Innovation in paid searches is always happening. From new platform features to search engine algorithm changes, here are some of the things you should know going into 2022.
Every year brings something new to the business world, whether it’s an entirely new technological development or reworks of previous features. And nothing will change in this regard in 2022.
However, many believe that the new year will create a very promising and exciting search marketing environment.
Some existing strategies may become obsolete, while others will receive a long-awaited boost in performance. And in some instances, you may need to learn and integrate a completely new process to maximise your audience reach.
That said, PPC campaigns remain one of the biggest boosters for any business looking to create a successful online presence. And if you’re looking to stay on top of your game, your PPC campaign will require dedicating more time and energy to keeping up with popular trends.
The 5 Trends
Trend #1. Enhanced Keyword Matching
Both Microsoft and Google Ads rolled out substantial changes in keyword matching algorithms. As a result, your marketing strategy for 2022 might need some adjustments.
One of the significant changes was the discontinuation of the broad match modifier, although other match types also underwent minor tweaks.
As it stands, the digital space is filled with ad accounts and campaigns that still rely on the older form of keyword organisation. This will need a strategy overhaul for optimisation purposes.
Granted, some of the new adjustments were intended to improve flexibility by reducing the complexity of the old account structure. Therefore, combining multiple match types for the same keyword might not be a good strategy. Neither will match type-based keyword grouping.
To prepare a 2022 strategy, advertisers need to spend more time planning and outlining how keywords match. They should also work additionally on the structure, depending on what adjustments continue to come along the way.
Trend #2. Customer Match
The recent changes in how cookies work has some advertisers panicking. And first-party data is perhaps more important than ever these days and for the foreseeable future.
With a customer match strategy, you can use data shared by customers and clients directly to do two things:
- Retarget the existing audience
- Locate and target customers with a shared avatar
The good news is that customer match is featured on most, if not all, PPC ad platforms. But this wasn’t a wildly popular strategy up until late 2021. So, preparing for 2022 should have you uploading existing customer lists on all the platforms you’re using and structuring your messaging accordingly.
Of course, it’s worth noting that the match rate won’t be the same across all platforms. But it’s good to see that Google Ads improved the accessibility and performance of the customer match strategy.
Trend #3. More PPC Automation
PPC and automation have been working hand in hand for some time. But PPC advertising wasn’t dependent on automation, nor did it have vastly superior results because of it.
That said, recent years showed an increased demand for automation.
However, support for PPC automation is perhaps the segment that’s lagging farthest behind. Marketing automation, on the other hand, is rather impressive already and things continue improving at a steady pace.
But 2022 is poised to offer more automation support regarding ad testing and CTA analysis. Data diagnostics should also receive some love due to their importance in discovering inefficiencies and gaps in advertising campaigns.
Due to the overall trend to make automation more accessible and accurate, it’s worth taking advantage of this strategy as early as possible in 2022.
Trend #4. Responsive Search Ads
The responsive search ads format, or RSAs, is an interesting new trend that both Google and Microsoft seem determined to ride, at least in the immediate future.
Granted, working on ad copy has been at the top of every advertiser’s to-do list for years. Yet somehow, it seems even more critical for 2022.
Sure, you should always review, test, and update your ad copy to ensure the best results from your PPC campaigns. But with the ad format changing dramatically, extra attention will be necessary.
Previously, expanded text ads were pretty much the norm. The shift to the RSAs format will soon render expanded text ads obsolete.
Imagine combining up to 15 headlines and four descriptions. You can get tons of variations to test. Additionally, you can choose which asset to use by pinning multiple ad elements for even more customisation.
This trend may require additional work on your ad copy, but it also benefits from making it easy to maintain critical messaging elements and the desired CTA.
As with anything else, the secret to a successful PPC ad copy will be moderation. Google’s algorithm will tax an abundance of pins, similarly to how it did with keyword stuffing.
Trend #5. AI-Driven PPC Ad Campaigns
Like automation and responsive search ads, AI isn’t a new topic in the PPC advertising realm. However, its ever-evolving nature and deeper integration make this trend grow considerably from one year to the next.
Tomorrow’s AI may look nothing like today’s AI. So, whatever strategy you’re using now won’t necessarily serve you in 2022. This will likely be a trend you need to keep an eye on going into every new year, mainly due to the importance of AI in analysing keyword and ad performance in real-world market conditions.
New ways to diagnose data are always right around the corner, and automated bid processes can change significantly in a matter of months. So, it’s wise to stay on top of AI developments and leverage this technology to further your PPC campaign goals.
Get the Edge and Crush Your Marketspace
One thing remains consistent when it comes to PPC campaigns: Each year sees some trends changing and others evolving.
Not all market tendencies may prove to be optimal in the long run. But not accounting for what’s hot in the present and immediate future will prevent you from getting the best results out of your campaigns.
It’s true that some of the things that worked in 2021 will continue to do so in 2022. But the key points of interest presented in this article will be among the most impactful PPC advertising elements moving forward. So, keep them in mind for your marketing campaigns.
If you’re interested in learning more about what trends to capitalise on to accelerate your marketing results, don’t hesitate to schedule your free consult with one of our GMS experts.
