Google Adwords upgrade a wake-up for start-ups

Start-ups that advertise with Google AdWords can now integrate new social and mobile features after the tech giant unveiled a range of new upgrades for search ads.

The move comes as Google is pushing more of its clients to adopt mobile and social strategies as it promotes Android and mobile search as two of its biggest product streams.

Nick Fox, Google vice president of product management, said in a blog post that more businesses are using experimental methods of advertising through AdWords, including the addition of media ads that include video within search ad results.

Fox points out that more than 20% of desktop searches on Google are related to location, while on mobile that figure jumps to 40%.

He refers to location extensions, which allow businesses to attach an address to any ad campaign.

“With our mobile ad formats, not only can you call a restaurant directly from the ad, you can also find out how far away the restaurant is located and view a map with directions,” he says.

Google also points to the inclusion of the +1 button, which has been integrated with several search ads since earlier in the year.

According to Jim Stewart, chief executive of Stewart Media, that is the area where businesses need to be paying the most attention.

“If you’re doing AdWords that’s certainly the one you need to be aware of because it was rolled out first,” he says.

“The multimedia aspect of the ads is interesting as well, although they’ve done that before.”

Stewart says businesses need to start paying attention to how they can integrate location into their AdWords as Google transforms from becoming an internet media company into a mobile giant.

“Everything is heading that way now and Google is actually rewarding sites that are doing AdWords for the sites that are mobile friendly,” he says.

“There are two steps here – making sure your site is mobile friendly and then making sure it’s optimised and easily interactive.”

Stewart says businesses which aren’t attaching locations to their mobile ads are missing out and will soon slip behind the competition.

“This is important, especially in areas such as retail,” he says.

“People do price checks via their phones and so you need to make sure your ads are directing them to a site that is mobile friendly and easy to use, and has a location attached.”