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In October 2019, Google rolled out 2 new features for the Responsive Search Ads feature on the Google Ads mobile application. The responsive search ads feature is meant to help advertisers reach more potential customers. This feature uses machine learning to adapt to user searches. This means that advertisers can target a broader set of keywords and the algorithm will assist them by testing different permutations, learning which one performs best. According to Google, this system can increase click by as much as 15 percent. Responsive search ads also allow advertisers to participate in more auctions in order to help them reach even more potential customers.
The two features that Google rolled out to supplement this feature are called “Performance Column” and “Ad Variations”. On Friday — 10/25/2019 — Professor David Easley concluded the lecture by introducing us to a couple of issues with the Generalized Second Price Auction that Google used in the past. One of these problems was “ad quality”. The Ad Variations feature allows an advertiser to run ad tests of their own — without the help of machine learning. They can then analyze the performance of various ads and change their strategy accordingly.
Another of the issues raised in lecture was: “What are these Keywords?” The performance column provides a way for advertisers to begin to answer this question without external assistance. The Performance Column helps advertisers who have less experience and may not have the help of consulting firms. This feature essentially ranks an advertiser’s own assets. This means that the targeted ads that are performing the best will be used as a guide to improve the ones that could be performing better, and the once that are not performing well will simply be replaced.
The common theme around these features seems to be introducing more operational independence to the advertiser. This may be a smart move on the part of Google, because the less money advertisers have to spend on external advertising, the more money goes directly into Google’s bottom line.