Google Enhanced Campaigns

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In case you haven’t heard Google is in the process of transitioning its AdWords system from “Legacy” to “Enhanced” across all accounts. The new platform is designed to help reach customers through a multi-device, time & location-based landscape that we live in today. As desktop, tablet and mobile behaviour is constantly evolving, so does the way that we as marketers need to target them. In comes Google’s solution; Enhanced Campaigns.

Major Changes To Expect from Google Enhanced Campaigns

Multi-Device Campaigns – The new platform will eliminate the option for mobile-specific campaigns. All devices will now fall under the same campaign with the flexibility to bid higher or lower by percentage on mobile-only (ie. -20% or +20% mobile bid adjustment). Also, desktop and tablet have been blended under the same device type but will still be able to segment out performance.

Bidding – Google has introduced location, time and device bid adjustments providing the flexibility to set bids higher or lower for certain times of the day, specific cities and by device type. This allows the marketer to potentially reach the customer in the most ideal scenario for whatever action it is you are looking to create.

Ads – Enhanced is also rolling out smarter ads that are optimized for different user situations. This feature encompasses the capability to show the right ad, call extension and sitelink based on context of the user (location/time/device). There is also an option to set ads to mobile preferred to better target those searching on a mobile device.

Sitelnks – With the enhanced rollout Sitelinks will be limited to 25 characters (vs 35 in Legacy) however, will now be available at the ad group level providing more relevance to the users search query.

Transition to Enhanced Campaigns

Simple Upgrade – this method is used for campaigns that are not required to merge with another campaign (i.e. campaigns specific to the various device types

• In AdWords, open the campaign you wish to upgrade and select the “Get Started” button found within the banner atop the screen.
• Throughout the upgrade process a recommended mobile bid adjustment (based on similar advertisers) will appear, select accordingly.
• Click close and you have completed the Enhanced Upgrade for “Simple” campaigns.

Advanced Upgrade – for campaigns that require two or more campaigns to be merged. If the current structure has campaigns for device specific targeting these will need to be consolidated into one primary campaign.

• Select the primary campaign which you wish to move forward with.
• Evaluate and merge the campaign settings that you want to keep for the primary campaign.
• Move forward with upgrading the primary campaign to Enhanced. (Get Started Button)
• Once upgraded, using AWE, copy ad groups from secondary campaign to the primary campaign.
• Consolidate keywords in AWE, ensure all keywords from secondary campaign exist in primary, if missing be sure to include.
• Using AWE, ensure that all ads have been carried over to the primary campaign.
• Be sure to merge campaign extensions (location, call, sitelink, etc.)
• Carry over Conversion tracking from secondary to primary campaign.
• Set the mobile bid adjustment within the primary campaign.
• At this point you can delete the secondary campaign
• Finally, ensure budgets have been carried over.

Google has announced that all campaigns will be transitioned mid-July but has been recommended to conduct the cross over before this deadline.

Although it may seem like a lot of work to transition all of your campaigns, it would be best to do so on your own terms to limit any “surprises” you may come across.

Thanks for reading!

Deryck

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