Google Ads Update: What You Need to Know for 2023

Google Ads is one of the most popular and effective online advertising platforms in the world. It allows businesses of all sizes and industries to reach potential customers across Google's vast network of websites, apps, videos, and more. However, Google Ads is not a static platform. It constantly evolves and introduces new features, changes, and updates to improve its performance, functionality, and user experience.

In this article, we will cover some of the most important Google Ads updates that you need to know for 2023. These updates will affect how you create, manage, and optimize your campaigns, as well as how you measure and report your results. Whether you are a beginner or an expert in Google Ads, you will find something useful and relevant in this article. So, let's get started!

New Features and Announcements

One of the best ways to stay on top of Google Ads updates is to check the official Google Ads Help Center regularly. Here, you can find the latest news and announcements about new features, improvements, bug fixes, and more. You can also subscribe to the Google Ads newsletter or follow the Google Ads blog to get updates delivered to your inbox or feed.

Some of the recent new features and announcements that you should pay attention to are:

Google Ads API

The Google Ads API is a new interface that allows developers and advertisers to interact with Google Ads programmatically. This API helps you build tools to support your business at scale with new capabilities and efficiency updates. With the Google Ads API, you can access features such as Smart Bidding, Responsive Search Ads, Asset Reporting, Recommendations, and more. You can also integrate Google Ads data with other platforms and services such as Google Analytics, Google Data Studio, or third-party tools.

The Google Ads API is currently in beta and will eventually replace the AdWords API. You can learn more about the Google Ads API and how to get started here[^1^].

Google Ads Editor

Google Ads Editor is a free desktop application that allows you to manage your Google Ads campaigns offline. You can use it to make bulk changes, copy and paste items, download and upload accounts, and more. Google Ads Editor is especially useful for large or complex campaigns that require frequent edits or adjustments.

Google Ads Editor is updated regularly to support new features and improvements in Google Ads. For example, the latest version (1.8) supports Performance Max campaigns, Discovery ads enhancements, App campaigns for engagement improvements, and more. You can check the release notes here[^2^] to see what's new in each version.

To upgrade to the latest version of Google Ads Editor, you don't need to manually download anything. The application will check for updates on startup and periodically while it's running. If an update is available, it will prompt you to install it or do it silently in the background. You can learn more about how to upgrade Google Ads Editor here[^2^].

Changes in Keyword Matching Behavior

Keywords are one of the most important elements of any Google Ads campaign. They determine when and where your ads show up on Google's search results and other platforms. However, keywords are not always straightforward or predictable. Depending on the match type you use (exact, phrase, broad, or modified broad), your keywords may trigger your ads for different variations of your original terms.

In 2023, Google Ads will introduce some changes in how keyword matching works. These changes are designed to make keyword matching more consistent, relevant, and flexible across different match types. Here are some of the main changes you should be aware of:

Broad match modifier will be phased out

Broad match modifier (BMM) is a match type that allows you to specify certain words or phrases that must be included in a user's search query for your ad to show up. For example, if your keyword is +red +shoes, your ad may show up for queries such as red shoes for sale, buy red shoes online, or best red shoes for women.

However, BMM will no longer be available in 2023. Instead, phrase match will expand to cover most of the use cases that BMM currently covers. This means that phrase match will also trigger your ads for queries that include the same meaning or intent as your keyword, even if they don't match it exactly. For example, if your keyword is "red shoes", your ad may show up for queries such as red shoes for sale or buy red shoes online, but not for best red shoes for women or red sneakers.

If you currently use BMM keywords in your campaigns, you don't need to take any immediate action. Your BMM keywords will continue to work as usual until they are phased out. However, you should start preparing for the transition by reviewing your keyword performance and updating your keyword lists accordingly. You can learn more about how to do that here[^3^].

Exact match will become more flexible

Exact match is a match type that allows you to show your ads only for queries that match your keyword exactly or very closely. For example, if your keyword is [red shoes], your ad may show up for queries such as red shoes or red shoe, but not for red sneakers or shoes red.

However, exact match will become more flexible in 2023. It will also trigger your ads for queries that are semantically equivalent to your keyword, even if they don't match it exactly. For example, if your keyword is [red shoes], your ad may show up for queries such as shoes red or shoes in red color, but not for red sneakers or red boots.

This change is intended to help you reach more potential customers who are looking for the same thing as you, but use different words or phrases to express it. It will also help you avoid missing out on relevant traffic due to minor variations or typos in user queries. You can learn more about how exact match works and how to optimize it here[^4^].

Expanded Text Ads Meet Their End

Expanded text ads (ETAs) are the standard format of text ads on Google Ads. They allow you to create ads with three headlines, two descriptions, and a display URL. They are designed to give you more space and flexibility to convey your message and attract customers.

However, ETAs will no longer be available in 2023. Instead, responsive search ads (RSAs) will become the default and only option for text ads on Google Ads. RSAs are a dynamic format of text ads that allow you to create ads with up to 15 headlines and four descriptions. Google then automatically tests different combinations of headlines and descriptions and shows the best-performing ones to different users and contexts.

RSAs are meant to help you create more relevant and personalized ads that can adapt to different devices, languages, and user preferences. They can also save you time and effort by eliminating the need to create and test multiple versions of your ads manually. You can learn more about how RSAs work and how to create them here.

If you currently use ETAs in your campaigns, you don't need to panic. Your ETAs will continue to serve as usual until they are phased out. However, you should start preparing for the transition by creating new RSAs for your campaigns and pausing or removing your low-performing ETAs. You can also use the performance column in Google Ads to compare the performance of your ETAs and RSAs and make informed decisions. You can learn more about how to do that here.

Data Added to the Search Terms Report

The search terms report is one of the most useful reports in Google Ads. It shows you the actual queries that triggered your ads, along with their performance metrics such as impressions, clicks, conversions, and more. You can use this report to identify new keyword opportunities, optimize your bids and budgets, and refine your negative keyword lists.

However, the search terms report has been criticized by many advertisers for not showing all the queries that triggered their ads, especially those with low volume or low relevance. This has made it harder for advertisers to optimize their campaigns and control their costs.

In 2023, Google Ads will add more data to the search terms report, making it more comprehensive and transparent. You will be able to see more queries that triggered your ads, along with their performance metrics and match types. This will help you gain more insights into your campaign performance and user behavior, and make better decisions for your campaign optimization.

You can access the search terms report from the Keywords tab in Google Ads. You can also download it as a CSV file or view it in Google Data Studio. You can learn more about how to use the search terms report here.

The New "About This Ad" Page

Google Ads is committed to providing a safe and trustworthy online advertising experience for both users and advertisers. One of the ways it does this is by giving users more control and transparency over the ads they see on Google's platforms and partner sites.

One of the features that enables this is the "About this ad" page. This is a page that users can access by clicking on an icon or a link next to an