Refining your GPT through testing

The GPT Builder utilizes a conversational interface to build on the left side, with a test environment on the right side. This allows you to iterate on your GPT while testing. 

You may need to refine your training data based on the GPT’s performance. View this as an ongoing conversation with your GPT, constantly refining its knowledge to maximize its potential as your SEO superpower. It took me 20+ iterations to get the output to match my expectations.

Also, consider comparing the GPT’s output with your own analysis. This will allow you to adjust its training data until it meets your expectations.

5. Unleashing your SEO superpower: The power of ‘like-minded’ analysis

Congratulations! You’ve built a custom-trained Striking Distance Keyword Opportunity Analyzer to reflect your unique SEO approach.

This GPT becomes your SEO partner, identifying high-potential keywords that might fly under the radar of traditional tools. It analyzes data through the lens of your expertise, saving you time and effort in uncovering hidden SEO gems.

Now, the power is in your hands. You can choose to publish your GPT to the library for all users to benefit from, keep it for yourself, or make it available to anyone who has the direct link.

Efficiency and expertise combined

Custom GPTs are powerful because they supercharge your SEO workflow, combining the efficiency of automation with the power of your unique SEO expertise.

Sure, you could recreate this analysis with a complex spreadsheet, but it would be time-consuming and error-prone. The custom GPT, however, has freed you from the tedious task of building the analysis, allowing you to focus on strategic SEO implementation. 

This doesn’t replace your expertise; it amplifies it, making you a more efficient and effective SEO. Don’t fear the “robot revolution” – embrace it as a tool to empower your SEO skills and achieve greater results.

Bonus: The Striking Distance Keyword Opportunity Analyzer we built here is now live in the GPT library within ChatGPT. 

Dig deeper: GPT-4 vs. Google Cloud: Performance comparison on 9 SEO tasks

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/build-custom-gpt-redefine-keyword-research-440431

Google RSAs in 2024: Everything you need to know

Tags

Search Engine Land

Responsive search ads (RSAs) are the bread and butter of Google Ads search campaigns. Launched in 2018 and originally a beta ad format, RSAs became the default ad format for search campaigns on June 30, 2022, when Google sunsetted Expanded Text Ads (ETAs).

The magic behind RSAs is that by providing multiple headlines and descriptions, Google Ads will test different combinations and determine which combinations work best. These combinations are also tailored to better match the search term of the individual searcher, providing ad content flexibility and improving relevancy.

Most PPC advertisers have transitioned away from using ETAs, and RSAs have become standard practice. However, there have been updates to RSAs you must be aware of. Here’s a rundown of everything you should know about RSAs in 2024.

3 headlines and 2 descriptions: A thing of the past

The concept of your RSAs displaying three headlines and two descriptions has gone out the window, with Google Ads recently shaking up how RSAs can appear in search results.

Single-headline ads are popping up more frequently in search results, and the system sometimes chooses to add a headline and the beginning of the description line.

What assets appear and where are based on whether or not the system predicts that performance will be improved by moving away from the “original” three headlines and two description format.

Above: An example of a Search ad with only one Headline and a headline featuring at the beginning of the description line.

This takes more control away from the advertiser, as how RSAs appear can never be guaranteed. The responsive nature of this ad format means you don’t control which combinations are shown either. 

As such, make sure your ads are coherent in any order and with any number of headlines and descriptions. For example, a sentence should not need to be covered over two descriptions, which would mean that both would need to appear and in the right order for it to make sense.

Dig deeper: Craft winning paid search ads: 4 best practices

Ad strength: The great debate

Ad strength is a diagnostic tool for advertisers to see how their RSA scores in terms of relevance, diversity of assets and quality. It can be found either by adding the Ad Strength column to your ads page, or in a blue box at the top of the box when creating or editing a RSA.

Above: When creating or editing a RSA, an Ad Strength score will show at the top of the box.

Ad strength provides a score (either Incomplete, Poor, Average, Good or Excellent); the higher the score, the more likely the system thinks the ad will be effective.

Google also provides recommendations and ideas on optimizing your ads to improve the score, such as including popular keywords and adding additional headlines.

