Google has rebranded its paid search ads platform. Their flagship advertising product, which went by AdWords since its debut in 2000, is now known as Google Ads. Why the change? What started as a platform for running text ads on Google Search now makes it possible to advertise across a variety of mediums. The ‘AdWords’ moniker no longer suited a multi-faceted platform that supports a variety of ad formats—from text and video to shopping and display—across numerous services, such as Search, YouTube, Gmail, and Maps, as well as a network of partner sites and apps. Simply put, the platform outgrew its original name.
“The new Google Ads brand represents the full range of advertising capabilities we offer today—on Google.com and across our other properties, partner sites and apps—to help marketers connect with the billions of people finding answers on Search, watching videos on YouTube, exploring new places on Google Maps, discovering apps on Google Play, browsing content across the web, and more,” Senior Vice President, Ads & Commerce Sridhar Ramaswamy said in a post on Google’s blog.
This evolution of AdWords to Google Ads effects more than just the platform’s branding. While the functionality remains basically the same, small businesses like office technology dealers will find value in the new Smart Campaigns feature, a new addition to Google Ads. These dealers rarely have the time, resources, or expertise to manage complex digital advertising campaigns. Smart Campaigns—Google’s new default mode for small business advertisers—are automated, relying heavily on machine learning to optimize ad text, images, and targeting to drive actions by searchers.
Despite these changes, Google Ads will continue to provide Business Solutions Providers (BSPs) with desirable results in the form of connecting with relevant customers at the right times. It’s a marketing strategy your dealership can’t afford to ignore. If you’d like to be seen by consumers when they’re searching Google for printers, document management, Managed Print Services (MPS), or Managed IT, Evolved Office can help. Contact us today to learn more about our pay-per-click (PPC) services to help your dealership stand out from the competition.