The digital marketing world hasn’t fallen for the notion of Dynamic Search Ads (DSA). The truth is they can offer a useful boost to your digital marketing campaign. Some PPC experts, and Soap Media tends to agree here (just so you know), believe the practice really can fill a gap in your campaigns.
The service was launched back in October 2011 and at the time Google suggested it would boost results and efficiency. Four years on there is evidence to suggest this is indeed the case, although many PPC experts have avoided the practice to date. It seems like digital marketing sorts don’t seem interested in wading into the mix of automated content and a lack of keyword lists. However, perhaps the overriding issue remains with handing so much control over to Google. DSAs demand this, but it’s not all bad news.
Google AdWords takes the content from your landing pages to automatically create an ad for a SERP. It bases this on whether it considers the potential ad a good fit. If it does, content from a landing page is taken and added into an auction if the search query is related. This is when a headline is automatically generated.
Dynamic Search Ads: The Basics
Search ads traditionally rely on keywords to determine when they turn up in SERPs. This is turned on its head somewhat with Dynamic Search Ads as they don’t use keywords. The ads appear on the basis of a website’s content. When a relevant search occurs on the world wide web, Google will dynamically generate an ad with a headline based around the query. Through Dynamic Search Ads you can keep a fresh index of your inventory, allowing Google’s web crawling technology access to your site and creating a personalised ad for a relevant audience.
On Think With Google the search engine giant stated, “With Dynamic Search Ads, we keep a fresh index of your inventory using Google’s organic web crawling technology. When a relevant search occurs, we dynamically generate an ad with a headline based on the query, and the text based on your most relevant landing page. The ad enters the auction and competes normally — but we’ll hold it back for any search where you also have an eligible keyword-targeted ad”.
They’ve gone on record to enthusiastically state, “Even well-managed AdWords campaigns containing thousands and thousands of keywords can miss relevant searches, experience delays getting ads written for new products, and get out of sync with what’s actually available on your website.” Clearly these are the benefits of using DSA, but there are some downsides worth considering. Here’s a brief overview of some of the pluses and cons.
Advantages
- If you’re juggling a vast collection of landing pages then DSAs could well be for you. If you’re an eCommerce company with hundreds of products, dynamic search is an excellent prospect. They essentially complement your AdWords campaigns, whilst doing away with the 35 letter character limits you may well be getting tired with.
- DSAs can further assist you with your other campaigns as a tool for generating new keywords. They work as a way of gathering data, from which you can see the results and apply the practices you learn from them.
- The real plus is it can be cheaper, Google directs a user to a landing page they’d want to see, and this can lead to an improved CTR and, ultimately, a boost in conversions. Essentially Dynamic Search ads can help provide a lower cost per acquisition.
Disadvantages
- The negatives are there, unfortunately, and are worth considering. As a brand you’re handing Google control over your ads, and paying them for it. If you’re used to being in complete control of your PPC account, Dynamic Search Ads will provide an unpleasant jolt.
- From an SEO perspective, if you’re applying an array of black hat tactics, you’re going to land yourself in trouble. Google will be crawling your site’s content for relevant headlines and landing pages, which could well expose some dubious tactics or attempts at search engine manipulation.
- The ads can also show for less relevant traffic or for a decreased amount of users, although this can be balanced out by the relevance of the ad leading to an increased chance in conversion.
How To Use Dynamic Search Ads
First off you should assess whether it’s a good idea for your brand as DSAs aren’t for everybody. It’s a proven cost saver (as seen in the graphic above): conversions have improved, and money spent is down. A solid ROI boost all round.
Thankfully setting up a DSA campaign will largely be familiar to anyone at ease with PPC. As with your traditional PPC work, DSA campaigns include an ad group plus text ads you have to create. Naturally you’ll need an AdWords account, and from the Campaigns tab access Search Network only, and from there select Dynamic Search Ads. In Advanced Settings you must entrer your website domain (in Dynamic Search Ads Settings), and select the appropriate instructions.
Next up you need to create an Ad Group, which is accessible from the Create ad group page. From here it’s a case of defining your campaign to your parameters, but for any further details you can visit Google’s How to create Dynamic Search Ads.
Once you’re away the best practices are considered to be a reliance on those all-important negative keywords, strict monitoring of your budget, adjust your campaign’s targets when optimisation demands it, and take full advantage of search term reports. They’re a great tool for harvesting new keywords for your other campaigns.
A Dynamic Conclusion
To wrap things up succinctly, Dynamic Search Ads offer a personalised form of marketing which can pull in additional conversions. It’s not the solution to becoming digital marketing masters, but it does allow for extra ROI and the chance to open up new avenues. On top of this, it’s a goldmine for keyword research and can introduce you to a few new tricks along the way.
If there are hundreds of products which need to be catered for, DSA provides PPC experts to work around the limitations of targeted ads. You can, by teaming up with Google, develop a personalised strategy which can fill those gaps in your campaign.
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If you’d like to know more about Dynamic Search Ads, or would like assistance with your PPC campaign, contact Soap Media for further details.
