Long is in. Short is out. Now is the time to switch over to expanded text ads.

Are you still stuck with standard text ads?

Well, you can’t be, going forward.

Search and digital ad giant Google has rolled out its new ad format called the ETA (Extended Text Ads) that now becomes the default norm. Although the search engine results pages (SERPs) will continue to display a mix of both these types of ads, Google is soon going to do away with the standard text ads.

So, what now?
It is not a big deal. All you need to do is to re-create your ads in the Extended Text Ad format. And in return, you are going to make it more compelling for searchers to click on your ad and improve your click through rates (CTRs) in a significant manner.

The new format includes more fields and more characters when compared to the standard one.The Final URL of your landing page is something that you have to choose before you start creating your ETA. This makes it easier for you to focus on what is required.

The Headline 1 is increased by five more characters making it 30 instead of 25.

There is a new field called Headline 2 (30 characters) that gives you more scope to include some supporting information to enhance the utility and appeal of your ad heading.

There is another new optional component called Path in the ETA. This allows you to use two 15-character paths to strengthen your URL. You can effectively introduce your main keywords here as there is no need to plug in a working link.

The Description has been increased from 35 characters to 80 characters, making it convenient for you to include more meat and add in a powerful CTA that lures the visitor to click.

Here are a few tips that you can follow to optimize your ETA for clicks and conversions:

Start Fresh

You may have worked really hard on creating those perfect standard text ads. You may want to modify those to make them fit into the ETA format. But don’t do this; instead create a fresh ad.

Adding a second headline to your existing ad might even decrease your CTRs instead of improving it.In addition,

Try and make the best use of the extra characters and fields that you get in ETA.
Focus on emphasizing the unique features of your product…
Add in that emotional touch to appeal to your consumers…
Come up with a fresh CTA and test if it works…
Look at the magic the results create for your business!

Focus on your Headlines

Yes, you have 80 characters to fill up in your description field. But would anyone actually read it? Not really. Your headlines are the ones that are supposed to catch users’ attention. If they don’t, there are little chances of your ad getting noticed.

Try and come up with catchy headlines. Keep them short but meaningful. Thirty three characters are what a line can take in an ETA. There is no guarantee that your Headline 2 will be displayed in full. It may either extend to the next line or be truncated too. If you want both your Headlines to be displayed fully, it is better to limit both to 33 characters.

Let your old ads run the way they are

Pausing your old ads is not such a good idea as you may have no idea about how your new ETAs are going to perform. It is better to introduce your ETAs into the ad groups while your old ads are still running. In addition, monitor the performance of your new ads closely. If they are not performing as good as your old ads, you may have to work on them. However, you can pause your old ads once your ETAs start outperforming them. This way you are not really putting yourself at any kind of a risk.

Make sure your ETA is best viewed on all devices

Google has made it easier for searches to view ETAs on any device of their preference. You will see the same message whether you are viewing the ad on a desktop, tablet or a smart phone. Your offer should make sense for users of all devices. CTA should work for people, irrespective of the device they are using. In other words, these are device-neutral.

Keep updating your ad extensions

Ad extensions improve your visibility and increase your CTRs. Updating them every now and then will make your ETAs rank better.Do not repeat the ETA text in your ad extensions. Refresh your ad extensions with fresh and unique content. Use your ad extensions to promote your larger ads.

It won’t be too long before everyone starts using Expanded Text Ads. If you want to have a competitive edge in the market, using ETAs right away could be an excellent opportunity. Apart from driving maximum traffic to your website, you will also see a boost in your Quality Scores.

Don’t wait anymore. The right moment is right now!