Google Ads is one of those breakthrough platforms that have dramatically contributed to the transformation of the marketing world in the past years. Today, these ads are regarded as one of the most effective and result-driven mediums of paid online advertising.

How do you define Google Ads?

These ads let businesses reach users searching for products, services, and information on Google.

If you correctly execute your Google Ads campaign, it holds the potential to make your company more successful. But in order to do this, you need to know about all the latest changes to these ads. In other words, you need to know about the latest Google Ads updates and trends to plan for 2023.

In this post, we discuss the same in detail. Without any further ado, let's begin:

1. Cost Per Lead Increased for 91% of Industries

An important change to Google Ads you need to know is that the cost per lead (CPL) has significantly increased for 91% of industries.

But what's the reason for such an increase?

Factors such as ads appearing for low commercial intent queries and higher prices due to inflation have resulted in reduced conversion rates, leading to increased cost per lead.

Note: The Travel, Furniture, and Arts/Entertainment industries saw whopping increases of 69%, 54%, and 134%, respectively.

The average overall increase is 19%.

The above data is as per Google Ads benchmark report by WordStream.

2. Expanded Text Ads Are Now Over

For more than two decades, advertisers have been manually writing and optimizing their PPC ads on Google. In these years, Google rolled out a number of new search ad formats. If you observe the past years, Google made the size of standard text ads twice with Expanded Text Ads. And then in 2018, it increased the size of Expanded Text Ads.

Fast forward to today, one of the most important changes to Google Ads you should be aware of for the year 2023 is ā Expanded Text Ads have finally met their end. Now, Google's new default ad type is the Responsive Search Ad (RSA). The not-so-great thing about this ad is that it limits the control brands have on the messages of their ads on the SERP.

What RSA actually does is that it allows advertisers to provide a number of different text assets for Google. Then, Google pieces these assets together and creates an ad that appears on the SERP for every search.

3. Specific Industries Now Have Several Unique Ad Formats

To assist certain industries in adjusting to today's dynamically changing needs, Google rolled out a number of unique ad formats for them. For instance, verticals such as finance, auto, and travel got new ad types.

One example of the new ad types is the Vehicle Listing Ads. Google rolled out this ad format to help car dealerships showcase their old and new cars. This ad is shown predominately at the top of the search engine results page (SERP). You will find a car's price, image, location, and condition on this ad.

Note: The Vehicle Listing ad bears similarity to the already existing Local Inventory Ad by Google. Essentially, the Vehicle Listing ads require an active inventory feed to be submitted on a regular basis, which needs approval via Google Merchant Centre.

4. Text-to-Speech Voice-Overs for YouTube Ads

One of the most crucial Google Ads updates for 2023 that advertisers will definitely benefit from is The addition of a text to speech voice over tool to the Google Ads platform. Google has added it within the asset library.

Why use this tool? It will help convert your written script into natural-sounding speech. And it does so with the help of AI.

As creating voice-overs is supremely time-consuming for brands, this update will definitely help advertisers save up on a lot of time and effort.

If you want to try the tool out, here are some simple steps you need to follow:

• Open your asset library.
• Choose the video ad you wish to add a voice-over to.
• Enter your script and select a voice style that matches your brand voice.

And that's it! Your voice-over will overlay onto your video ad.

5. Google is Automatically Upgrading Smart Shopping Campaigns to Performance Max

Performance max campaigns generated a lot of buzz last year. Now, the news is, this campaign type will be completely replacing Smart Shopping and Local campaigns. Google stated that it will start automatically updating Smart Shopping campaigns to Performance Max in July of this year.

Don't worry, you will receive a notification from Google 2-3 weeks before it makes the upgrade. Your campaign's historical data and settings will transfer over by default.

Tip: You can be proactive and make the switch yourself with the Performance Max self-upgrade tool. Switching as early as possible will arguably give you an edge over others who haven't. And the best thing is, the upgrade happens in just one click. Yes, it's that simple!

Image Source: Google Ads & Commerce Blog

6. You Will Now Get Diagnostic Insights for Performance Max Campaigns

Our list of changes to Google Ads will not be complete without talking about this update. In July, Google included a new diagnostic insights view to the Overview page and Insights page within the platform.

How will this help advertisers?

It lets you know if anything is slipping through the cracks in your Performance Max Campaigns. The tool assists you in recognizing issues related with:

• Billing
• Ad strength
• Budget
• Conversion tracking
• Strategy targets
• Policies
• Status

7. New Business Name and Logo Ad Assets

Verified advertisers are now getting some level of protection from Google with new business name and logo ad assets on the SERP. Take a look:

Image Source: Google Ads Help

Incorporating these new assets have also given businesses a chance to stand out on the already crowded SERP. These assets even work as a great visual addition to their ads that may help improve performance.

Note: To use these new features, advertisers need to complete the verification process with Google.

Partner With Reputed Google Ads Outsourcing Agency DashClicks

Are you a digital marketing agency struggling with this one question ā whether you should outsource Google Ads or not?

Outsourcing Google Ads will aid in the growth of your agency. Also, as the work is carried out by experts, the work of your clients will be in good hands.

So, you can always decide to outsource these ads.

In case you think about outsourcing, consider hiring white label Google Ads services by DashClicks.

Why?

DashClicks’ conversion-focused Google Ads campaigns help drive leads and sales for your clients. Here are a few important things you can expect when you decide to hire these services from DashClicks:

• The white label agency carries out maintenance and optimization for campaigns once a week at a minimum.
• The agency will also create outstanding ad copy variations so that a campaign reaches more leads.
• You receive a weekly optimization breakdown that you can share with your clients.
• The agency’s experts are certified and officially trained to create and manage Google Ads campaigns.

Tip: Here is a Google Ads optimization checklist that you can also refer to.

Wrapping It Up

From doing away with Expanded Text Ads to adding a text-to-speech voice-over tool to the Google ads platform, a plethora of updates have taken place this year that you should know of going into the new year.

Yes, we don't have certain features in Google Ads anymore. But, there also have been some great additions to our PPC campaigns this year.

Now that you are well aware of the latest Google Ad updates for 2023, you can start adapting your strategy accordingly. Now, get cracking!