In October 2016, Google announced the move from desktop to mobile index as its main index for its search, as a result of its mobile first strategy, thereby increasing the pressure on website operators to optimize their sites for mobile devices. This pressure is also becoming more and more noticeable in the SEA. Actually, an SEO theme, the mobile friendliness of a website is now a quality criterion within the recently launched beta account rating for Ad Words. The beta provides concrete information about Google’s quality requirements for SEA.
The Legend of Account History at AdWords
Since the beginnings of paid search engine marketing (SEA) through the introduction of Google AdWords in 2000, the legend of the so-called “account histories” is held in the municipality of the new SEA managers’ profession. This means that the Google AdWords administration accounts for Advertisers’ SEA campaigns will develop a certain “standing” over time. If SEA campaigns are running well, continuously, expanded and optimized, Google will reward this in the background, which would have a positive effect on the CPC development and the costs of the campaigns.
The suspiciousness of the representatives of this theory was based on personal experiences in campaign management, sometimes even on statements from Google representatives. The fact that there were no official statements on the part of Google did not bother us any further. Because the search engine giant does not attach much importance to transparency, the disciples of the Google algorithm – the search engine optimizer – can only confirm too well. And finally, why should Google’s quality requirements, which are manifested in SEO through the algorithm, not apply to the sponsored links in the SEA?
The first references to Google’s quality requirements
The quality factor was a first proof of the quality claim of Google at Paid Search. Unfortunately, after its introduction in 2005, for almost a decade, there were no objective criteria for its measurement. At first, only low, medium, high, and later on a scale of 1 to 10, we can now determine the three most important basic criteria for the keyword -Quality Factor in Google AdWords: Per keyword, Google gives a quality assessment of the three performance criteria Ad visibility, user experience with the landing page, and likely click rate.
While the keyword-level quality factor is in the details, the legendary account history is more of a superior and general nature. Criteria such as maturity, continuity or expansion of an account remain as possible influencing factors in the dark. However, at least the possible criterion account quality has already been influenced for some time by reports on opportunities, and in particular with the recently introduced beta “account status evaluation for the Google search” even partially and measure.
Google’s account state rating brings light into the dark
With this beta, Google is extending its already more aggressive recommendation management for some time. This is characterized in particular by the fact that the once only naked recommendations are now supported by facts and figures and thus become much more tangible for those responsible or executives in marketing. This applies to the “Mobile Friendly Test” introduced for the end of 2016 for websites as well as for the recently launched AdWords account status rating. According to Google, this is a measure of how well your campaigns are configured in the search network. There are recommendations on how to improve the rating and boost campaign performance. “The status of the respective account is indicated by a percentage note in percent of a hundred, which is colored red, yellow or green depending on the rating.
Mobile is becoming more and more important
Clicking on the detailed analysis of the criteria not yet fulfilled shows the reasons for Google’s assessment and contains links to further information, tools or directly to the corresponding AdWords internal settings. In the example “Optimize Mobile Website”, Google links directly to his Mobile Friendly Test, which can be repeated again in case of doubt.
Interestingly, when analyzing this criterion, Google even pulls comparisons to the Advertiser’s direct competitors and lists five names whose mobile phone objectives are optimized; Both pressure build-up, as well as a comfortable guarding aid for all expert experts in argumentation against budget responsibility. It is undisputed that the optimization of all web pages on mobile devices is the priothema par excellence on Google, as was evident in the last year’s mobile update of the Google algorithm and the conversion of the index from desktop to mobile.
Your own test remains an obligation
When dealing with the individual status criteria, it is, of course, important to ensure that the customer is meaningful. Adding a call extension can be useful in a lot of cases, for example, if a subscriber who has already stored his branch data in Google my business and whose phone number (s) is displayed free of charge in the ads, the costly call extensions may not make much sense.
The beta account rating is currently under the AdWords tab in the AdWords account above the usual list of promotions for bids and keyword optimizations. Whether all of the criteria that Google applies to the account state are now also influencing factors for the account history. However, there should be an influence on account quality. It is still true that anyone who is concerned about the onsite as well as the offsite measures within the Google universe should always be well prepared for Google’s quality requirements.
