Google’s Ad Strength metric has been a topic of debate among advertisers, with some dismissing it as irrelevant. However, industry experts have weighed in on the matter, providing insights into the importance of Ad Strength and its impact on campaign performance.
Mateja Matić, founder of Dominate Marketing, shared his perspective on Ad Strength, stating that he does not prioritize it when building campaigns. He believes that Google’s responsive ads have never outperformed manually set up ads. Matić emphasizes that Google’s recommendations may not always be the best for individual accounts and that there are other ways to improve ad performance.
Frederick Vallaeys, Co-Founder and CEO of Optmyzr, agrees with Matić, stating that exceptional campaign performance does not necessarily correlate with a high Ad Strength rating. Vallaeys explains that Ad Strength reflects general trends rather than the nuances of individual campaigns and audiences. He advises experienced advertisers to prioritize other metrics over ad strength and not be blinded by it.
Anthony Higman, CEO of online advertising agency Adsquire, experimented with prioritizing Ad Strength but found that it did not result in an increase in quality leads. Higman prefers campaigns with “poor Ad Strength and good leads” over those with increased expenditure and less relevant leads. He suspects that Ad Strength may soon become a metric influencing ad rank and hopes for a fix before advertisers abandon ship.
Despite the skepticism from advertisers, Brendon Kraham, Google’s Vice President of Search & Commerce, asserts that Ad Strength is important. Kraham explains that Ad Strength assesses the breadth and depth of assets within a campaign and plays a crucial role in reaching users across different channels and platforms. He highlights the effectiveness of Performance Max (PMax) in optimizing ad assets and improving campaign performance.
Kraham believes that AI-driven solutions like PMax represent the future of digital advertising. He emphasizes how PMax provides businesses, especially small ones with limited resources, the ability to deliver a broader range and depth of assets, keeping pace with consumers’ evolving preferences.
In conclusion, while there may be differing opinions on the importance of Ad Strength, it is clear that Google sees it as a valuable evaluative criteria for marketers. Advertisers, particularly experienced ones, are advised to consider other metrics alongside Ad Strength and not solely rely on it. With the rise of AI-driven solutions like PMax, the future of digital advertising looks promising, enabling businesses to deliver more effective ads to consumers in real-time.
