AdWords Has Been Re-Designed
Google has done a redesign of AdWords. This is the first redesign in 8 years. The new AdWords redesign is automatically the default viewing option and will soon be the only option.
We will check out five aspects of the redesign. This will help you be aware of the changes that may make or break your workflow. This will impact users later this summer.
New Interface Launch Date – Mid 2018
1. The new interface will go into full effect mid-2018
To be honest, Google is only giving a vague launch date. It is reporting sometime in mid 2018 for the transition to the new experience. After that, the previous iteration will no longer be available.
Because of that, Google is already defaulting to the current interface. Therefore; Google strongly recommends using and training with it. From a personal point of view, I would recommend pulling off the Band-Aid and acclimating yourself to the new changes.
So even if you use a 50/50 approach, it will make you more familiar with the experience and less likely to be affected by the switch. Whenever they decide it will be.
Things Have Been Flip-Flopped
2. Things that were once horizontal are now vertical, and vice versa.
In order to make campaign to campaign optimizations more consistent and streamlined, Google has flip flopped the general location of most campaign settings and tools.
Like setting your home row while typing. Google has scooted commonly used groups, like Keywords and Ads & Extensions, into the left hand navigation. They have relegated infrequently used tools to the top navigation.
Generally, with the new experience, if you can’t find something, it’s probably 45 degrees from where it used to be and hidden under a new icon. Many features you’d normally see on the page are hidden under icons. Such as funnels or filters, three vertical bars for modify columns and the ubiquitous wrench for “tools, billing and settings”.
Shortcuts
3. Open the search function By Using the Keybard shortcut “G and T”
To help navigate around the minefield of rearranged tools, commit to memory a few keyboard shortcuts. (I should note that there has been no loss of functionality. It’s just a bit more challenging to find.
The most useful shortcut for me is sto simply open the search functionality by typing the letters G and T on the page. Shorthand for “go to whichever page you like”, this Google Tip allows you to type in whatever campaign setting or ad group you were looking for originally. This allows you to quickly make changes by jumping to the page you need.
You will be able to save time and impress your boss when they’re looking over your shoulder.
4. There are new features only in the latest AdWords Experience like Notes
Notes Is New Experience
Not surprisingly, the new experience is providing a variety of new features and gizmos to make your campaign management a lot easier.
The reasoning is twofold: 1) the new technology simply allows them the room and ability to do things they couldn’t beforehand and 2) to incentivize users to scoot over. A variety of the features relate to reporting like dynamic insights, customizable columns and the forcefully blunt “recommendations” (hint, use ECPC) but there are wide ranging new feature sets.
The cooler feature coming out is Notes. SearchEngineLand provides a great breakdown of a variety of the new features. But the gist of the notes is simple. Rather than having to crawl through the change history, you will be able to create notes and leave comments directly in the AdWords interface.
Readable notes explaining sudden jumps or dips in traffic will be coming out to customers as Google ramps up their new experience efforts in the coming weeks.
5. You Can Still Revert Back
You Can Revert Back
If you are still trying to figure our where the dimensions tab is, you’re in luck. (mostly under Keywords > Segment) Under the wrench in the upper right, you’ll have the option to “return to previous AdWords” that will flip you back to your familiar, marketing optimizing ways.
Remember, flipping back and forth is relatively easy. However; I would strongly recommend getting your feet wet with the new experience.
Keeping these changes in mind, it is recommended that you spend more time tinkering with the new interface. It may be helpful to catch the numerous YouTube videos that are out there on this subject.