No slowdown in the pace of change with Google Ads updates in Q1 2024…
Here’s a roundup and analysis of the key changes, and what to do about them.
1) Consent Mode v2
With the introduction of Consent Mode version 2, advertisers targeting EEA countries found themselves navigating a mix of compliance requirements and uncertainties.
The simplest way to comply: Adopt a Google-approved Consent Management Platform (see the list here)
Adopting Consent Mode v2 is not just about adhering to regulations; it preserves the ad personalisation (e.g. use of remarketing audiences) and future-proofs your tracking.
2) Single-Headline RSAs
RSAs can now appear with just one headline (vs the usual two… and occasional three)
Watch the vid for why this poses a danger (despite the promise of higher CTRs…) and how to prevent it.
3) AI assets with Imagen 2 and Gemini Models
4) Prominence of Automatically Created Assets
Automatically created assets now stand on equal footing with manually created assets (as opposed to only being used when manually-created assets are not in place).
You’ll probably want to turn these off if you haven’t already done so…
Other Updates
• New regulations now enable Comparison Shopping Services (CSS) to advertise their products in PLAs… adding more competition into the mix.
• Commission Strategy for Hotel Ads removed: The introduction of commission-based strategies for Hotel Ads (plus more travel ad solutions coming to both PMax and Demand Gen)
• GA4 changes – with a Google Ads Report (finally) coming to GA4, and some impactful changes to the way GA4 deals with conversions.
• Search Partner Data coming to PMax – shedding a little more light on previously hidden areas of PMax activity
