On July 24, 2018, Google AdWords became Google Ads. The new name reflected a platform that had expanded far beyond search keywords into display, video, shopping, app campaigns and automated campaign types. Google also introduced Google Marketing Platform by bringing DoubleClick Digital Marketing and Analytics 360 Suite under one umbrella.

For SMBs, the rebrand was more than cosmetic. It signaled that paid media was becoming more integrated, more automated and less confined to a simple keyword list.

Paid media required a broader plan

Search intent still mattered, but businesses also needed creative assets, audience strategy, landing pages, conversion tracking and channel measurement. The ad account could no longer be managed as a set of isolated text ads.

Brand Fuel Digital CEO/Founder Paul Burns saw the shift as a reminder to connect the whole funnel. “Google Ads is not just about buying clicks. The business needs the right message, the right page and the right measurement, or the platform has too little to optimize around.”

What SMBs should have reviewed

• Campaign mix: Understand where Search, Display, YouTube and Shopping fit.
• Conversion tracking: Measure leads and sales instead of only clicks.
• Creative assets: Prepare images, video and copy for multiple placements.
• Landing pages: Match page content to ad intent.

Brand Fuel Digital’s View

The AdWords to Google Ads change reflected a bigger truth: PPC was becoming full-funnel media. SMBs should manage it as a connected growth system, not a keyword-only task.

Sources: Google Ads Help on AdWords becoming Google Ads and Google announcement introducing Google Marketing Platform.