Understanding Google My Business & Local Search
Google Removes Adwords Express from Places
Google has removed Adwords Express from the Places Dashboard and installed the product into its own area of Adwords. In accounts that did not have an AdWords Express ad, the AdWords Express Tab has just disappeared.
In accounts that had an AdWords Express Ad, Google has reconfigured the ad at adwords.google.com/express/.
AdWords Express has moved to adwords.google.com/express/.
Things to know about the change:
1) No changes were made to your ads — we just moved everything to a new place!
We left your ads and your other account information just as they were in Google Places. Of course, you can always make changes in your AdWords Express account.
2) You can get to AdWords Express directly by going to adwords.google.com/express/.
We suggest you update your bookmarks to the new address (adwords.google.com/express/) to get to your AdWords Express account fastest. But, we’ll keep the AdWords Express dashboard and this link in your Google Places account for a little while in case you forget.
The change is of interest on several levels. The primary marketing interface to AdWords Express (outside of their inside sales staff) has been its prominence inside of the Places Dashboard. There are currently no links within the Dashboard to the simplified AdWords product if you had not previously used the product. The only link referencing AdWords links to the main AdWords site and makes no mention of the Express product. Given that the product is now essentially hidden one presumes that Google is planning some new interface for marketing the product.
While ad creation remains the same, in making the move Google has provided AdWords Express with a new interface which allows a user to add additional businesses and allows for a change of categories for an existing ad WITHOUT returning to the Places Dashboard.
Google has also updated the Help Pages to reflect this change and has provided a comparison of the three products:
A few more things to know:
The lights are still on (or off).
We left your ads and your account information as it was in Google Places. Your AdWords Express account has a new look, but your info has been saved. If you had linked your ad to your Place Page, you can continue to do so.Your key still works.
Your AdWords Express account uses the same email address and password that you use with Places.
It appears that AdWords Express will remain in Google product line but the lack of a marketing interface, the loss of the connection to Places and the partial integration into AdWords raises a number of questions.
This move is clearly still a work in progress but raises the question of where and how will Google market this product. Will it somehow be reintegrated back into Places or will it be tied into some as yet unannounced Local interface that will be widely used by the SMB? If neither of the above then how exactly does Google plan on promoting this product or will AdWords Express become another one of their products to just languish in the digital equivalent of the gulag?
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Comments
11 Comments
Mike,
In a recent Google Engage webinar it was indicated that Google would allow Adwords Agencies to manage Adwords Express campaigns on behalf of clients via an MCC.
Perhaps this change is part of that move.
Ben
That sounds about right. The new interface handles multiple businesses and it makes sense to make it available under multi user management.
The questions that raises are:
-Will agencies become the primary sales avenue?
-Was google dissatisfied with current sales?
-Is this just a sales growth strategy or did google find that even with a very simple self serve interface that most adoption was by agencies?
-how will google continue to attract self serve SMBs?
I think it makes sense in the long run. They are going to do ‘something drastic’ to Places sometime down the road, so moving things like Express out allows for an easier transition.
@andy
Yes it does make sense but it does beg the question of how are they going to attract the very small self serve market or if they have given up on it.
Thanks for the info Mike…
IMHO, I think most business owners are afraid to try to market online without help and for the most part didn’t want to experiment with Express.
My prediction has always been a Places integration on a much deeper level with Google+. So watch for a link to be made soon between G+ profiles and Adwords and/or Express.
One clue is that you can now confirm authorship markup using the Rich Snippet tools IF you use a G+ account that was created with an email using your primary website domain name, ie. eric@blumenthals.com.
I don’t think they’ve given up on the small self serve market, or that they ever will. Two days ago, I received a $100 free advertising coupon in the mail for Express via HostGator, so they are still trying. But I think they are going to come up with something even easier (and more desirable) for the smb to utilize… and monetize that. Whatever ‘that’ turns out to be.
*I’m starting to sound like a politician… Google is going to drastically change Places to “something” and then add “something” to the new “something” so they can monetize “that” 😉
“…Are you ready, Are you ready for this
Are you hanging on the edge of your seat
Out of the doorway the bullets rip
To the sound of the beat
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I’m gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust…”
Good to see a post from you, Mike! Missed them.
Miriam
@Eric
Most folks think that there will be additional integration. Certainly the fact that Places pages are one of the only pages within Google without a Plus share button gives the impression that the impression that the Place Page might be being depricated in some way.
@Jeffery
Are you saying you think AdWords Express is biting the dust?
@Miriam
thanks… I have lots of speaking and traveling over this week so I will still be hard to find… but I am getting back on the saddle.
[…] Adwords Express disappeared from the Places Dashboard two weeks […]
[…] Adwords product for SMBs, was upgraded we have heard little about the product. The interface was removed from most dashboards and we have seen no effort to promote it. Today, every Places Dashboard […]
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