Google AdWords Expanded Text Ads

This week I tested the new expanded ad format offered by Google AdWords. Expanded text ads started rolling out across devices in AdWords last Tuesday, July 26. But how are they different from the standard text ads? The new ads include the following features:

• two headlines, each up to 30 characters long,
• only one 80-character long description line ,
• two optional “path” fields that are part of the display URL in the ad. The path fields are placed after your website’s domain and support up to 15 characters each.
• Another change to the display URL is that AdWords will automatically extract the domain from the final URL you provide.

AdWords Editor, the AdWords API and such third–party tools as DoubleClick Search, Kenshoo and Martin Software support the new expanded ad format. Keep in mind that it will not be possible to create or edit standard text ads after October 26, 2016.

Additionally, there have been instances where Google truncated the second headline of expanded text ads on desktop instead of wrapping it. So you should use the preview tool in AdWords or AdWords Editor to see how your ads will appear. To go around the headline cutoff you can also limit the total length of both headlines to 50-55 characters.

Have you already tested Expanded text ads? How has the new ad format been performing for you?