Google is known for innovations that keep marketing executives on their toes. It was in full effect in 2016 when Google released responsive display ads or RDAs.
Two years later, the search engine giant made RDAs the default ad type for its Display Network. Since then, it has been a lifesaver for busy marketing executives, helping them create compelling ad campaigns in a short amount of time.
Google touted it as a game-changer in the ads landscape, and rightly so. However, before we discuss the benefits of responsive display ads, let us take a closer look at what these ads are.
What Are Responsive Display Ads?
Responsive display ads offer a quick and easy way to combine both visual and text elements into one ad. All you need to do is upload your pictures, logos, and videos along with your short and long headlines, description, and business name.
Google will automatically adjust the specs of each asset to fit the available space on the Display Network, creating captivating ads within minutes.
The power behind RDAs is Google’s machine learning technology. It integrates legacy Google Ad formats, taking the best characteristics of each one and unifying them in a single ad.
Using RDAs, you can test multiple input combinations and come up with the best possible way to connect with your target audience.
What Are the Benefits of Using Responsive Display Ads?
Although the advertising platform is not perfect, the benefits of responsive display ads are undeniable. Check out how RDAs can help an online brand.
Your Ads Are Optimized
When you upload your images and texts, Google generates several combinations of these assets using a machine learning model. It then predicts which one will work best for the ad slot based on information from your performance history. This means that the ad generated for you gives you the best chance to reach your target audience and drive organic traffic to your website.
Your Ads Can Be Created and Set Up Quickly
If you own or manage a mid-tier online brand with a small marketing budget and limited capability, creating a similar-looking ad on your own would be time-consuming. The challenge is even greater if you do not have an in-house design team that can focus on creating the ads.
In the meantime, you are missing out on opportunities to connect with potential customers while your ads are not yet up and running.
With responsive display ads, most of the heavy lifting has been done by Google. You just have to upload the needed image and text assets, and Google will take care of the rest. Within minutes, you can launch an effective ad campaign.
Increase Organic Traffic to Your Website
For your ad campaign to be effective, you must have ads in various sizes, especially the Leaderboard, Wide Skyscraper, and Medium Rectangle. The more sizes you add, the more exposure your ads get.
What makes RDAs effective in this regard is that Google automatically adjusts the size, appearance, and format of your text and image assets to fit any available space on the Display Network.
Your ads can show up as dynamic text on one site and a native banner on another, allowing you to reach more potential customers in a shorter amount of time.
More Return On Your Investment
Responsive display ads can reduce the overhead costs that come with launching an ad campaign, including managing ad portfolios.
Another advantage of using RDAs is that you cut the time it takes to make an ad, minimizing the manpower cost involved in the process.
By using RDAs, you get the most out of every marketing dollar you spend.
It Supports Dynamic Remarketing
Responsive display ads can support dynamic remarketing using a feed that can be attached to your campaign. This feature allows you to display customized content depending on how the user’s previous visit went, whether in a dynamic or static format.
When Is It Not a Good Idea to Use an RDA?
As mentioned before, the responsive display ad is not without its downsides, especially for more established brands.
While this offering from Google enables you to run an ad quickly and at a low cost, your ad will be based on templates used by thousands of other brands who accessed the same service. This means that it will look much like all the other ads from the other companies. RDAs can help you reach a broader audience, but it does not offer much in terms of branding.
Another thing to consider is that Google automatically matches your image and text assets with existing elements in its templates. As a result, you will sometimes get a combination that does not make sense or look cohesive.
At the end of the day, whether you use a custom or a responsive display ad will depend on your unique business goals. Either way, you will reach more potential customers and generate more traffic to your website.