Google AdWords Expanded Text Ads Are Going Away

It’s official: Google AdWords text ads are changing. Here’s everything you need to know.

In June 2022, advertisers will no longer be able to create expanded text ads (ETAs). This announcement isn’t entirely unexpected because Responsive Search Ads (RSAs) became the default advert creation type in February this year.

But why exactly is this change on the horizon?

Well, Google wants to ensure that it is in a position to create ads dynamically to best respond to particular queries its users are searching for. Some advertisers aren’t pleased about this change because it takes away a significant degree of control and, although this is purely anecdotal at this stage, ETA conversion rates seem to be higher than RSA conversion rates.

What does this mean for advertisers?

It will no longer be possible to edit or create expanded texts adverts after June 30, 2022. If ETAs currently play a significant role in your messaging testing process, you will need to implement a new process. The new best practice recommendations to advertisers from Google are to create 1 RSA for each target ad group.

One of the most prominent issues with this approach is that performance breakdowns on a granular level simply aren’t going to be possible. This is because RSAs pull from a variety of descriptions and headlines to automatically populate the content. So, it is going to be trickier to determine which bits of copy are driving results and which aren’t.

It also seems that Google AdWords text ads are becoming less customisable for advertisers, with Google itself taking back more control over the capabilities and functionalities of the ads it serves.

So, what is the next step for advertisers?

You’re going to want to start comprehensively testing ETAs over the next few months, making the most of the time you’ve got to create them. I also recommend creating a selection of evergreen ETAs, as these will be able to be reactivated, provided that they aren’t edited in any way.

Ideally, this time should also be used in creating a selection of additional ETAs that will allow you to continue the testing process long after the ability to create new ads has been taken away.

Is there anything else advertisers can do?

Now is also the time to start shifting your focus towards RSA. Although their performance might not be up to that of ETAs, it’s never going to improve without investing time and resources into driving better outcomes.

Every ad group should contain an RSA and you need to know precisely which lines of copy are going to consistently generate the best results for your business. After all, no one can say for certain that ETAs aren’t going to be retired forever at some point in the not too distant future. Given the drastic changes that Google is willing to make to improve its offering, this is a likely prospect.

Crucially, however, with plenty of warning, it won’t be possible to say that you were unprepared for these changes to Google AdWords text ads. So, don’t waste this time and, instead, use it to invest in your ad strategy to drive even better and more consistent results in the future.