The Mainstay of Online Advertising is No More After 18 Years
Google AdWords made it possible for anyone to advertise online. And now Google Ads is making it even easier.
October 2000 had its fair share of memorable events. Slobodan Milošević was overthrown as the president of Yugoslavia, Ford unveiled its second generation Mondeo and the last ever football match was played at the old Wembley Stadium. In the burgeoning online world, meanwhile, Google released a new service called AdWords that would allow anyone to get a piece of advertising real estate in cyberspace.
In the subsequent 18 years, digital marketing has become a business discipline in its own right, and companies use PPC consultants to optimise their online campaigns to stay ahead of the rest. While the tools, technology and methodology have all advanced in leaps and bounds, AdWords has remained a central part of that. Until now.
A Rapidly Evolving Online World
The way people use the internet has, of course, changed immeasurably since 2000. That 2000 Mondeo that came out at the same time as AdWords is still perfectly serviceable today, but will seem a little dated. However, it is part of a mature market with more than 100 years of history. Putting a car from 1900 alongside one from 1918 would provide a more accurate parallel – quite simply, there is no comparison.
These two cars look a world apart – for those who can remember AdWords from 2000, the evolution is just as dramatic.
People do More Online
It sounds obvious, but the implications can be easy to overlook. Back in 2000, people used the internet to look things up. It was seen as a constantly updated version of an encyclopaedia, perhaps crossed with an immense telephone directory.
That in itself provided opportunities for businesses to reach out to people, but in a highly simplistic way. Searching for a plumber in Chelmsford? Here’s one. A writer in Stoke on Trent? One right here.
Today, however, searching for products and services is only a small part of what we do online. Google, a company that is so interwoven with search that its very name has become synonymous with the activity, recognises this and has moved with the times. People use the internet, and Google itself, to watch TV, listen to music, chat with friends, play games, fall in love, go to work, commit acts of charity, commit acts of crime and for a million other purposes.
They do so on desktops, laptops, tablets, smart TVs and most of all, mobile phones. All these channels and platforms have created a smorgasbord of digital marketing opportunity. And they have also made the whole topic vastly more complex.
Simplifying the Complex
At the same time as digital marketing has increased in both complexity and importance, companies have found themselves with less and less time to dedicate to its mysteries. Markets are more competitive, businesses are running leaner and they just plain don’t have the time or resources.
This is what has driven Google to rebrand and simplify its online ads service. Google Ads is the new overarching platform that will contain bite sized segments that cover every aspect of digital market using simple language and maximum automation. This will include tools for advertising on traditional search, via video content, through Google Maps and more.
The first new service under the Google Ads banner has already been introduced. Google Smart Campaigns is specifically aimed at small businesses, and was launched at the end of June. Expect plenty more to follow, so keep watching this space for the latest news.