Navigating the Google Ads jungle in 2024: 5 trends you can’t miss

1. Conversion tracking
2. Data
3. Your offer and creative
4. Shorts and video
5. Wasted spend

1. Conversion tracking

Conversion tracking is a massive talking point at the moment, especially amongst the Google Ads specialists and industry pacemakers.
Questions like, ‘Why is Google adding page views as conversions?’ and ‘Are Enhanced Conversions really enhanced’?”, continue to come up and continue to be harder to answer (aside from the obvious, that Google is trying to own the monopoly board). 

Brace yourself for potential bumps and twists. With a continued emphasis on Google disabling cookies in 2024 (you can read our free report on the cookieless future), you need to ensure Google is fed with the correct data both inside and outside of your online data – and don’t forget consent mode v2 now, as well (I don’t know about you, but I’m getting a ‘The more verified data the better’ tattoo this year).

2. First-party data – your superpower in disguise

Speaking of data, with all the privacy noise, first-party data continues to be gold dust. It’s the secret sauce to keep things personal without feeling like Big Brother. 

If you haven’t already, start collecting, cherishing and nurturing that first-party data. Plug it back into Google Ads to ensure offline conversions, online conversions and overall data is as clean as possible and conversion tracking aligns properly.

3. Your offer and creativity – where the magic happens

Sure, keywords and targeting are crucial, but let’s spill the tea – Google Ads is changing, and the real magic happens in your offer and your creativity. In a world drowning in ads and AI setups, what you’re offering and how you present it is your golden ticket. 

Standing out in the current world is harder than ever with everyone using similar bid strategies and with CPCs getting higher and higher. The next differentiator on the list is your creative output. 

Make sure it blows people away from the outset, whether it be search (and a few headlines), an amazing animated display ad, or even a shorts video. There’s no point wasting ad spend on low-quality content delivered to underperforming landing pages. 

4. Shorts and videos – blink, and you’ve got their attention

Short and sweet! People’s attention spans are shorter than ever (shorter than a goldfish, apparently). Dive into YouTube Shorts, get playful with your video ads, and give people a reason to stop scrolling – it will allow you to create a brand name and improve overall interaction and engagement.

 Deliver a message in seconds, not minutes and make the most of video campaigns within Google Ads’ broad offering.

5. Wasted Spend

While Google is your ally (mostly), keeping a firm hand on the steering wheel is essential. 

Approximately 38% of web traffic is automated/bots and in 2024 it’s not just about click fraud but avoiding the pitfalls of wasted spend on a Google Ads account. 

Next year, the name of the game is vigilance, and ensuring all settings are understood. Regularly audit your campaigns, trim the fat, check the small text and ensure every dollar spent is a step closer to your goals. 2024 (like every other year) should be focused on pursuing what settings, recommendations and all auto-applies that Google has in place to ensure spend is being placed in the right places. For example, ensure you have your locations set to ‘Presence: People in or regularly in your targeted locations’ instead of ‘Presence or interest: People in, regularly in or who’ve shown interest in your targeted locations (recommended)’ as users outside of your preferred area may still be seeing your ads.

Google is a powerful tool, but without a watchful eye, it can push settings that may benefit them more than you. 

So to wrap these predictions up:

• Expect some twists and turns with conversion tracking
• Prioritise relevant data
• Challenge yourself and your team to develop and deliver killer offers and creativity
• Jump on the short-form video bandwagon
• Watch your damn spend

Take a look at how Earnest can support your digital campaigns and drop us a line if you’d like some help to get your ​​paid ads on the right path for 2024.

(Photo byMitchell Luo onUnsplash)