After much online discussion, in April 2024, Google’s Ginny Marvin confirmed that Ad Strength is not used by Ad Rank, meaning that a low-scoring ad could still perform well. This was following concerns that a low Ad Strength would impact Ad Rank and, therefore, reduce visibility.

While Ad strength is not used for Ad Rank, improving the relevance and diversity of assets facilitates more combination creations, which opens up the opportunity to show more relevant ads in more auctions. 

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

Subscribe
 Processing…

See terms.

---

To pin or not to pin

There’s been an ongoing debate about whether pinning headlines and descriptions helps or hurts RSA performance. Case studies offer differing opinions, with some saying pinning boosts performance, while others report decreased visibility and CTR when they try it.

However, the general consensus is that pinning can impact the system’s ability to create effective asset combinations. The system is being instructed to put certain assets in certain positions, reducing its flexibility and responsiveness. Remember to pin sparingly and strategically whenever possible.

Advertisers might choose to pin assets despite the limitations it imposes because they want their company name in every ad, need to include a legal disclaimer or have strong historical data showing that an asset performs well for the account.

Campaign-level RSA assets

Another update from the beginning of 2024 is the ability to apply up to three headlines and two descriptions at a campaign level. This means these assets will be eligible to appear in any RSA within that campaign.

Above: Headlines and Descriptions can now be added at a campaign level

You can also pin these assets in certain positions and give them a start and end date, making them perfect for promotional periods or seasonal content. 

Asset and combination performance report

While sadly not as thorough as most advertisers would like them to be, there are performance reports available for both individual assets and combinations.

To locate them, go to Campaigns > Ads > View asset details (Please note these instructions are based on the new interface design.)

Under the Assets section, you can find information including:

• How many impressions an asset has had during the set time.
• A Performance column, which compares how the asset performs compared to others of the same type within that ad group and rates it either Low, Good or Best. 

If the rating is Learning, then that means that it still needs to receive more impressions to be ranked, usually around the 2,000-impression mark. 

This report can help you identify which assets need to be improved or replaced based on your impression performance. 

Under the Combinations section, you can see what types of asset combinations have been created and how many Impressions they have had.

This is a great opportunity to check your assets, as it allows you to see how they may be appearing in searches — and sometimes, the results can be unexpected.

Google Ads RSAs: The latest updates and best practices

While the foundation of responsive search ads hasn’t changed since they were launched, there have been plenty of developments in the background regarding reporting and best practices.

As Google Ads continues to emphasize the importance of AI-powered search, it will be interesting to see what the next few years will hold for search ads.

Dig deeper: 7 ways to elevate your responsive search ads

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/google-rsas-everything-you-need-to-know-440449

Hershey’s recipe for advertising success: Unified clean room measurement by Liveramp

Tags

Search Engine Land

Clean rooms are becoming essential for today’s marketers, offering access to critical advertising data and powerful customer insights. But not all clean rooms are created equal.

Join the upcoming LiveRamp webinar Sweet Success: Hershey’s Recipe to Improve Advertising Effectiveness to hear how Hershey’s drives growth with data clean rooms as a key ingredient for unified measurement and insights. You’ll learn how Hershey’s uses data clean rooms to:  

• Build templated queries and visualizations to scale distributed analytics across walled garden clean rooms – optimizing reach, media spend, and sales 
• Gain secure access to high-value datasets across retail media, social, and CTV partners for smarter insights, activation, and measurement 
• Seamlessly connect to any partner, across any cloud – unifying measurement across its advertising network

Webinar:  Sweet Success: Hershey’s Recipe to Improve Advertising Effectiveness

Date: May 22, 2024 
Time: 11 am  PT / 2 pm  ET

Save your spot now

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/hersheys-recipe-for-advertising-success-unified-clean-room-measurement-440320

Google limits functionality of suspended ads accounts

Tags

Search Engine Land

Google is rolling out restrictions for suspended Google Ads accounts, limiting the actions advertisers can take while their accounts are suspended. Restrictions will be implemented in June 2024.

Why we care. The restrictions could frustrate some advertisers wanting full access during suspension periods.

What’s new? The functionality of suspended accounts will be narrowed to a few key areas like billing, appeals/verification, security settings and account navigation. Other actions like editing campaigns, creating new assets or making changes to suspended entities will be disabled.

