Search and web advertising giant Google Inc. is using the wealth of information that users share with the company to offer several new services that will make it even easier for marketers to connect directly with the prospects they’re trying to reach.
Google used the Advertising Week conference on Monday to launch two new products for marketers – Customer Match and Universal App Campaigns. According to Sridhar Ramaswamy, senior vice-president for ads and commerce with Google, mobile is changing the game for both consumers and brands.
“Consumer expectations for immediacy and relevance are higher than ever and successful brands are those that connect with people in the moments that matter most to them — the I-want-to-know, I-want-to-go, I-want-to-do, and I-want-to-buy moments,” said Ramaswamy, in a statement. “Google is a company built on meeting people’s needs in the moment. Through our ads innovations, we’ve brought that ability to businesses large and small.”
Research by Ipsos commissioned by Google found that 70 per cent of online consumers agreed the quality, timing and relevance of a brand’s message influences their perception of the brand. Google’s goal is to use its reach across search, mail with Gmail and video with YouTube to deliver as relevant a message as possible.
Customer Match
That’s the goal behind Customer Match. A marketer can upload a list of email addresses of their highest-value customers, which can be matched to signed-in users on Google and used to build campaigns and ads designed specifically to reach that audience.
Ramaswamy gives the example of a travel brand that wants to reach people who have recently joined their rewards program as they plan their next trip. When these people search for “non-stop flights to New York” your ad can be shown at the top of their search results right when they’re looking to book a flight.
The service can also be used to generate an audience with similar characteristics to that of the list that you’ve uploaded, so they can also be targeted with your relevant ads when they’re in the research or purchase phase.
“With Customer Match, your brand is right there, with the right message, at the moment your customer is most receptive,” said Ramaswamy. “Only Google can help you do this to delight your most loyal customers in the moments that truly matter.”
Universal App Campaigns
With many brands now developing their apps, driving app downloads in new ways is a key priority for many marketers. Also new from Google is Universal App Campaigns, which allows app marketers and developers to launch a new type of AdWords campaign to promote their app to app users across the Google network – including YouTube, where gaming videos are one of the hottest categories.
Ramaswamy gives the example of trying to market a new adventure game. The new service allows you to drive installs on YouTube, and provide download links when people launch relevant searches such as “adventure games” and are looking for a game to download.
“All you need to do is give us your desired cost per install and we do the rest. Universal app campaigns are the one-stop-shop campaign type that scales your reach and maximizes Android app installs across Google’s entire suite of ad platforms,” said Ramaswamy. “We’ve automated campaign set-up by pulling in your app images, videos, and app description directly from your Google Play store listing to generate ad formats that look amazing wherever they’re placed.”