Google’s Discovery Ads are an ad format not frequently discussed in the automotive industry but hold great value in the ability to build brand awareness and highlight value propositions. To start with the basics, “Discovery Ads are a visual ad format that runs across the Google Discovery Feed (shown on the homepage of the Google app or the Google.com homepage on mobile), YouTube home feed, and also Gmail.” Offering a compelling visual ad experience is only half the story with these ads. Let’s learn about the other compelling aspects of a Google Discovery Campaign strategy.
1. Reach Beyond the Discovery Feed
There are 800 million users engaging with the Google Discovery Feed. But, that’s not the only place paid search advertisers get to test and tinker with this visual ad format. Discovery ads are native and in-feed; Google uses machine learning to serve the best combinations of your unique headlines, descriptions, and image creative when launching a Discovery Campaign with the hopes of building prospects. This tactic finds the optimal combinations for the right users across the best-performing placement location. By embracing this responsive search ads’ method of prospecting, Google leaves less human-error at chance, paving the way for more customized ad experiences.
2. Machine Learning At Its Finest
Google uses machine learning to serve the best combinations of your unique headlines, descriptions, and image creative when launching a Discovery Campaign with the hopes of building prospects. This tactic finds the optimal combinations for the right users across the best-performing placement location. By embracing this responsive search ads’ method of prospecting, Google leaves less human-error at chance, paving the way for more customized ad experiences.
3. Audience Interests Above All
The standard for audience targeting within Google Ads has traditionally been Age, Gender, and Household Income. Discovery Ads bring the added layer of prospecting to audiences based on their interests. Behavior buckets are created to provide the interest groupings, so you could test targeting ads to an affinity audience that is a “luxury shopper” or perhaps a “DIY enthusiast.” This lends space to a prospecting strategy that attracts new shoppers to your dealership’s website — just be certain the headlines, descriptions, and imagery speak to the audiences you’re trying to attract!
4. ROAS That ROCK
As a relatively newer ad format, Discovery Ads were announced at Google Marketing Live in 2019, so there’s likely many future interactions and improvements still to come. Like Display ads, the ad performance on the Discovery Ads correlates with trends on the Display Network: better click-through rates (CTRs) on mobile, lower costs per click (CPCs), and fewer conversions. The CPCs of these ads typically sit within the range of $0.15-$0.20 and CTRs range anywhere from 5% to 15%. Reunion typically hits CTRs two times the industry average!
The most important aspect of a solid Discovery strategy is having a goal and molding your creative and headlines to match it. Trying to acquire more trade-ins? Make headlines that explicitly say why your dealership is the right destination. Want more service business? Feature a headline with a service related promotion happening.
Interested in launching a Discovery Campaign? Reach out and we’ll review all the potential Paid Search success possible with Reunion Marketing.