Keyword structure matters. Close your eyes and try to structure cross-campaigns to reduce overlapping back in 2016.
Back in the day, setting up our Pay-Per-Click campaigns we had to be pretty specific with Google Ads about the keywords we wanted to show for. However, things have changed in the last couple of years due to the impact of machine learning in PPC. The application of Google’s machine learning (Smart Bidding) on Google Ads produces a number of benefits at the execution level.
The application of Google machine learning looks to automate a number of tasks enabling marketing teams to think more about campaign ideas, design, and creation, less on keywords and manual bidding. At the same time, Google Smart Bidding allows us to bid in real-time for every auction, lowering bids in auctions where ads are less relevant or aren’t expected to perform well.
As Google’s machine learning became a more sophisticated application, Google Ads started a path for its innovation to update its keywords matching types. Nowadays the user’s intent behind a query is much more important than its semantic meaning. Google has even declared itself a machine learning-first company introducing the concept of signal behind each query.
In February 2021, the Google Ads team announced to phase out their BMM keywords. Actually, it wasn’t a sudden decision. Let’s go through 4 main updates that have changed PPC in the last 3 years.
4 Mayor Updates (Chronistory)
1. September 2018
Google announced a big change. Its exact match type now includes close variants as well. They now include misspellings, singular forms, plural forms, acronyms, stemming, abbreviations, and accents.
In July 2018, Google rebranded Google AdWords launching Google Ads. I step back from the classic meaning of “(Key)Words“.
2. July 2019
Phrase match and BMM keywords are eligible to show for same-meaning close variants such as synonyms and paraphrases.
Google’s Ads team stated that the intent behind a query matters more than the semantics because there are trillions of searches on Google every year, of which 15% are new. It’s impossible to predict every single variant of each keyword. Read here for more.
3. October 2020
Google Ads started limiting its search term reports, due to privacy concerns. Only terms with a significant number of volumes are shown.
4. February 2021
Starting in February 2021, phrase match now incorporates behaviors of broad match modifier (BMM). BMM keywords will no longer be available as both phrase and broad match modifier keywords will have the same matching behaviour.
What Does This Change Mean In Practise?
Google Ads suggests not take action on our accounts. However, as starting from July 2021 BMM keywords will no longer be available we would suggest stopping creating campaigns with BMM keywords.
If you’re running Phrase match campaigns already, we’d suggest pausing your BMM campaigns step by step. Pausing all of them suddenly would have a negative impact on your performance.
If you were running both Broad Match Modifier and Phrase Match or Exact Match Keywords, from today you’re not going to create cross-negative keywords campaigns anymore. Only 2 matching types will be available now which is a big step forward about the simplification of campaign structure.
Strategic Consequences
What the latest update should teach us at a strategic level?
Think of playing video games. When we play we are not aware of what happens inside the black box due to the complexity of the technology inside.
In the same way on PPC we are losing control of manual keywords in favour of audience targeting based on the signal. If the old Broad Match Keywords were implemented at the Top of the Funnel, today going towards a cookieless era is going to be much more important implementing remarketing campaigns especially cross-platform. Tagging proper apps and websites is a key factor to be able to build custom audiences and prospecting campaigns.
Looking at all these elements together, we should start thinking of Google Ads more as an audience first platform rather than keywords targeting advertising solution.
At this point, we can draw that implementing multi-channel campaigns making use of multiple platforms along the funnel can mitigate some risks. Engaging with one target audience on cross-platforms allows brands to interact with users on multiple touchpoints.
Conclusion
From a high-level perspective, we should start thinking of Google Ads more as an audience first platform rather than keywords targeting advertising solution. Google machine learning is here to stay and is changing the way we are advertising our brands.
If you are looking for a better way to increase the ranking of your gaming ASO, our team has the experience you’re looking for. Reach out to us to get started!
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