April 10, 2018

Look Out! Google Adwords Ad Suggestions Are Here!

Google Adwords Ad Suggestions:

They were rolled out in a limited fashion last year, but they are now coming on strong.

In an effort to help improve its already awesome machine learning, Google is now insisting that ad groups have a minimum of 3 ads. (They are suggesting 3 – 5 ads per ad group). Ad groups that currently only have 1 or 2 ads in an ad group will get ad suggestions from Google. On the one hand, this can be a great assistance. Imagine if you have already thought out and created your best attempt at an ad, and then Google comes along and improves on it.

What could be better than that?

On the other hand……let’s think this through.

One of my accounts recently received a notification from Adwords with the following subject line: Important: Ad suggestions may be added to your AdWords account. The email then explained: “Starting after April 29, 2018, you may see ad suggestions on the Recommendations page, and can choose to manually apply or dismiss them. Depending on your account settings, you’ll get an alert in AdWords and receive a corresponding email every time we suggest new ads. You’ll have 14 days from the notification to review them, after which the ads will be automatically enabled unless you choose to remove them. ”

The big (i.e. huge) concern:

Some of my clients are very cautious about their ads, in terms of content. If you are selling shoes online, there is not much to worry about. If you are in the legal, medical or pharma space, or perhaps in a niche market or a representing a growth stage start up, ads need to be strictly considered from many perspectives. In short, there are just times that the last thing I need to happen is for ads to start showing without going through an approval process. In the current default mode, Adwords ad suggestions can be enabled after 14 days automatically.

Unapproved ads can now find their way into an account. Even if the ads are acceptable, there is always risk to the client relationship and trust if ads that they don’t review and approve start showing up.

You can find which ads were auto applied by applying the “auto-applied ad suggestion” attribute.

Adwords Ad Suggestions: Auto-applied ad suggestion column — Auto-applied Ad Suggestion Column in Adwords

Doing so, will show a column were the ads will be marked as Yes or No. In the screen shot below, they are all marked “No” as none of them were suggested ads.

Adwords Ads Suggestions: View of Auto-applied Ad Suggestion Column — View of Auto-applied Ad Suggestion Column in Adwords

Bottom line:

1. Make sure all your ad groups have at least 3 ads showing.
2. Make sure to monitor your account for ads marked auto-apply (or listed in the recommendations page).
3. You can opt out of auto-applied ad suggestions – but you will need to do so actively. Learn how to do so.

Having said all of the above, I’m looking forward to seeing some of Google Adwords ad suggestions – and measuring those ads’ performance versus my own.

Sol Jakubowicz

Sol provides consulting services in the areas of business and project management specifically related to digital marketing, lead generation and eCommerce. Co-founder of SunHouse Marketing (formerly eCommerce Innovators), a digital marketing consulting company that provides the full range of the most current and up to date digital marketing services and techniques: Strategic Planning, Business Development, Project Management, Search Engine Optimization (SEO), and our area of specialty - Lead Generation. In the Telecom industry from 1999 – 2009, with a focus on Business Consulting/Business Process Analysis. In this role I collaborated with teams across large Tier 1 corporations, and the corresponding teams within our company, to create integrated, cross functionality synergies. Background in Mediation and Conflict Resolution, providing a tremendous positive impact on all interactions, and ensuring that business dealings are not only pleasant but more efficient and cost effective. My passion is business process analysis. Tell me about your current business, and I will uncover new ways for it to be more efficient and more profitable.