Google is changing how it serves up ads to mobile audiences.

Thanks to the evolution of digital marketing, companies can generate leads for highly specific audiences faster and more cost-effectively. The only catch is this landscape is constantly changing. Marketers have to understand not only where digital marketing is today, but where it’s headed tomorrow.

Mobile is a good example. Google recently announced two big shifts in how it will serve up ads on mobile devices. As a result, brands could capture more customers and sales if they adjust their marketing to take advantage of these changes.

Companies need to pay attention because mobile marketing isn’t a tiny niche anymore. In fact, mobile search queries surpass those from desktop machines. And 30 percent of all mobile searches are related to location.

What’s Changing

Expanded text ads // Google has expanded the character limits of its mobile text ads, from one headline of 25 characters to two headlines of 35 characters and modified the description line from two lines of 35 characters to one 80-character length line. It turns out the longer ads convert at a higher rate. (Possibly because consumers view them less as ads and more as organic listings, thereby increasing their credibility.)

Responsive, mobile-friendly display ads // Google’s display ads—those that can feature a mix of imagery, text, video or other elements—will be automatically resized and reformatted to fit various ad sizes, placements and devices across the entire Google Display Network.

This is a huge benefit to all parties (advertisers, publishers and users) as the primary focus is on the ease of use and user experience. For marketers, it means greater control of their messaging and branding across a range of platforms.

What You Should Do Next

Unsure of how to make the most of these changes? Let’s examine some strategies that will help you dominate your mobile marketing strategy and enhance your lead generation results.

Responsive ad design // Advertisements can now be automatically formatted to match the tone and feel of any given website, creating a seamless experience for users. On average, responsive display ads lead to an increase of 20 percent in click-through rates, Google found. Our tips:

»   Focus copy on your unique selling point and your call to action. More space allows for more control of the brand message, and automatic responsive design means you don’t have to worry about resizing issues.

»   Be sure to conduct A/B tests between previous standard ads and extended text ads to gauge the responsiveness of your targeted audience.

Image optimization // Google will no longer automatically select images from a marketer’s site to populate richer text ads (that is, text ads that are supplemented with an image). Instead, advertisers can upload custom images, again allowing for more control of the brand message. Our tips:

»   Populate ads with higher-resolution images that align with your branding, though those files shouldn’t exceed 1 MB in size. PNG-24 file types are best for images with a heavy mix of colors, while PNG-8 is best for simple color palettes.

»   Use quality images that are relevant to your target audience and brand. The first image users see can encourage engagement, resulting in a lead—or throw users off, resulting in a closed window.

Landing page optimization // Landing pages continue to be among the most important elements in lead generation—thanks to their sign-up forms, which help capture valuable visitor information. It takes users only a few seconds to decide to engage with your page or leave. Our tips:

»   Be specific for your audience. Most people come to a landing page via an ad, so your landing pages need to deliver information on exactly what the ad promised. If the ad featured the newest jacket sold by your apparel company, the landing page should focus on that jacket, not your entire line.

Remember, speed is king in generating leads. Studies show users won’t bother to stick around if full-page load time is longer than three seconds.

Digital marketing is constantly changing. If your marketing strategy isn’t evolving too, then you will undoubtedly set your brand up for failure. With a grasp of these concepts, marketers will be able to leverage recent Google updates and keep ahead of the competition.