Aimee's thoughts
Google Instant Changes Ad Copy?
When using Google Instant to search for some ‘ladies shoes’ and looking at each of the PPC ads, it appears that some of them have suspicious looking character limits. Trying other searches, I noticed a lot of other ads on Google doing the same. All of the ads found were within the 70 characters limit but the 35-35 split was no longer in place.
For many searches there were ads with over 40 characters in the first description line and then the second description line would be shorter. The screen shot below shows my search for ‘ladies shoes’. The three ads that have more than 35 characters in the first description line are highlighted:
This could be highly significant for those writing PPC ads, as it reduces the limitations currently set. It also makes the first description line of the ads a lot more prominent. With more room to put the best message/offer in that line, it could be a competitive tactic from advertisers. Although it does change how some people traditionally write their ads with an offer in the first line and a call to action in the second line, for example. Some advertisers also use repetition as much as Google will allow, ensuring the keyword is seen on all lines of the ad, this could also change that idea.
The change in the character split does not appear to happen on ads not shown with Google Instant where the ads appear to have the normal character limits. The PPC ads below for the search term ‘pizza’ show the difference searching without Google Instant and then with. For the Domino’s ads, they may prefer the ad to be appearing with the full bottom line “Hurry, offer ends Sunday” rather than the “hurry” part now appearing on the first line.
Having spoken to a Google representative they were not aware of this being allowed, and when I tried to add an advert with a longer first description line, my ad was unable to post. So I am presuming this was not a deliberate change with Google Instant rather than a new feature. But it would certainly be interesting to see this change in the future!
Very cool, good find.
Re-tweeting this on twitter; keep us posted!
I have asked Google Adwords Support about this. I view it as a problem.
I had written several very clean looking adds using less than the full 35 Characters on the first line.
Before my ad was something like this.
My Product 26 oz
Only $29.99
Free Shipping if you order $89
http://www.mysite.com
It was simple and effective.
Now it shows up as:
My Product 26 oz
Only $29.99 Free Shipping if you
order $89
http://www.mysite.com
Much harder to read.
My CTR has gone down at the same time (no proof, of course, but is it because the ad doesn’t read as well?).
When I design my add, I can no longer control how much is on the first line or how it looks.
The response from Google so far (twice), has been that I can turn off Google Instant on my browser.
I am not sure how they are missing the logic here, but my browser is irrelevant. What is relevant is the ad audience and their view of the ad. I cannot turn off Google Instant on the browser of all the people across the country who might view my ad. So, I have lost control as to how my ads display. I may have to fill up the first line to make sure that I know just what the cutoff will be.
I have sent back the second note asking for a third look, but I am not sure where it will lead.