Responsive display ads are a new ad format available on the Google Display Network (GDN) that enables an advertiser to upload various assets and utilize Google’s machine learning capabilities to serve the creative combination that is predicted to perform best given the targeting. These RDAs, have replaced responsive ads as the default ad type for the Display network. With this change, we’ve recently seen Google roll out new capabilities and analytics. These changes include the ability to add YouTube videos, a new report showing the asset combinations that have been shown to your audience, and an ad strength score to help advertisers remedy weak spots within each RDA.
Video assets
According to Google, over 60% of shoppers say online videos have given them ideas or inspiration for their purchase and 80% of shoppers who watched a YouTube video related to a purchase they were planning to make said they watched it at the beginning of their shopping process. Video has proven to be a highly influential and engaging content format that plays a vital role in the product/service discovery and research phases. Based on these stats, we at DS are excited to see how the addition of video assets in RDAs will impact performance.
Combinations report
One of the previous complaints of RDAs was the lack of reporting and visibility into what combinations of assets were being served. With the most recent update, Google has partially addressed this issue with the new combinations report that includes variations that the platform has served. At the moment, the only data available in this new combinations report is the impression count by variation, though if the ad type follows the path of RSAs (responsive search ads,) additional metrics are likely in the works. In the future, we hope to see a more robust report for RDAs.
Ad strength score
Another way Google is addressing the lack of visibility and reporting is with the addition of an ad strength score that is displayed at the top of the edit page. Though the current version of this score provides only limited information on areas of improvement, it is a step in the right direction toward further enabling the advertiser to fine-tuning their RDAs.
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Reference:
- “Over 60% of shoppers say online video has given them ideas or inspiration for their purchase.”
- “80% of shoppers who watched a YouTube video related to a purchase they were planning to make said they watched in the beginning of their shopping process.”