Initially launched in 2019, Google Discovery ads were designed to provide advertisers with highly engaging ads that raise awareness and help capture demand when users are most likely to buy.
In March 2023, Google announced the latest improvements to Discovery ads to help brands stand out on their most engaging ad platforms, such as YouTube, Discover (Google app-based advertising), and Gmail.
Here’s how Google is making it easier to get your products in front of your customers when they’re ready to make a decision.
- Spark audience interest with product feeds
Discovery ads can now leverage various product feed layouts, such as carousels, square, and portrait, to help create meaningful and impactful ads. With this feature, advertisers can deliver more relevant ads to their audiences based on their interests and intent.
According to Google, adding product feeds to Discovery ads can allow you to achieve 45% more conversions at a similar CPA, when using sales or lead gen goals. Additionally, when paired with video action campaigns, you can generate deeper levels of consideration and engagement with your audience who are exploring content on YouTube.
2. Turn data into results with better reporting and measurement
Launched at the end of March, product-level reporting allows advertisers to track the performance of their Google Merchant Center catalog items based on metrics, such as impressions or clicks.
This is important to note as it means retailers who promote a diverse array of products will be able to identify which types of products are generating more interest and consequently take relevant business-related actions to improve performance.
Additionally, starting in Q2, Discovery ads will be able to utilise more accurate understanding of their campaign performance within the Google ecosystem through data-driven attribution (DDA). DDA will credit conversions based on how users interact with your ads, and can identify which campaigns have the most significant impact on your business goals, using your account data. Pairing these insights with automated bidding strategies, such as max conversions, can lead to even more conversions.
- Conversion lift experiments
Introduced last year, conversion lift experiments is a recent Google measurement solution that allows advertisers to measure the incremental conversions based on users or geography.
For advertisers who are running both Discovery ads and video action campaigns, you can use Conversion Lift based on geography to measure their impact together and accurately assess the effectiveness of your campaigns.
Why is this important?
Today’s consumers shop across multiple different online touch points; more than half of which use YouTube, Discover, and Gmail alongside alternative platforms when conducting product or brand research. According to Google, 91% of consumers take action directly after discovering new information, therefore, it’s important for advertisers to capture audiences in moments when they are ready to make a decision.
Google’s new tools can help optimise your ad campaigns more effectively. Utilising product-level reporting allows advertisers to identify which products are driving the most interest and then take appropriate action. Data-driven attribution helps to accurately measure the impact of campaigns on business objectives, while Conversion Lift experiments provide insights into the incremental conversions generated by campaigns.
