(updated to clarify cost structure!) Today’s Topic is going to cover an exciting new feature that Google AdWords provides that allows you to connect your Google shopping feed directly to your AdWords PPC Ads. It’s called the Google AdWords Ad Extension.

What is the Google AdWords Ad Extension? This is a free service that Google offers to AdWords advertisers.

This extension primarily affects e-commerce businesses that are advertising through AdWords. In the example above you will see a PPC ad that has this functionality enabled. The traditional PPC text ad is present but there is then a plus/minus box that the searcher can select. When the person expands the ad they are then shown products directly related to the Text ad and the targeted keywords. The images are pulled in from the store’s Google shopping feed. The feed connects through the AdWords account and identifies the appropriate products and shows their prices as well as a link to the exact product page.

At Exclusive Concepts we view this as a huge opportunity to attract highly motivated shoppers that have now performed their initial search for Timberland Boots. Moreover, it pushes the merchandising stage into the search engine itself. They are now presented with actual products that have their pricing listed. If the person makes the decision to purchase one of the particular boots they simply click on the link and are taken to the product page and can then add to cart!

Let’s talk about Google’s cost structure for Ad Extensions. The click to expand your products is free at this time. It is also free if they choose to close your product view. Google does charge you the standard Cost per Click when the shopper clicks on the headline of the Text ad as well as the products themselves.

So let’s take a step back: we’ve talked bout what Ad Extensions are and how they work but now we’re getting into when it matters. Well I think that this is a step in the right direction for Search. More and more online businesses are utilizing paid search in order to bring traffic to their site and garner sales. This means that there is much more competition in the paid search space. This provides a unique opportunity to set yourself apart from your competition. Many people are not utilizing this function at this point so it is a great time to get ahead of the curve.

As mentioned on the previous slide, we at Exclusive Concepts are focused on attracting qualified traffic to our clients site. By qualifying the traffic this early on in the buying process you are increasing your chances in making a sale. If you have Ad Extensions enabled for your ads you are now showing someone with genuine interest what you have to offer. If they see one of your products and they like what they see as well as the price you already have a leg up!

The one drawback at this time is the reporting.

We know that Google is working on providing more detailed reporting in time but as of now the metrics are limited. You are able to see how often your ads are shown with extensions, the expansion rates, and the percentage of clicks driven from the ad and the ad extensions. At this time there is no reported metric for sales driven in by the product extensions. In time we feel this will be addresses and add another benefit to this program.

So let’s get set up! You will have to take a few steps but in no time you can gain an edge on your competition. First you will need to log into your Google Merchant account. Once you are logged in you will click into the settings tab. Under settings you will see a link for AdWords. You will then enter your AdWords account number and hit the Add button.

You are now only a few moments away from enabling your Ad Extensions. Once you have completed the steps within your Google Merchant account you now have to go to your AdWords account. Once you are in the account you will have to go into every campaign to activate the ad extensions. Under Campaign Settings you will find the Networks, Device, and Extensions settings. Hit the Edit button for the Ad Extension option. Check the box and you will then see your Google Merchant ID number. As long as it is linked to your account save your settings and you are all set!

That’s the end of today’s wildcard Friday presentation. But before I go did you know that Exclusive Concepts offer PPC management? If you are interested in our Profitable PPC service please feel free to contact us for a free PPC Audit.

You can reach us at 1-800-504-4324

I want to thank you again for watching and have a great weekend!