Originally Posted on Search Engine Journal by Matt G. Southern
In an email sent to Google Ads advertisers this week, the company announced a change coming to search ads.
Effective May 31, 2024, ad customizers will stop serving for expanded text ads (ETAs) and Dynamic Search Ads (DSAs).
The notification reads in part:
“On May 31, 2024, existing ad customizers for text ads, expanded text ads and Dynamic Search Ads will stop serving (after this date they will only be able to serve with their default value).”
For advertisers leveraging customizers with their text ads or DSAs, Google recommends “transitioning to responsive search ads and creating ad customizers for responsive search ads by May 31, 2024.”
Reactions Within The Search Marketing Community
News of the impending change sparked discussion among paid search professionals.
Navah Hopkins shared the Google announcement on LinkedIn along with her take:
“I’ve never been a huge fan of customizers (both anecdotally and when looking at large data sets), but I respect that they do work for some advertisers.
If you’re currently running ad customizers on your DSA or ETAs – now is the time to build them out as RSAs so you can gradually move to the new format.”
Hopkins clarified that the customizers will cease serving text ads and DSAs, not the ad types.
“If you didn’t bother with [customizers]…keep calm and carry on with your amazing human augmented creative segmentation!”
The Writing On The Wall For Text Ads
Google’s push for responsive search ads (RSAs) as the go-to search ad format has been apparent for some time.
In 2021, Google shared that RSAs would become the only search ad type advertisers could create or edit in standard search campaigns.
The following year, in June 2022, Google stopped allowing advertisers to create or edit expanded text ads within any of its surfaces—a clear sign that RSAs were taking over as the primary ad unit.
Many marketers have invested in responsive search ads over the past couple of years, and this latest move seems to be another step in that continued shift.
For those still leveraging custom ad text with their text ads and DSAs, the clock is ticking to rebuild those customized experiences with responsive search ads instead.
FAQ
How does Google Ads’ change regarding ad customizers impact advertisers?
To maintain personalized advertising experiences, Google Ads advertisers now need to:
- Transition their existing ad customizers to responsive search ads (RSAs) by the May 31 deadline.
- Rebuild customized ad experiences within the RSA format, which offers dynamic customization capabilities.
- Adapt to a new ad landscape where RSAs are becoming the primary format for search ads.
What are the steps for advertisers to transition from ETAs to RSAs?
Advertisers must take proactive measures to ensure a smooth transition from expanded text ads to responsive search ads:
- Review current ad campaigns using ETAs and identify which utilize ad customizers.
- Create new responsive search ads that implement customizers before the deadline.
- Test and optimize these RSAs for performance against current ETAs to ensure minimal disruption.
- Gradually phase out ETAs in favor of RSAs to become accustomed to the new format.
Why is Google pushing for a transition to responsive search ads?
Google’s push towards responsive search ads is rooted in adaptability and efficiency. The transition reflects an effort to:
- Simplify ad creation while maximizing reach and relevance across different search queries.
- Employ a more automated approach to ad optimization using machine learning algorithms.
- Streamline the ad platform by focusing on a single, more effective ad type that can adjust to user queries and device types.
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