Responsive search ads (RSA for short) aren’t the new kids on the block. RSAs have been part of the PPC ecosystem for a few years now. That said, RSAs have been a hot topic in 2022. Why all the fuss about them now?
This summer, the previous ad type, Expanded Text Ads, is being deprecated. This puts responsive search ads front and center for advertisers as the unique text ad type for search campaigns. Let’s dive a little deeper into RSAs, the switch, and how you can maximize your potential with RSAs.
Responsive search ads are about delivering the right message at the right time. RSAs are a flexible ad experience that displays more personalized content to reach your customers. These ads tailor your text ads to closely match what someone is looking for when they search.
In addition, RSAs can help reduce bulky operations and save time. Advertisers provide up to 15 titles and up to four descriptions. All of these components can create over 40,000 possible ad permutations! Find efficiency in ad evaluation using A/B testing and automatically determine which creative works best for different queries.
Opting out of expanded text ads is coming in two waves this summer. The first wave was for Google Ads on June 30. The second wave will be Microsoft Advertising. Starting August 29th, advertisers will no longer be able to create new expanded text ads.
On both platforms, previously existing expanded text ads will continue to run. Note that while you can turn these ads on and off, you can no longer edit them.
How can you maximize your potential with RSAs? First, get started today by launching RSA alongside your expanded text ads if you haven’t already. Here are some additional best practices to consider when working with RSA:
Convert the top performing content of your existing expanded text ads to different RSA titles and descriptions. Make sure there are at least two or three responsive search ads in all of your ad groups. Include top performing keywords and clear calls to action in your title and description assets. Create at least 11-15 titles and use a mix of short and long titles to maximize character count across devices.
Make the content as distinct as possible – avoid repetitive language. Consider additional benefits or features of the product or service. Try a clear call to action. Includes shipping and return information. Take RSAs to the next level by customizing your assets: dynamic keyword insertion. Place the Universal Event Tracking (UET) tag on your website with conversion tracking enabled to provide stronger optimization signals for the RSA algorithm. Review asset strength, mix reports, and other details on the Assets tab to optimize your assets with low impressions.
Responsive search ads have taken center stage in search campaigns. If you used to sleep with RSA, it’s time to wake up and take notice. Start creating RSAs to launch alongside your existing expanded text ads today. Happy ad testing, everyone!
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About the author
Microsoft Advertising connects you with more than a billion people at the right times in work and life. Microsoft’s ecosystem provides access to an audience that has higher purchasing power, spends more online, and is more likely to engage with ads to test new offers. Whether you’re building a brand or performance campaign, we offer advertising solutions that work across the entire marketing funnel, including search, native, display and video, thanks to the Microsoft Advertising ad platform and technology from DSP, SSP and Curate advertising. Reach people on Microsoft properties like Bing, MSN, Microsoft News, Microsoft Edge and Outlook.com, partner sites like AOL, Yahoo and DuckDuckGo, or the open web with Xandr. Microsoft Advertising. Great relationships start here.
