Big Changes to Google Ads:
What You Need to Know

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Susie Marino
• Content Marketing Specialist @
LOCALiQ
• Former Digital Marketing Consultant @
WordStream
• Boston Based

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Agenda
1. Sunset of modified broad match
2. Keyword matching improvements
3. Search terms report update
4. Sunset of expanded text ads
5. Monthly spend limits
6. 3-strike policy
7. Attribution model changes

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Homage to Modified Broad
Match Keywords
TLDR Stats:
Date: July 2021
Impacts: Search
Action needed? Yes
Level of difficulty: Beginner

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The history of Search keyword match types
Phrase
Modified Broad
Broad
Exact

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What changed

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What this means
● Changes fully went into effect in July 2021
● Change any remaining modified broad keywords
● Try broad match layered with advanced targeting or bidding
● Use phrase match more heavily going forward

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Updates to keyword
matching behavior
TLDR Stats:
Date: September 2021
Impacts: Search
Action needed? Yes
Level of difficulty: Advanced

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What changed
● Google refreshed how it matches your keywords up to search queries

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What this means
● Clean up keywords
● Remove any match type duplicates or close variants
● Exact match logic is now applied to broad and phrase
● Google is looking at query matching over context
● Stick with thematically consistent ad groups
● Be sure to leverage negative keywords

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Search Terms Report
Improvements
TLDR Stats:
Date: September 2021
Impacts: Search
Action needed? Yes
Level of difficulty: Beginner

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What changed
● The search terms report will now show more queries
● We'll now be able to see what high-volume searches we showed
for with impressions but no clicks
● In exchange, some historical data prior to September 2020 will be
removed in February 2022

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What this means
● Save any searches from before September 2020
● Start using search terms report more
● Be on the lookout for more info in the Insights page
● Use Google Trends and Auction Insights for extra help

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RIP expanded text ads
TLDR Stats:
Date: June 2022
Impacts: Search
Action needed? Yes
Level of difficulty: Intermediate

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What changed
● Expanded text ads (ETAs) editing capabilities will be sunsetted in June 2022
● Responsive search ads (RSAs) will be the new default search ad type

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Showdown: ETA vs. RSA

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Showdown: ETA vs. RSA

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Showdown: ETA vs. RSA

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Showdown: ETA vs. RSA

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What this means
● Audit your current ETA and RSA status
● Edit your ETAs while you still can
● Get familiar with RSAs
● Dynamic search ads and call ads will still be available
● Always have a back-up plan

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What's the deal with
monthly spend limits?
TLDR Stats:
Date: June 2021
Impacts: Credit card accounts
Action needed? No
Level of difficulty: Beginner

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What changed
● Accounts paying by credit cards can now have the option to cap off
spend at the account level.

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What this means
● Ongoing roll out to certain accounts
● Daily budgets will remain a requirement
● Can be limiting, but helpful to budget-conscious accounts

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3 strikes, you're out!
Google's 3-strike policy
TLDR Stats:
Date: July 2021
Impacts: High-risk businesses
Action needed? Yes
Level of difficulty: Intermediate

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What changed
● Specific ad policy violations will start receive penalties ultimately
ending with account suspension.

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What changed

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What this means
● Know how to leverage appeals
● Know how to contact Google support
● Most advertisers won't be impacted
● If you're questioning it, don't put it live!
● Always have a back-up plan

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Default attribution models
TLDR Stats:
Date: October 2021
Impacts: All accounts
Action needed? Yes
Level of difficulty: Advanced

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Quick attribution model refresh

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What changed

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What this means
● Over the coming months, Google will switch the default attribution model
from last click to data driven attribution
● Google removed any minimum data requirements for data driven attribution
● You can change your attribution model
● Compare them in real time to prepare

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Final Thoughts

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Google is listening.
1. Changes will continue to come.
3. Push for automation.
2. Most changes are beneficial.
Be nimble and take them in
stride!
4. Always have a back-up plan!
Try other channels.
Key takeaways
It's clear Google is evolving its
machine learning. Get
comfortable with automation.

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Thank You!