As we wrap up the year 2023, it’s time for advertisers and agencies to reflect on the past year and plan for the future of marketing. The digital marketing landscape is constantly evolving, and staying ahead of the curve can mean the difference between success and failure. In this article, we’ll take a look back at the trends that defined PPC (pay per click) advertising in 2023 and provide insights to help advertisers plan for 2024. From advancements in AI and automation to changes in consumer behavior, we’ll cover everything you need to know to stay ahead of the game and drive results for your business. So, let’s dive in and explore what the future holds for pay per click advertising in 2024.
The Year AI Went Mainstream
2023 has been the year that AI and automation became mainstream within the digital marketing industry. It’s remarkable when you look at the tools available in the online marketing world just how many are now offering some form of artificial intelligence assistance whether than be through creative production or by speeding up mundane tasks.
A few key concepts and tools that stick out at as marketing leaders are:
Creatives
Canva requires little to no technical experience when it comes to photo editing, instead utilising AI alongside a vast number of images, videos and creative concepts to speed up the journey. More recently Canva has introduced such tool as Magic Design which lets users tell the platform what they want to create in whatever format before a design is made automatically. Further AI enhancements are available from text to video to the ability to write content based on your brand tone of voice.
Copy:
Through tool such as Copy.ai, advertisers can now create better-targeted campaigns that resonate with their target audience. These tools can analyze data on consumer behavior, preferences, and interests to create ads that are more likely to convert. AI-powered copywriting tools can also generate high-quality ad copy that is optimized for search engines, social media platforms, and other digital channels. Copy.ai uses natural language processing (NLP) and machine learning algorithms to generate high-quality ad copy in seconds. Another popular tool is Grammarly, which uses AI to help users write better and error-free content.
However, while AI-powered copywriting tools offer many marketing benefits, they also raise concerns about the future of human creativity and the impact on the job market. As AI continues to evolve, it’s essential to strike a balance between the use of AI tools and human creativity to ensure that we continue to create compelling and engaging content.
SEO:
SE Ranking tool is a powerful platform that leverages Artificial Intelligence to assist content creators in generating SEO-driven content that can improve website traffic and enhance online visibility. Whether it’s meta suggestions, headline creation or content itself, SE Ranking will assist with the article to ensure it’s on par or better than the competition when it comes to the key SEO ranking factors.
The demise of cookies
The world of pay per click ad campaigns advertising is about to undergo a major shift in the way it tracks user behavior. The demise of cookies is imminent and this will have a significant impact on the tracking industry. In 2024, we can expect to see a completely different advertising ecosystem.
What are cookies and how do they work?
Cookies have been the backbone of online advertising for over two decades. They have allowed advertisers to track user behavior, serve targeted ads, and collect valuable data to aid sales growth. However, with the increasing concern for privacy and security, marketing cookies are no longer deemed as trustworthy. In fact, major web browsers such as Safari and Firefox have already blocked third-party cookies, and Google plans to phase out support for third-party cookies by 2022.
Conversion tracking, what’s changing?
So, what does this mean for the advertising industry and Google ads customers in 2024? First and foremost, we can expect to see a rise in privacy-focused advertising. This will include new marketing technologies such as contextual advertising, which targets users based on the content they are viewing, rather than their browsing history. We can also expect to see an increase in first-party data collection, as companies look to build direct relationships with their customers.
Another major shift will be in the way that publishers and advertisers work together. With the loss of third-party cookies, publishers will have greater control over their data and will be able to monetize it directly, without relying on third-party data brokers. This will create a more transparent and fair advertising ecosystem, benefitting both publishers and advertisers.
Consent mode and enhanced conversions stick out as two key important pillars as advertisers navigate the choppy waters of tracking in the marketing world. By utilising Consent Mode, data accuracy is enhanced as the conversion modeling feature regains conversions that were lost due to user consent choices. As per Google’s statistics, the implementation of Consent Mode results in a substantial improvement in conversion rates, recovering over 70% of ad-click to conversion journeys that were previously lost.
The demise of cookies will create a more privacy-focused and transparent advertising industry for agencies and advertisers. While it may take some time to adjust, the end result will be a better online experience for users, with more relevant and useful ads, and greater control over their personal data.
PMAX Adoption & DSA Removal
The world of shopping ads in Google Ads is constantly evolving. Performance Max was originally deemed as the updated Smart Shopping campaign that harnessed AI to ensure performance targets were being met without the need of a bid for every single SKU. It was the first time you could harness all of Google’s advertising networks in full to deliver against your performance marketing targets under one campaign. This includes coverage across Google Search, Google Display, YouTube, and even the Discovery Feed.
