Google ads revolutionized the way people look at marketing as a career and a tool. It is  arguably the most complex ad platform within digital marketing. But, from my personal opinion, it is not as complex as everyone imagine. What makes it complex is the ignorance of Ad managers to find those loopholes and Google Ads Secret Features inside the system itself.

As we celebrate 23 years of Google Ads, we reveal those Google Ads Secret Features that was wilfully kept hidden by Google which has the potential to increase sales and conversions.

Google Ads Secret Features

Image Ad Creator

  • Hey, do not skip. It is not what you think. This is neither AI art generator nor the display ad builder. The image ad creator allows you to create rich media ads in different pixel dimensions in seconds. All you have to do is give it the headline, description, and a call-to-action and it will create several ad examples for your creativity.
  • Click on the green “+ New ad” button within any display network ad group. Then click on “Image ad” and you’re ready to go.
Image Ad Creator

Account level automated extensions

  • These are the ad extensions which are automatically generated based on your website. Dynamic images will crawl your site and apply relevant imagery to your ad. Google algorithm will automatically set Ad details ranging from site links and callouts to longer headlines. Using dynamic images, we have also observed a rise in click-through rates for larger retailers. 
  • Click Ads & assets > Assets > More options > Account-level automated assets > More > Advanced settings.

Dynamic Product Remarketing

  • Dynamic ads automatically promote your entire product catalogue across Google Audience Network without creating thousands of individual ads. It ensure that the right products reach the right people. This is especially needed in E Commerce Ads to remarket products to potential customers. But this is only true if your pixel is set up properly. 

  • To access this feature, Click on Tools and settings > Audience manager > Your data sources > Details, check a little-known area called “dynamic parameters.”  But to get the best results, you want to ensure that you are passing through the “id” value in your pixel.

Data Exclusion

  • The next hidden feature is data exclusion. It is a tool that tells Smart Bidding to exclude all data from specific dates when there were issues with your conversion tracking or the pixel is over reporting. This may include tagging issues and website outages. This can save you a lot of potentially wasteful spend if you encounter a tracking issue. 
  • But use it wisely. Using them often or for long periods could negatively impact Smart Bidding performance. Click on Tools and settings > Bid strategies > Advanced controls. Navigate to Data exclusions, then click on New data exclusion.

Google Ads Scripts

  • This may sound a technical thing. But it is not. Ads script is s simple reporting tool which is also used  to automate your PPC tasks. It acts as a benchmark to determine whether the changes you’re making are improving your account quality score or not. With scripts, you can create a daily, weekly, or monthly report that tells you the overall account QS.
  • Presently, you can only see quality scores at the keyword level within the Google Ads interface.  Find the how-to here.

Google Ads Editor

  • If you are running a dozen ads,  but not getting enough time during the day for optimization. Ads editor is the tool for you. The Google Ads Editor allows you to make offline changes to your account, which can then be uploaded at a later time. You can include the search function and filtering, advanced bid changes, and the sharing of changes with other people working on the account.
  • You can download the editor directly from Google here.

Time Lag Reporting

  • Dreams do come true. But with a timeline to manifest. This is true with Google Ads. Majority of conversions happen within first 24 hours from an Ad’s first impression. But over 7% of conversions happen after 12 days. To tap those 7% customers, you should definitely do remarketing. But who will tell you exactly the time frame for an average visitor to convert on your website. It is time lag reporting option/ in Google Ads. 
  • Here’s how you find it. Go to the “Tools and Analysis” tab and click on “Conversions.” After that, select “Search Funnels” in the bottom left corner. You will see options to select Time Lag. Note that the time lag report is only available if you’re tracking conversions.

Broad Match Modifier

  • It is no wonder that many people try Google Ads for the first time see their budgets getting depleted before a tick of time. It is because you used regular broad match for ad targeting.  Giving Google the option to show your ads for synonyms is suicidal.
  • Broad match modifier allows you to add a “+” sign to words in your keyword that must be present when a searcher types in a query. Otherwise you won’t allow your ad to show.

Keyword Diagnosis

  • Ads health is super important like ours. If your ads are not in good shape, you should immediately diagnose where it all went wrong. Keyword diagnosis allows you to do a quick check on your keywords, whether your keywords are showing, and why they are not. It helps us to eliminate keyword cannibalization and make sure the ads are showing for the correct search terms.
  • You’ll find this feature within the same drop down as the auction insights and search term report.

Seasonality Adjustments

  • Seasonality adjustment is an advanced tool that can be used to inform Smart Bidding of expected changes in conversion rates for future events like promotions or sales. Smart Bidding already manages seasonal events. So only use the feature if you expect major changes to conversion rates in a period between 1- 14 days at a time.
  • You can access this by Click on Tools and settings > Bid strategies > Advanced controls. Navigate to Seasonality adjustments, then click on New seasonality adjustment

Final Words

There is nothing shameful for a Google Ads Manager than not knowing what’s happening around his table. Most advertisers or agencies don’t know it exists. So take control of your Ads campaign with these Google Ads Secret Features and discover its untapped potential with these lesser known tools.

These features allows you to be in control of your campaign and not Google. When implemented in the right spirit, these features will help you stay on beat with the competitors.