Three Things You Really Need to Know to Teach Paid Search in Fall 2018

This blog post outlines changes to the paid search environment and to the Google Online Marketing Challenge in teaching marketing using Internet Marketing:  Integrating Online and Offline Strategies in a Digital Environment.  This material supplements the information on paid search with Google in Chapter 11 and the Appendix on the Google Online Marketing Challenge.

 

Farewell AdWords, Hello Ads

Google made a number of changes over the summer to its ad formats and is rebranding AdWords to Google Ads. Most of the functions are still in beta and some of the online material has yet to be updated to reflect the rebranding.  The new formats and changes take advantage of machine learning and automation and are outlined in an excellent blog post from Search Engine Land. Google wants to focus less on finding keywords and text ads and more on encouraging advertisers to use different ad formats and let automation do much of the work. Certainly, paid advertising is one of the first places where artificial intelligence, machine learning and automation will have the biggest impact.

The announced changes will allow advertisers to automatically run ad campaigns based on the latest responses from consumers, which is a good thing.  We also see a potential danger in more automation in terms of monitoring budgets. We wonder if only the largest advertisers will be able to use these changes or if they will truly benefit small businesses, as Google claims.  The following list is a summary of the changes announced this past summer.

a. Responsive ad types:  These ads can run in rotation and take the place of manual A/B testing.  Automation will try to match the ad closest to the user’s query and the ad formats allow for more characters.  The responsive search ads allow for three headlines and up to two 90-character descriptions vs. 80 characters, so the format allows students more leeway in writing ads.  For simplicity for teaching purposes, it might be better to start out with plain text ads and branch out after students master that format.

b. Local campaigns: This result is a new ad type targeted for retailers and aimed at increasing store visits.  This local campaign is similar to Smart Campaigns, which is the new default for new advertisers. So if you are running a Google Ads project in class and want the students to be able to select their own keywords and make manual changes to track the results, they have to switch platforms to do so.

c. Smart Shopping:  In a similar way, Shopping campaigns can now be automated and structured to achieve the advertiser’s conversation goals, now including store visits or new customers as well as revenue or return on ad spend (ROAS).

d. You Tu be Ads:  With continued growth in conversions, advertisers will continue to look to YouTube for ad conversions and there will be an automated bidding strategy for YouTube, Maximize Lift to target users most likely to consider a brand purchase after viewing a video ad.
e. Hotel Ads: These will be integrated in to the Google Ads platform and also be able to take advantage of automated campaign features.

f. Google Analytics:  It looks like there will be more integration with Google Analytics allowing for cross-device reporting and the ability to build cross-device remarketing audiences for use in Google Ads.  This type of sophistication is not typically taught in the introductory internet/digital marketing courses but the topic might come up in conversation.

 

 

 

Find Google Ads certification on Academy for Ads

Google replaced the Google Partners site with the Academy for Ads early in 2018.  It is still possible to become a Google Partner but not necessary to do so to get certified in Google Ads.  The Academy for Ads allows individuals to get certified for free. Previously, students were signing up as Partners to get free certification.  This is a welcome change to the process and an acknowledgement that more professors are teaching paid search in their programs.

 

 

 

 

A New Form of the Google Online Marketing Challenge

Find the new form of the Google Online Marketing Challenge (GOMC) as the Google Ad Grants Online Marketing Challenge or OMC:   Students will register and request a nonprofit partner and be matched with one by Google.  The budget is up to $10,000 a month. It will be interesting to see how this form of the challenge progresses.  There are always issues working with a real life company in terms of communication and student teams sometimes

have issues as well in terms of organization and commitment.   However, not having to find a partner is a big bonus for instructors.  We agree with the program’s insisting on the Google Fundamentals exam before beginning the challenge as that basic knowledge really helps in terms of project execution. There is a program similar to the old GOMC for Bing advertisements but none of the students in Dr. Zahay’s class last Spring wanted to use Bing ads.   They know Google is the source of most search traffic.

 

A couple of other notes for teaching this material

Project structure and coaching tips for the student teams and professors found  in the text in the Appendix and instructor Power Points can be applied to any paid search project. It is possible to replicate the old GOMC by getting companies to sponsor student teams.  We found that having the companies buy $250 prepaid Visa cards worked great and relieved client worries about going over budget.  Also, if as an instructor you find a company with multiple product lines to promote via paid search, client communication is easier than working with multiple clients.

In summary, there are a number of changes in the Google Ad world and the online marketing challenge, but the material in the text robust enough to rise to the challenge.  We recommend using the Search Engine Land or similar blog post to update the class on ad formats.  Also, consider the new Academy for Ads for certification and the new form of the Online Marketing Challenge.

