6 Quick Facts You Need to Know About the New Google Ads Interface

Do you rely on Google Adwords, either for income or for your own ads? If you do, you may already be aware of the fact that Google is rapidly evolving its own platforms to better suit your needs. This includes a recent revitalization and shift to a brand-new replacement platform called “Google Ads.”

The new “Google Ads” platform promises to streamline the ad creation and management process, making it easier for you to control your investment and/or generate income. But it does significantly change the approach to completing certain tasks, meaning that even SEO specialists will need to spend a little bit of time adapting.

In this post, you’ll learn about six of the most important need-to-know facts that have the power to streamline your transition. For your convenience, we have included links to guidelines and information on using the new platform effectively.

You May Not be Invited Yet

Still on the old Google Adwords platform? There’s a reason for that: Google is slowly moving Adwords users over in batches, rather than rolling the platform out all at once. This ensures the search engine giant has testing opportunities and can ameliorate scale-based bugs before they become large and impactful.

If you’re still on the platform, you should know that you likely won’t remain there for much longer. The company set a rough goal in July to have all accounts moved over by end-of-year, but for the moment, you can switch between the two within your accounts. We recommend taking this opportunity to play with the new layout now, before you find yourself forced into it without any experience.

There’s an Interface Reference Map Available

Can’t stand the new platform interface? Feeling totally lost? Sadly, you don’t have the option to go back once you’re switched over by Google, but we do have a spot of good news. There’s an interface reference map available to help you find what you need at this link.

A quick scan of the reference map is all most SEO specialists need, but if you’re a layperson, here’s what you likely need to find most:

• Navigation menu
• Page menu
• Subpage menu
• Top bar
• Table toolbar

Use the legend at the bottom to identify new locations. Keyword lists are in column 2, search terms are in column two under the button “search terms.”

While some of the changes may seem convoluted, or as if they have a steep learning curve, they really aren’t that difficult to overcome. Expect to spend a good afternoon exploring if you really want to hone your skills and knowledge.

The New Platform Has New Branding

Seeing a different logo and branding when you try to access your Google Adwords account? Have no fear; you haven’t been hijacked. That’s just the new Google Ads branding and interface. Google chose to update their logos and information at the same time to drive home the concept of a newer, fresher experience for users.

The URL you use to access your Adwords account is also changing. Instead of typing in adwords.google.com, you’ll now type in ads.google.com. Simple, easy, and efficient – easier to remember while on the go, too.

Smart Ads are the New Default

It’s no secret that Google uses some pretty fancy technology, including AI and automation, to run searches and serve users. The new Google Ads platform capitalizes on these technologies to help you handle tasks faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Google’s revamped “Smart Ads” system promises to make it easier for newcomers to step into the ads world – and it will simplify the process for experienced advertisers, too. The system guides you through creation, making suggestions based on your preferences, allowing you to set up and run ads in mere minutes.

This entire new AI-driven process starts with the system asking you for your goals; you tell Google what you’re trying to achieve (phone calls, visits, emails, etc.) and they create ads using proven methods to help you succeed.

Here’s where the Smart Ads interface excels: you aren’t limited to a single goal. In fact, you can enter as many or as few goals as you want, and Google will create a campaign or ad suggestion to push people in the right direction. It’s incredibly intuitive and easy to get used to, shortening the time you spend in Ads.

The Standard Dashboard Really Rocks

The new Google Ads platform also makes it easier to get performance metrics in a few seconds, rather than forcing you to search for information.  The moment you log in, it presents you with a clear and open view of your metrics, including how well your ads are doing and whether or not campaigns are starting to fall off the radar.

More importantly, Google mostly moved this dashboard over into a visually-appealing layout. It segments each metric by color and category, meaning it takes far less time to actually find the aspect you want to confirm than before. The concept here is that advertisers who can find what they need in analytics faster can react to that information more quickly, limiting serious failures and “data paralysis.”

Google’s New Recommendation Engine Excels

Under the new and improved Google Ads platform, you’ll find a “Recommendations” section. This category uses AI-driven analytics and an enormous database of past campaigns to investigate your campaigns, identify areas of concern, and highlight opportunities to take your advertising (or income-generating content sites) to the next level.

What’s really stellar about this platform is how varied your options are. Ask the system to give you recommendations based on potential repairs, bids and budgets, keywords and targeting, or ads and extensions. It will not only analyze with those goals in mind, but provide you with suggestions specifically targeted to those goals at the same time. This includes finding a way forward when you plateau or fixing critical issues you may not even be aware of in the first place.

Ultimately, the new Google Ads system is all about making it easier for new and pre-existing advertisers to get in, get started, and thrive, no matter how small or large their budgets. This is a smart move for Google to make; after all, concerns about expense and ease of entry are by far the most common reasons business avoided Adwords in the first place.

Let us know what you think of the system – is it an improvement? Can’t stand it? Leave your comments in the space below.