Expanded Google Ads Tool

Update: On August 31, 2021 Google announced that it will discontinue expanded text ads on June 30, 2022. Barry Schwartz dives into the takeaways here. Please note that this expanded Google ads tool will no longer be useful past June 30, 2022.

Use this Google Ad builder to create 3 expanded ad variations and share via a unique URL with your client. This preview tool includes all the ad extensions available in Google Ads (aka Google AdWords ads). Easy-to-build ad creation tool on both desktop and mobile devices.

The problem

Your Google Ads clients need to control the ad copy. Some clients require this more than others. It’s quite easy to create the first iteration of the ad copy (with variations) at the onset of the campaign. However, what if you need to regularly update the ad copy to optimize the campaign performance? You will need to run these ads by the client each time. Screenshots in the email might not be practical any more, especially if the client asks for revisions and those revisions need to stay within character limitations.

Google Ads interface is better than the old Google AdWords, yet it’s still not easy to preview and share the ads with the client before you load them into the system. You can preview your text ads but you still need to take screenshots and share those over email.

The solution

Build up to 3 ad variations and generate a unique and private URL to share with your client. This way the client sees exactly what you’ve built including all the ad extensions available and character limitations for each. The client then can review and update each of the ad variations and re-create the unique URL to share back with you.

You can also repeat the process for each of the ad groups in your campaign. This way you will have a single private URL for each ad group.

Use cases

There’s a number of users that will find this ad preview tool useful. Here are the top use cases for the tool.

Solo PPC consultants

You’re a Google Ads / PPC consultant like myself. You conducted your audit and, among other things, you identified that ad copy needs to be revised and then tested. Use this Google Ads client preview tool to 1) prepare initial draft of ad copy variations, 2) send the link to your client, 3) have the client edit the ads and update the preview URL to send back to you.

Small business owners

You’re managing your Google Ads campaign by yourself. You want to create winning ads and see how they would appear in Google search results. To do that you want to share those ads with your partners, colleagues and friends to get their opinion. Use this Google Ads generator to create the ad (2-3 is best to A/B test), generate a unique URL and share with your partners to their feedback.

Digital agencies

You’re running multiple campaigns for variety of clients. It’s likely that you’re a Google Partner. There’s a number of team members that need to contribute to ad copy (copywriters) or review the ads before they go to the client (project managers or account managers).

Use this AdWords ad preview tool to build the ad variations and create a unique link for each ad group to share with your team. You’re likely using a spreadsheet like Excel or Google Sheets. Add your links there so that the team member can evaluate the ad, update the ad, re-create the link and update in your spreadsheet.

Build better Google Ads

There’s plenty of advise on how to build better Google Ads online. However, I tend to stick to instructions coming from Google itself.

Expanded text ads give you more flexibility and space to test your search ads and see which search terms work in ad copy. Please note that this tool does not preview image ads (aka display ads) or responsive ads. I will consider expanding the tool (i.e. creating a display ad builder) in the future to preview those ad formats.

Credits

This expanded ads Google ad builder was created as an inspiration from Andrew Hogan, a UK-based PPC expert and the team at Karooya, a Negative Keywords Tool for AdWords & Bing Ads.

Their Google ad creators here and here are almost perfect but each lacked some elements I wanted to have in a Google Ads mockup tool. For example, Karooya has a brilliant option to share your ads URL with the client, which Andrew’s tool lacks. On the other hand, Andrew’s builder has an option to create 3 ad variations.

Feedback

Let me know what you think and if this Google Ads expanded ad preview tool is helping you out. Also, let me know if there are particular features that might be useful in your case. Send me a note.