Google Ads changes for 2022, Positive, Negative, and Uncertain

The announcements, modifications, and releases for Google Ads in 2022 are shown below along with how they will affect paid search advertisers now and in the future.

Google released a number of changes, announcements, and not-so-subtle nudges in 2022 that altered the paid search market. (Google's announcement page is an excellent and largely unbiased resource.)

• This article will be divided into:
• The significant changes during the past 12 months.
• What effect they have on paid search marketers.
• What they signify for Google Ads' future.

A brief rundown of significant announcements

Google sunsetting Expanded Text Ads was the adjustment that garnered the greatest attention, and for good reason, as I'll briefly explain. As a result, the platform announced and implemented Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) in August 2021, taking effect in July 2022.

Another significant change included a strong push for Performance Max. It was made available to all advertisers in November 2021, and as a result of Google's aggressive removal of Smart Shopping, it now controls the majority of e-commerce accounts.

A similar trend with RSAs, Performance Max pushes marketers to promote across YouTube, Display, Gmail, and Maps aside from search and implies less control for advertisers as bidding and ad placements are automated.

Additionally, it implies that experienced marketers have fewer options for differentiating their ads from those of novices. (Google's focus in 2022 looked to be on lowering entrance barriers.)

On the plus side, Google introduced Custom Columns, a nice reporting enhancement. They relieved marketers of the hassle of using workarounds for off-UI reporting by introducing nuance and flexibility within the Google Ads UI.

The last major change was the emergence of picture extensions, or "assets," which Google broadly rolled out on desktop at the end of 2021. Currently, the "dynamic" option for image assets selects the most pertinent image from the ad's destination landing page automatically.

This modification demonstrates Google's efforts, which they discussed at Search On 22, to create a more engaging SERP.

Despite the fact that picture assets frequently increase CTR (which makes sense given that visuals grab attention), I haven't noticed much of a difference in performance in terms of conversion in my client accounts.

When images are added at the ad group or campaign level, advertisers have control over them. Google will only serve the one you add if you just add one. There's no assurance it'll appear every time, just like with any other asset.

Unless you have complete faith in Google to choose the best relevant image from a landing page with multiple images, I advise disabling the "dynamic" option.

The 2022 release that was most useful

Let's begin with the good news: Custom Columns have simplified our life by making reporting easier.

Google reports only offered one conversion column before to the Custom Columns upgrade, allowing you to segment by conversion activities without corresponding metrics like spend. This resulted in an unhelpful view.

Custom Columns – Before

The higher-level view of Custom Columns now properly links metrics to various conversion kinds, and it looks like this.

Custom Columns – After

Custom Columns offers improved spreadsheet capabilities in addition to the new look (i.e., more calculation options that compare different time periods). Comparing time periods is a very useful tool for locating changes and problem areas.

Create indicators to provide yourself with an interactive roadmap of priorities based on data. Regardless of the time period you're using in the Campaign Manager, my favorite creation here is a static 30-day look back at performance.

A cynic would object that Google is leveling the playing field for all search marketers, regardless of experience, by integrating this feature into the user interface and eliminating the need for advertisers to develop their own custom reporting.

I believe that marketers that were going through the extra reporting process were relatively advanced, and that utilising the functionality to its best potential now offers competitive benefits.

The 2022 release that was least useful

Here are a couple of warnings:

• Performance Max doesn't personally affect me as much as the switch from ETAs to RSAs does because my accounts are more heavily weighted toward B2B than ecommerce.
• I think the majority of seasoned search marketers would rather have more manual control over their campaigns than a quicker, more automated setup where Google has removed many of its prior levers. People who are less experienced in search marketing or who don't have much time for account optimization may disagree.

The biggest setback of the 2022 changes, in my opinion, was Google retiring ETAs in favor of RSAs on June 30. RSAs don't always perform worse every time. In several cases, RSAs are outperforming the previous ETA figures. How ever, there were some accounts that we haven't yet reorganized where legacy ETAs kept outperforming numerous RSA combos despite our best efforts. In general, when we move to RSAs, we typically notice a boost in CTR and CPLs, indicating that they are effective at getting the proper people to click but don't typically convert as well.

For me, the fundamental problem is that there aren't as many ad format alternatives available to advertisers. Technically, pinning features in the UI allow you to replicate an ETA. But every time, I get a warning that my ad strength is terrible, leading me to believe that its usefulness is constrained.

In essence, Google will prevail in this situation—less advertiser control, a greater CTR, and perhaps a larger CPL. That's bad news for advertising in a society where efficiency is highly valued.

Going forward

On the end, 2022 will be the year when Google invests even more in AI and machine learning. We'll have to wait and see if those tools improve over time.

At the moment, Google must balance bringing in money (efficiency doesn't assist their bottom line, after all) with not alienating advertisers who might look for more lucrative interaction elsewhere.

The conclusion for advertisers is that even if Google has lowered the barrier to advertising, we can still identify our accounts by:

• Knowing when to optimize and test in less controllable circumstances.
• Not only relying on Google to act in our best interests.

Going into 2023, I think a combination of platform experience and critical thinking will be the most crucial talent to set yourself apart as a Google Ads expert and generate better outcomes.

I frequently see advertisers who long for the more manual times of old. The trick will be to use critical thinking and our experience. Utilizing the few resources we are given by Google, let's try to use automation and make most of our adjustments using the restricted tools Google gives us. Let's use the limited capabilities Google gives us to.

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