Google Ads Trends for 2021

Google Ad trends are constantly changing, which can be difficult for the typical marketer to keep up with. To give you an edge in this ever-changing landscape, check out these Google Ads trends for 2021 to help you plan a successful marketing campaign for your own business this year and beyond.

Trend #1: Simplified Match Types

Google is changing how they match keywords. They are doing a simpler type of matching.

Google Ads has changed over the years from introducing new match types in 2012 to making adjustments to exact matches five years later. Following this change, Google included synonyms for queries that other people made. They did this to help people find what they're looking for.

In February 2021, Google announced Simplified Match Types in an effort to improve search results for customers based on the search term they were using. The algorithm will also consider the word order when relevant to the intent.

Trend #2: Voice Search on Google Ads

Today, more people search Google on their phones and at home. This is because they want to use a speaker or computer. This means that text-based searches could start to be surpassed by voice-based searches using smart speakers.

Trend #3: Gallery Ads on Google Search

For the longest time, Google users have been calling for a competitor to carousel ads seen on Facebook. It took Google some time, but they finally released a beta for gallery ads in 2019. It’s now out of Beta mode and ready to use as part of a marketing strategy. Showing up at the top of mobile search results, this tactic is sure to be something to test with product sales.

Trend #4: Discovery Ads

Google has been introducing a number of updates that bring it closer to Facebook. In fact, one of the new features, Discovery, is designed to show relevant content from the web. Unlike other feeds online, Google doesn’t just want to send new content to the user. Instead, advertisers can reach out with relevant messaging in their ads.

Google has said that Google Discovery is available to all Google Ads campaigns.

Trend #5: Third-party Cookies

Google has moved back its timeline to block third-party cookies in Chrome. A number of advertisers have expressed doubts about what Google's privacy initiative and the blocking of third-party cookies means for their metrics. This delay means there is a chance that search marketers’ concerns are heard, and there is more time to prepare for major changes — including finding data solutions in the absence of cookies, considering first-party data strategies, and utilizing other data sources.

Keeping up with Google Ads can be difficult, but it is rewarding. If people find you through a paid campaign like Google Ads, they are more likely to buy your product than if they found you by themselves. It is worth the time and effort because it will make your business more money.