Major changes in 2024 will disrupt the PPC industry. Third-party cookies will be removed, accelerating privacy-focused measurement. Meanwhile, automation through AI will transform campaign types, creatives and search engine results pages.
This article outlines seven key areas to evolve your PPC advertising approach in 2024 so you’re better prepared for what lies ahead.
1. Evolve your measure
The time has finally come. The deactivation of third-party cookies is imminent in 2024.
Google Chrome is already restricting cookies for 1% of users, as noted in recent reports. Many advertisers have put off the arduous task of restructuring their measurement frameworks to focus on privacy, but now is the time. No more waiting.
The projections prove it Cookies will be removed around the third quarter of this year. Advertisers need to establish new measurement practices now.
Developing these practices will take time. In general, you will need at least two quarters to create and test new measurement frameworks, which may include:
First-party data tracking. Improved conversions. Google analytics.
2. Set bids based on value
Once you’ve established a secure measurement for privacy, you should review your value-based bidding strategies in your paid search program.
We’ve found that value-based bidding drives revenue and sales, which is now standard practice in our campaigns.
If you need a system to track dynamic values and multiple actions, tracking these elements and parameters in your paid search campaigns will take time.
Dig Deeper: How non-retail advertisers can adopt value-based bidding in Google Ads
3. Experiment with broad matching
Full disclosure: I’ve been skeptical of broad matching for a long time. Historically, this type of match generated significant irrelevant traffic and performance was typically poor. However, I have moderately changed my point of view over the past two years.
With value-based bidding, unwieldy broad matching can be moderated. And this will be necessary to evolve paid search campaigns.
The search engine results page is evolving, which is why Google and Microsoft are pushing broad matching. Search Generative Experience (SGE) will work differently, so this needs to become a focus for advertisers.
If you’re not running broad match right now, add it to your testing roadmap for 2024. However, I recommend that you reset the measurement and structuring of value-based bids before then.
Dig Deeper: Google Ads Broad Match: What the Data Reveals for PPC Marketers
4. Take control of peak performance
Google and Microsoft are hedging their bets with Performance Max.
I could describe why that is, and it’s good for them, but not always great for advertisers. However, that proverbial ship has sailed.
This is the direction Google and Microsoft are going, and advertisers need to try and figure out how to make these combined campaigns work if possible.
There are still many things that could be improved with Performance Max. Lack of transparency, lack of control, and the list goes on.
Additional layers of control have been added over the past 12 months, which is a good sign. Advertisers can now search for topics to improve targeting and other audience signals.
Recent changes to topic, placement, and keyword exclusions are a step in the right direction in terms of advertiser control. Brand exclusion is a massive win, so Performance Max is not fully supported by brand search.
We have seen positive results with Performance Max. We’ll continue to test this over the coming year to see how we can better bring creative strategy to these combined campaigns.
There are still many shortcomings with this type of campaign, but you’d be remiss if you didn’t do your best to master it.
I don’t approve of migrating your entire search budget to automatic combined campaigns. But it’s always good to prepare for the direction of the industry, and if that’s not where we’re headed, you want to be included.
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5. Familiarize yourself with Demand Gen
We’ve been testing Demand Gen campaigns for the past quarter. The results are mixed, but I am intrigued and skeptical of the product.
While it’s beneficial for paid search to run ads throughout the buyer’s journey, I still wonder if there’s too much overlap between Demand Gen and Performance Max across placements. Both products target the same inventory but through different tactics.
However, the best way to determine what works is through testing. This should also be your plan for 2024 as Discovery campaigns move to Demand Gen at the end of January.
As measurement becomes more complicated and channels consolidate, paid search marketers must adapt. Challenges persist with limited control and visibility, making it difficult to swim against the current.
Go deeper: Google Demand Gen campaigns: migration and best practices
6. Take advantage of AI’s generative creativity
Generative AI seems to be everywhere. And paid search is no different.
Google introduced genAI for asset creation in Performance Max last year. I haven’t had a chance to use these tools, but they could be a game changer.
We often want to try multiple iterations of adding and uploading new videos and peak performance, but there’s usually only so much creative bandwidth. Generative AI will allow you to quickly generate custom assets for the rest of your campaigns.
You can see a theme emerging in this article: This is the year to try new things. The new resource creation tools in Google Ads should be beneficial. Let’s try them together this year!
Learn more: Why strong Google Ads creative is THE top priority for advertisers
7. Sync payments and organics to browse SGE
Google added SGE to SERPs last year, and it will likely affect the way users interact with search results.
SGE appears above organic listings, which can affect traffic from that source. In addition, AI-generated content may display ads for shopping and other paid placements. Advertisers need to understand how their campaigns are displayed across placements and content.
Too often, paid and organic teams need to work more closely together. That has to change next year.
SGE affects both locations. Businesses can navigate the sea change occurring in SERPs when they have a holistic view of search.
Dig Deeper: What is SEM – Search Engine Marketing?
Bring a holistic view to your PPC program
Automation and artificial intelligence can streamline paid search operations. However, this does not mean that managing PPC campaigns takes less time. Time spent on paid search campaigns will be just as valuable but different.
Embrace a holistic approach this year, exploring tactics beyond traditional PPC platforms like Google and Bing. Despite the potential challenges in PPC, effective preparation can help navigate the upcoming changes smoothly.
The views expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily Search Engine Land. Staff authors are listed here.
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