We announced last year that starting June 30, 2022, responsive search ads will be the only Search ad type that can be created or edited in standard Search campaigns.
As part of this change, you’ll no longer be able to create or edit expanded text ads. However, your existing expanded text ads will continue to serve alongside responsive search ads, and you'll still see reports on their performance going forward. Additionally, you'll be able to pause and resume your expanded text ads or remove them if needed. You’ll also still be able to create and edit call ads and Dynamic Search Ads.
What should I do to prepare?
To prepare for this change, we recommend that you have at least one responsive search ad in every ad group in your Search campaigns by June 30, 2022. Advertisers that switch from expanded text ads to responsive search ads, using the same assets, see an average of 7% more conversions at a similar cost per conversion.1
To help you create effective responsive search ads, use the following insights, tools, and best practices:
- Repurpose high-performing content from your expanded text ads and focus on reaching ‘Good’ or ‘Excellent’ Ad strength. Ad strength provides you with feedback on the effectiveness of your responsive search ads and action items to improve them. Advertisers who improve Ad strength for their responsive search ads from 'Poor' to 'Excellent' see 9% more clicks and conversions on average.2
- Check your account’s Recommendations page. These customized suggestions can help you quickly add or improve responsive search ads.
- Pin headlines or descriptions to specific positions in your responsive search ads. This is useful if you have certain messages that always need to be shown. If you need to use pinning, try to pin at least 2-3 options to a position.
- Use ad variations. This can help you test different versions of your assets at scale and review their performance across multiple campaigns.
- Review cross-campaign asset reporting to understand which headlines and descriptions resonate the most with your customers. Improve your ads by replacing “Low” performing assets with new headlines and descriptions that are based on your “Best” performing assets.
- Evaluate the success of your ads based on incremental impressions, clicks, and conversions your ad groups and campaigns receive. Responsive search ads help you qualify for more auctions, so ad-level performance and metrics like clickthrough rate and conversion rate may not paint a full picture of your performance.
Most importantly, pairing broad match keywords and Smart Bidding with responsive search ads can help you reach new, high-performing queries and optimize your bids in real time. Advertisers that switch from expanded text ads to responsive search ads, using the same assets, in campaigns that also use broad match and Smart Bidding see an average of 20% more conversions at a similar cost per conversion.3
For more best practices on creating effective responsive search ads, check out our helpful guide.
Posted by Sylvanus Bent, Product Manager, Google Ads
1. Google internal data, Global, 6/3/2021 - 6/12/2021
2. Google internal data, Global, 7/18/2020 - 8/1/2020
3. Google internal data, Global, 6/3/2021 - 6/12/2021
