As we announced a few weeks ago, Google AdWords' new Expanded Text Ads are here. Since July, businesses have had access to this new format, which is 50% longer than standard text ads.
Despite the time since its launch, Google noticed that many organisations and digital marketing departments were still adapting to the new format and struggling to manage their SEA campaigns. For this reason, Google extended the deadline for using standard text ads.
Although the deadline was initially set for 26 October, Google decided to give more leeway to those who had not yet mastered the new AdWords requirements. Those who wish can continue to use the old format until 31 January 2017.
From 1 February 2017, it will no longer be possible to use them. Therefore, anyone wishing to create an ad will have to opt for Expanded Text Ads.
Higher Quality Ads
Over the past few months, the Google team reviewing text ads observed an increase in the quality of ads published on Google AdWords, likely due to the ability to add more text. Furthermore, text no longer has to be distributed over two lines of a maximum of 35 characters with spaces each, which sometimes constrained advertisers' messages.
Now, advertisers can add 2 headlines with a limit of 30 characters with spaces each, a visible URL of a maximum of 15 characters (this element is shorter than traditional ads, which allowed up to 30 characters, requiring the use of URL shorteners), and finally, an 80-character description with spaces of free-flowing text, regardless of text distribution.
To encourage marketing managers to adopt the new ad format as soon as possible, Google provides the following recommendations:
- Test various versions of expanded ads.
- Conduct A/B tests with different headlines.
- Adapt what works in old ads and expanded text ads.
- Prioritise short headlines.
- Do not modify existing campaigns in the old format that are performing well.
- Do not apply the same Expanded Text Ad to multiple ad groups.
- Opt for user-relevant descriptions.
- Continue to use product descriptions that have performed well in the past.
Do These Changes Affect Your AdWords Strategy?
Have you already used the new Expanded Text Ads? If so, you will have experienced that Google AdWords' new rules require practice and, above all, several trial-and-error processes to adapt them to your company's needs.
If you need guidance on how to approach your AdWords campaigns with this new format, contact us or call us at 93 532 93 78. At B2 Performance, your digital marketing agency in Barcelona, we will analyse your case and advise you without obligation, so you get the maximum return on your advertising investment. We look forward to hearing from you!
The Evolution of Text Ads: From AdWords to Google Ads and Beyond (2017-2026)
What was a "postponement" for standard text ads in 2017 is, today, in 2026, a lesson in digital advertising history. From those "Expanded Text Ads" in Google AdWords, the platform has evolved dramatically, rebranding to Google Ads in 2018 and adopting a much more automated, AI-driven approach.
In our experience working with hundreds of clients over the years, adaptation has been constant. Extended Text Ads (ETA) were a bridge to what we now know as Responsive Search Ads (RSA), where advertisers provide multiple headlines and descriptions, and Google, with its AI, combines them to show the most relevant and best-performing versions to users. This optimises CTR and improves ad quality, a key factor for Quality Score and cost per click (CPC).
From Fixed Characters to AI Optimisation: The Qualitative Leap
In 2017, the main novelty was the character expansion: 2 x 30-character headlines and an 80-character description. Today, RSAs allow up to 15 x 30-character headlines and 4 x 90-character descriptions. This exponentially multiplies the possible combinations and opportunities to connect with the user's search intent.
A 2024 Google study revealed that campaigns using RSAs with a "Good" or "Excellent" Ad Strength can see a CTR increase of up to 10-15% compared to lower-quality Expanded Text Ads. This highlights the importance of providing a variety of high-quality assets.
The Role of AI in Ad Creation and Optimisation
AI not only chooses the best RSA combinations but also assists in asset creation. Tools like Google Ads' "Asset Library" and AI-powered text generation capabilities (integrated into the platform itself, or via external tools like ChatGPT or Jasper in 2026) allow advertisers to generate headlines and descriptions more efficiently and creatively. This is crucial, especially with the growing influence of AI Search (like Google's SGE or Perplexity), where relevance and direct responses to user queries are paramount.
Advanced Google Ads Strategies for 2026: Beyond Text Ads
While this original article focused on text ads, the reality of Google Ads in 2026 is much richer and more complex. Effective SEA strategy today integrates multiple formats and relies on a deep understanding of the customer journey.