Debra Zahay, September, 2018

New Ad Formats

The Expanded Text Format 

Debra's Tips for Coaching the GOMC

This post is reprinted from Zahay Teaches Digital (Marketing)

The Outline of the Challenge
For example, The Google Online Marketing Challenge is another way that instructors can give their students ‘real-world’ experiences in digital marketing. I have used many tools and techniques over the years and the Challenge has many benefits as well as some limitations. In a nutshell, students plan, implement and measure an online paid search campaign using at $250.00 AdWords budget from Google.  In the process, the challenge requires first finding a client and defining what makes the product/service unique so it can be promoted online.  The challenge can be used to reinforce the strategic marketing concepts that are taught in many classes because search keywords convey the company's unique strengths and positioning.  What follows are some tips for coaching teams in the Challenge.

1) Emphasize learning. I have coached over 40 teams, many of them quite skilled, and we have never made it to any award level.  In speaking with those who have been selected, it seems that the difference is the dedication of the team, not the skill of the coach.  If the students and you get to fly to California, that is great, but it is also unlikely. Therefore, I recommend emphasizing the team's learnings or outcomes of the project and not necessarily the prizes.  The reflection part of the post-campaign report will help in this area, or instructors may also include other reflection assignments before, during and after the campaign.  I personally grade the challenge on the caliber of the written assignments and the team’s reflection, not necessarily the results of the challenge.  We often have a presentation based on the pre-campaign report so the entire class and sometimes the client can give feedback and we all learn in the process.
2) Expect the unexpected.  Especially when you are a new coach, you may not be able to foresee difficulties.  We had a team pick a support website for a psychological disease, not realizing that Google places many restrictions on that particular advertising category.  Believe it or not, there are sites that promote this particular behavioral disorder and Google goes to great lengths to make sure that it does not encourage this type of behavior in the ad envrinoment.  Inappropriate, dangerous, dishonest or counterfeit products or services are not allowed to advertise on Google’s networks. However, if you find your team in a sticky position, make the most of the situation.  There is a lot to be learned from even negative experiences and one of the women who was on the team that had all the challenges from Google still considers it to be one of her best project experiences and uses the experience in job interviews to talk about how she has overcome adversity. https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/answer/6008942?hl=en
3) Be prepared for mono-mania. This project can be all-consuming.  I recommend making the project the only project during the course and just having a few examinations and maybe a presentation.  Students will become completely absorbed during the running of the campaign and it is often good to give them class time to work on their campaigns and discuss problems as a group.
4) Consider timing. This project used to be confined to the Spring, which meant that after a few weeks of course intro, finding the client and working on the pre-campaign report, we were almost at Spring break.  Then we had to decide whether to run the campaign over break or how to handle the timing. Students are now allowed to run the campaign for any 21 days over a 31 day period, which means that teams can suspend their campaign over break. In any case, timing can be critical. I have run this challenge in an eight-week class, but we only had two weeks for the campaign. Instructors wishing to run the challenge in a short-form course would be wise to line up the clients before starting and have them present to the class during the first week. 
5) Try it yourself. I recommend setting up an AdWords account and writing some ads. I was fortunate to run a program where I had my own budget and we ran some ad campaigns for events. I got to learn how to do AdWords well while I was coaching my students.  Even so, I learned a lot from coaching the projects. Since the AdWords Fundamentals and other exams are now free, I recommend also taking at least the Fundamentals exam before starting as a coach.
6) Expect some challenging clients. Even if clients have the best interests of the students at heart, they get busy and sometimes can’t help as much as they would like.  Ideal clients give access to their site analytics to the team, make website changes to improve the relevance of landing pages, and stay involved in the entire process.  Less than ideal clients never return students phone calls or emails.  Make sure the client companies already have a landing page so there is something to work with if the client gets too busy to work with the students.  Involving the clients by requiring them to have some 'skin in the game' like attending class at the beginning, end and middle of the project helps with not only the student experience but the project outcome.
7) Consider two courses.  I’m not kidding. Most of us that have been doing this for a while are not trying to teach the students Internet Marketing and also have them run the Challenge.  Our approach at St. Edward’s is to get them certified in one course and teach the background and then have them participate in the Challenge or a similar project for another.
8) Realize this is not Google’s major business. Google does not make money on the GOMC.  The GOMC is a public service that also benefits Google by getting them clients and training future digital marketers to use their software.  However, sometimes Google can  be late in approving pre-campaign reports or crediting accounts with cash and sometimes students don't follow directions exactly to get their campaign credits.  Sometimes there are technical difficulties in getting things set up properly.  All of these potential problems mean that it is important to include enough time in the schedule to correct any problems or difficulties.  I always let the students decide which three weeks they wish to run their campaign during any four week period, just in case a team runs in to trouble.  I build slack time in the course schedule to accommodate unforeseen circumstances.
9) Check for special contests.  Each year, Google runs special contests along with the Challenge. These contests are sometimes for use of social media, sometimes for having a non-profit client and sometimes for being AdWords certified.  Check the challenge guidelines each year to see if your students qualify as these opportunities can be extra ways to win. 
These are just a few tips that I have for you from my years in doing the Challenge.  If you have any questions or comments you can post on this blog or email me. If you would like a copy of the complete GOMC Appendix to accompany the new Zahay and Roberts Internet Marketing text, please email me at dblatz@stedwards.edu.