The End of Google Expanded Text Ads
As of June 30th 2022, you will no longer be able to edit existing or create new expanded text ads in your Google Ads search campaigns! However, this isn’t really “The End” of expanded text ads.
What can I do with my existing Expanded Text ads?
You may not be able to edit or create expanded text ads any more, however you can still run your existing ads.
The ads that are currently running or that are paused can still be used in your search campaigns as long as they still comply with Google Ads Policies and Editorial Standards. If your ads do not comply you will not be able to edit these ads to comply, you will need to create a new Responsive Search Ad.
What are Responsive Search Ads?
You may have already started using responsive search ads in your Google Ads search campaigns. If not; here is a little information about responsive search ads.
Responsive search ads consist of three or more short headings (maximum 30 characters) and two or more descriptions (maximum 90 characters). This is a little different from Expanded Text ads which cloud have a maximum of three short headings and exactly two descriptions.
How are Responsive Search Ads different from Expanded Text Ads?
Responsive search ads can have up to 15 different headings and up to four different descriptions. When the ad is to be displayed as a Google search result, Google will pick 3 of the most relevant headings and 2 of the most relevant descriptions to be displayed. Just like how you would set up an expandned text ad, you can select specific headings or descriptions to be pinned to a particular position in your search ad.
For example; if you have a strong call to action in one for your descriptions that you always want people to see when they see your search ad, you can pin that description to a position and Google will make sure that description is always shown in that position (usually position 1 or position 2). You can do the same for any and all your headings. If you have pinned multiple headings or descriptions to a particular position; Google will select one that is most relevant to the search query or has displayed the best results in previous searches.
What if your expanded text ad needs to be edited?
If you want to keep the same text as your expaned text ads you can create a new responsive search ad and copy the headings and descriptions from your expaned text ad. You may even combine multiple expaned text ads into one single responsive search ad. If you need to make an edit to an expaned text ad, you will need to make the edit to the new responsive search ad.
Not really the end of Expaned Text Ads
As long as your expaned text ads continue to comply with Google Ads’ Policies your expanded text ads will continue to run as normal. You will unfortunately not be unable to make any changes to your expanded text ads or create new expaned text ads however, responsive search ads have shown greater performance and flexibility than expanded text ads.
