4 New Google Adwords Features You Should Be Using

Did you know that Google Adwords updates with new tools every 3–6 months to improve campaign performance? If you aren’t keeping up, you run the risk of using out-of-date keyword and bidding strategies. In order to help you make sense of it all, here are 4 key tools in Adwords you should take advantage of in Q1:

1. Custom Intent-Targeting

After analyzing your existing campaigns, Adwords can auto-create custom intent audiences. These custom intent audiences are created from the common keywords and URLs gleaned from a user’s search behavior. For example, if someone was searching for information about knee-high boots and browsed related content (i.e. “ankle-boots”), you can then target that user while they browse in real-time. You could technically create custom audiences manually and insert related keywords and URLs — but why not harness the power of machine learning and save time?

2. Using APIs and Scripts

For the new version of Adwords API, a programmer can build a software that manages many Adwords campaigns at the same time — a useful tool for marketers, businesses or agencies that are juggling multiple accounts. The API can also do “almost everything Adwords does but programmatically,” from the customer to the keyword level. APIs are a great way to save time and optimize campaigns on a regular basis. Not only can you control spend, pause non-converting keywords and optimize bids, but you can see your disapproved ads and landing pages. Scripts are a useful tool to use if you want to automate certain procedures based on your campaign goals. For example, adjustment of bids, controlling of maximum CPC, etc.

3. Smart Bidding

In your Adwords account, set key performance targets based on your business goals. Once this is set up, a machine learning algorithm in Adwords can use your data to make predictions about how different bid amounts will impact your conversions and campaign performance. During campaign optimization and post-campaign analysis, you can pull insightful reports about your bidding strategy and performance. You can also simulate bidding and see how a certain amount would pan out for the rest of your campaign.

4. Attribution

Your ads are dispersed across many different publishers, but how do you know which publisher is best? To determine which publisher drives the highest conversions and CTR, you need some sort of tag or marking on the high performing URLs. This is where Google attribution comes in — it’s essentially giving credit where credit is due. This is a necessary tool to use starting now. Instead of focusing on last-click events, you’ll be able to review performance more holistically which will result in better optimization and bidding strategy. You can reach your customers earlier in the purchase funnel, and on different devices. Not to mention, it’s free!

These new features will help optimize your campaign faster and save time for you or your paid media specialists to focus on creative messaging for a more visually enticing ad campaign. Remember: Adwords changes a lot — don’t get left behind. To stay up to date on new features, follow our blog on Medium. For questions and thoughts, tweet us @katana_media.

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