Performance Max: Total Automation
One of the biggest innovations in recent years has been Performance Max (PMax). Launched in 2021, PMax is an objective-based campaign that uses Google's AI to optimise performance across all Google Ads channels (Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and Maps) from a single campaign. In our experience at ZDS, PMax has proven powerful for clients with clear conversion goals, especially in e-commerce. Its success largely depends on providing high-quality assets and precise audience signals.
Common Mistakes with PMax:
- Not providing enough assets (images, videos, text).
- Not defining clear and measurable conversion goals.
- Not excluding irrelevant audiences or keywords.
- Not integrating product feed data (for e-commerce).
The Importance of Data in GA4 and Privacy
With the full transition to Google Analytics 4 (GA4) in 2023 and an increasing focus on privacy (Privacy-first), campaign measurement and attribution in Google Ads have changed. GA4 offers an event-based data model that provides a more granular view of user behaviour but requires careful configuration. Integrating GA4 with Google Ads is fundamental for optimising bids and attribution.
The growing concern for privacy, with the gradual phasing out of third-party cookies and the rise of user consent, requires advertisers to be more creative in collecting first-party data and using data models to fill gaps.
E-E-A-T and Helpful Content: Quality and Trust in the AI Era
Although E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) and Google's Helpful Content Update are more associated with SEO, their influence extends indirectly to advertising. Ads leading to low-quality landing pages, with unhelpful content or lacking trust signals, will perform worse and have a lower Quality Score. Ensuring landing pages are relevant, informative, and offer a good user experience is more critical than ever.
Optimising Core Web Vitals and INP for Ad Performance
Core Web Vitals (CWV) have become essential metrics for user experience and, by extension, for ad performance. From March 2024, Google replaced FID (First Input Delay) with INP (Interaction to Next Paint) as the main interactivity metric. This means the speed with which a page responds to user interaction is even more important.
A slow or unresponsive landing page will negatively affect your ads' Quality Score, increasing CPCs and reducing visibility. At ZDS, we recommend our clients regularly audit their landing pages with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse to ensure they meet CWV thresholds, especially INP, LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), and CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift).
Quick Wins to Improve Landing Page Performance:
- Image optimisation: Compress and use modern formats (WebP, AVIF).
- Minification of CSS and JavaScript: Reduce file sizes.
- Lazy Loading: For images and videos outside the initial viewport.
- Eliminate render-blocking resources: Prioritise visible content.
- Use a CDN: For faster content delivery globally.
Essential Tools for Google Ads Management in 2026
Managing Google Ads campaigns in 2026 requires a robust set of tools that go beyond the Google Ads interface itself.
- Google Ads Editor: Indispensable for bulk management of campaigns, ad groups, keywords, and ads. Allows offline work and quick application of changes.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4): For conversion tracking, user behaviour analysis, and attribution. Correct configuration is critical.
- Google Tag Manager (GTM): For efficient implementation and management of tracking tags, including GA4 events and conversion pixels.
- Landing page optimisation tools (e.g., Unbounce, Leadpages): To create and test high-converting landing pages.
- Competitor analysis tools (e.g., Semrush, Ahrefs): To identify competitor keywords, ad strategies, and spending estimates.
- AI content generation tools (e.g., ChatGPT, Jasper, Copy.ai): To assist in creating headlines, descriptions, and ad copy, especially for RSA and PMax.
- CWV audit tools (e.g., PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse): To monitor and optimise landing page performance.
Conclusion: Constant Adaptation and User Focus
The story of the standard text ad extension in 2017 is a reminder of the constant need for adaptation in digital marketing. What Google taught us then about the importance of Expanded Text Ads has now transformed into the need to embrace automation, AI, and an impeccable user experience at all touchpoints.
At ZDS Digital-Agentur Barcelona, our philosophy is to always stay at the forefront of these trends. The key to success in Google Ads in 2026 lies in understanding algorithms, deeply comprehending the user, offering them value, and a seamless experience, from ad to conversion. Investing in digital advertising remains one of the most profitable, provided it is managed with strategy, data, and a vision for the future.
