Google Tweaks Search Engine Ads To Retailers’ Delight

There’s an argument to be made that the internet is built on nothing but an invisible web of Google AdSense and AdWords dollars. There’s no doubt that Google‘s dominance in the search engine market means it’s similarly dominant in the realm of online marketing, and it’s giving advertisers who’ve tried to make sense of its algorithm for years a few new toys to play with.

Google announced on Tuesday (July 12) that it implemented a handful of new changes to how search engine ads are displayed on its site. First, retailers will be able to respond with ads for multiple products when consumers use vague search terms, like “living room furniture.” Merchants advertising on YouTube will also be able to slap banner ads on top of video content, though Google is also allowing installation of product carousels that allow shoppers to quickly view several products without stopping the video. Lastly, Google is implementing tools that will automatically convert prices on listed ads into the local currency of whatever user happens to navigate to that particular ad.

“This is a different ad format for shopping that will put the retailer first and really help people explore and discover what they want to buy and where to buy it,” Jonathan Alferness, vice president of shopping and travel at Google, told Adweek.

Google is also tweaking its travel aggregator, namely by way of a price-tracking feature that will alert users on fare adjustments in specific cities or along certain routes. This is alongside additions to its hotel booking pages that notify consumers when booking prices are higher or lower than their normal rates.