This means that your ads will be placed where they are most likely to be seen by your target audience, regardless of the keyword being used to navigate round the web. This is huge as it shows how Google’s future of advertising revolves around the user and not the keyword. These PPC campaign and ad groups will use machine learning to place your ads on the right platform at the right time.
As PMAX adoption ramps up and Google Ads force advertisers to cease any Smart Shopping activity, one of the casualties of 2024 is likely to be DSA (Dynamic Search Ads).
How should you prepare your Google Shopping campaign?
To maximize performance in this new era of shopping ads, advertisers will need to focus on several key strategies. First and foremost, it will be essential to invest in high-quality product feeds that are optimized for search. This will ensure that your products are displayed prominently in search results, driving traffic and sales.
Another critical strategy will be to pay close attention to your targeting. With Google’s Performance Max, you will have access to a wealth of data on your audiences, creating opportunities for you to create a high targeted pay per click campaign that is tailored to the needs and interests of your customers – increasing your chances of achieving more sales and helping run profitable Google ads.
Don’t forget Bing Ads In Your Business
Microsoft Ads, formerly known as Bing Ads, is an oft-overlooked platform that can be a powerful tool for any digital marketer with 1.3 billion people use Bing worldwide each month . While Google Ads is the dominant player in the world of online advertising, Microsoft Ads still offers unique benefits that can complement your Google Ads campaigns. To this day, most ad creatives, tool and techniques that Google create are soon mirrored by Microsoft ads meaning the ability port across key learnings is easy.
Why should I set up Microsoft Ads accounts?
Another key advantage of Microsoft Ads is the lower cost per click. Because there is less competition on Microsoft Ads, the cost of advertising can be significantly lower than across Google Ads campaigns. This means that you can stretch your advertising budget further and potentially reach more potential customers or businesses.
One USP that Microsoft offers to businesses is the use of multimedia ads. These are a type of advertisement that includes images, videos, or interactive content. These ads are eye-catching and engaging, making them more likely to capture the attention of users as they browse the web. The key thing here is that there is only one slot available for these ads unlike the 3 or 4 available for search ads.
Increasing Click Fraud
Click fraud is when someone intentionally clicks on a PPC ad with no intention of making a purchase or engaging with the company. This not only leads to wasted money through Google but also skews the performance data of the campaign. According to a report by ClickCease, the cost of click fraud was expected to increase by 50% through 2023. This alarming trend highlights the importance of taking steps to prevent click fraud. So, what can advertisers do to protect themselves?
How can you combat click fraud?
One of the most effective ways to protect against click fraud on Google or Microsoft Ads is to use click fraud detection and prevention tools. These tools can help identify and block fraudulent clicks in real-time, allowing advertisers to save money and improve the performance of their campaigns. Some popular click fraud prevention tools include ClickCease, Fraudlogix, and AdTector.
In addition to using click fraud prevention tools, advertisers can also take proactive measures to prevent click fraud. This includes regularly monitoring the performance of their PPC campaigns, using targeted keywords, limiting ad exposure to certain geographic regions, and avoiding low-quality traffic sources.
Harness the power of automated bidding services
Automated bidding on Google Ads is a powerful tool that can save advertisers time and effort. Long gone are the days where you will need to manual enter a bid for a keyword or SKU. Instead, advertisers should consider in what way to hardness AI and automated bidding with Google Ads.
With automated bidding, advertisers can set their desired goals and let Google’s algorithms adjust bids in real-time based on various factors like user behavior, device, time of day, location, and tons more.
What PPC advertising bid strategies work?
The key Google Ads bid strategies to consider when setting up your PPC campaign are ‘target CPA’ (good for lead gen advertisers), ‘target ROAS’ (good for ecommerce advertisers) or ‘target impression share’ (good to ensure advertisers protect their own branded terms)
What to look for in a PPC agency, PPC freelancer or PPC consultant in 2024
When it comes to selecting a professional to help with PPC management, it is crucial to consider several factors before making a decision on which PPC services you need. Look for a UK PPC agency or freelancer that has a proven track record & experience in delivering successful campaigns, has a deep understanding of the latest PPC trends, and can provide you with customised solutions tailored to your business needs. Additionally, it is important to choose PPC advertising specialists that value transparency and communication, and can work with you to provide regular reports and updates on your campaign’s performance. By keeping these factors in mind, you can select a PPC agency or freelancer that can help your business stay ahead of the competition in an increasingly automated landscape.
The good news is that is exactly what we do at Can-Do Digital. We’re a UK PPC Agency near Manchester with a Can-Do attitude and years of experience. Get in touch with us to understand how our services will propel your current PPC campaigns and harness the power of automation through 2024. We’ll provide you with a free PPC audit and a wealth of cost saving services to help your business navigate through the quickly changing PPC ads landscape that lies ahead!
