Google updates Customer Match, Performance Max campaigns, the Insights page and product feeds at its Marketing Livestream event

Google expanded the capabilities of numerous existing features and products at its Marketing Livestream event on Thursday.

The company is removing the spend threshold for its Customer Match feature, which should make it useful to more businesses. On the automation front, the Google Ads Insights page is getting a new Demand Forecast that predicts relevant changes to search behavior over the next 90 days, and Performance Max campaigns are rolling out globally as an open beta.

Businesses using Google Merchant Center or Manufacturer Center can now use their product feeds in Video Action campaigns as well as Discovery Ads. And, both Video Action campaigns and Discovery Ads now support tROAS bidding.

Customer Match

Customer Match, which allows advertisers to use their first-party data to remarket to customers on Google Search, Shopping, Gmail and YouTube, is now generally available to all advertisers worldwide. Previously, there was a $50,000 total lifetime spend requirement to be eligible for Customer Match. 

The removal of the spend requirement may be particularly impactful for SMBs operating on fewer resources. As we continue to move away from third-party cookies, first-party data can continue to help advertisers reach their audiences. Last month, Google also announced instant match rates for Customer Match lists, which can help businesses frame their performance expectations and identify when they might need to troubleshoot their lists. 

Insights page

The Google Ads Insights page, which began rolling out in beta in the U.S., UK, Canada and Australia late last year, shows advertisers trending searches, auction insights and interest predictions specific to their account.

Now, Google is adding Demand Forecasts, which predict changes to search behavior over the next 90 days, to the Insights page. This information can help advertisers prepare their campaigns and inventory, and enable them to identify upcoming opportunities.

In addition, support for Performance Max campaigns (more on that below) is also being added to the Insights page.

Performance Max campaigns

Performance Max campaigns, which were announced alongside the Insights page at Advertising Week in October 2020, are an automated campaign type that runs across all Google ad inventory. Advertisers provide the copy and image or video assets and Google’s machine learning systems will serve the responsive ads across channels and bid using Smart Bidding based on the advertiser’s goal.

When Google first unveiled Performance Max campaigns, it was still in the early testing stage. “Starting today, given the positive results from early testers, we’re expanding the Performance Max beta to thousands of additional advertisers globally,” Jerry Dischler, Google’s VP/GM, ads, said during the Marketing Livestream event, “And look out for that full launch later this year.”

As mentioned above, support for Performance Max campaigns is also coming to the Insights page. “You’ve told us that you want transparency into automated campaigns like Performance Max,” Darshan Kantak, VP, product management, search ads and experiences, said, “You can understand how all of that automation is delivering results for you over on the Insights page.” Advertisers can expect to see data on which audiences are converting, auction insights, trending search categories, top-performing creative assets; they’ll also be able to preview how their ads are showing up in each channel.

Product feeds

Support for product feeds is now generally available for Video Action campaigns. Support for these feeds is also available for Discovery Ads as an open beta. This update can enable advertisers to leverage their existing product images and videos to increase discoverability and drive purchases.

“In March, when we compared more than 900 Video action campaigns, we found advertisers that added product feeds drove 60% more conversions at a lower cost, compared to advertisers that didn’t add product feeds,” Google said in its announcement.

tROAS bidding

Target Return on Ad Spend (tROAS) bidding is being rolled out for both Video Action campaigns and Discovery Ads. The former is now available to advertisers across the globe, while tROAS for Discovery Ads is available globally as an open beta.

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