Why it matters. The change gives Google more control over suspended accounts, while still allowing advertisers limited access to make payments, download reports and dispute suspensions.

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

Subscribe
 Processing…

See terms.

---

Only these actions are permitted for suspended accounts:

• Billing (make payments, download tax docs, update payment method)
• Account settings (cancel account, claim refunds) 
• Appeals and verification processes
• Update security settings
• Navigate the account, read info, download reports

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/google-limits-functionality-of-suspended-ads-accounts-440472

Ad format preferences land in Google Demand Gen campaigns

Tags

Search Engine Land

New creative controls for video ads that allow advertisers to dictate where their videos appear across Google’s different ad formats are being introduced for Demand Gen campaigns. They have been released in beta.

Why we care. Assigning video assets to specific formats (e.g. in-stream, in-feed or Shorts) gives marketers more control over the amplification of their brand storytelling. It enables advertisers to select the best format for their brand.

How it works. With the flexible ad format preferences, you can anchor video assets to one of three ad formats:

• In-stream: Video plays before, during or after other videos. Skippable after 5 seconds.
• In-feed: Appears in YouTube’s home/search feeds, Google Discover, and Gmail.
• Shorts: YouTube’s short-form video feed. Users can skip any time.

Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.

Business email address

Subscribe
 Processing…

See terms.

---

To set preferences:

1. Create or edit a Demand Gen video ad and add the videos.
2. Enable “set ad format preferences.”
3. Use “prefer on” to select formats for each video.
4. Assign at least one video per format or have one for all formats.  
5. Complete ad setup (logos, text, URL, etc.).
6. Preview the ad filtered by format.

Best practices for ad format preferences:

• Ensure assets meet format requirements.
• Use segmentation reports to analyze performance by format.
• Optimize winning creative elements for each placement.

First spotted. This new feature was first flagged by Senior Performance Marketing Manager and Google Ads expert, Thomas Eccel.

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/ad-format-preferences-land-in-google-demand-gen-campaigns-440440

Search ad costs rise, conversion rates decline again in 2024

Tags

Search Engine Land

Paid search advertising conversion rates have decreased across nearly all industries year over year. Meanwhile, the cost of generating leads through search ads continues to increase.

Feeling déjà vu? I sure was after reading LocalIQ’s annual search advertising benchmarks report, which was released today. It’s basically more of the same story as 2023.

The 2024 edition once again features data on the average conversion rate, cost per lead (CPL), click-through rate (CTR) and cost per click (CPC).

Why we care. Advertisers are paying more for leads and clicks, while Alphabet, Google’s parent company, keeps reporting record profits. While LocalIQ said this is due to “increased competition and intensified monetization of the Google SERPs,” it’s hard not to wonder what “levers” Google potentially may be “tuning” behind the scenes as Google keeps finding ways to justify higher prices despite not delivering equally greater returns for bigger investments from advertisers.

Conversion rate: 6.96%. Conversion rates increased in 12 out of 23 industries examined by LocalIQ.

• Industries with big decreases were Finance & Insurance (down 32.40%) and Dentists & Dental Services (down 19.57%). Industries with significant increases were Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry (up 112.01%) and Career & Employment (up 80.97%).
• The average conversion rate was 7.04% in 2023 and 7.85% in 2022.

CPL: $66.69. CPL increased by 25%, on average, in 19 of 23 industries. However, this is a slightly lower year-on-year increase than last year (27%).

• The average CPL was $53.52 in 2023 and $44.70 in 2022.

CTR: 6.42%. CTR increased by 5%, on average, for 70% of industries.

• The average CTR was 6.11% in 2023 and 5.91% in 2022.

CPC: $4.66. CPC increased by 10%, on average, in 86% of industries.

• The Real Estate, Sports & Recreation, and Personal Services industries saw increases of over 25% year-over-year.
• CPCs increased for 60% of industries, but only by 2%, on average.
• The average CPC was $4.22 in 2023 and $4.01 in 2022.

2024 search advertising benchmarks. Here’s the data, broken down by category (Note: a higher resolution image is coming):

The report. Search Advertising Benchmarks.

from Search Engine Land https://searchengineland.com/search-advertising-benchmarks-2024-440415