Boosting Clickthru Rate with Google Product Extensions
Opportunity:
In late 2008, Google began to offer a feature known as Product Extensions. Product extensions (also known as Product Plusbox) allow relevant product images to show in an AdWords ad by connecting the advertiser’s Google Merchant Center account directly to AdWords campaigns. Once enabled, Google shows the product extension in the form of a “Plusbox” icon with the text “Show Products from {Insert Advertiser Here} for {Insert Searched Term Here}” below the ad. Upon expansion of the “Plusbox”, anywhere from four to six images of related products and links appear for the user.
RKG implemented the Google Product Extensions for one of their oldest clients, a well-known national jeweler. The process required connecting the Google Merchant Center with Google AdWords, and then running all of the product links through RKG’s Adaptive Portfolio Bidding system to connect product links with the head-line keywords.
Solution:
RKG is always looking for new ways to increase spending efficiency to increase a client’s bottom line. With the new PlusBox feature, RKG saw several potential upsides for their jewelry client. RKG believed that by implementing PlusBox, their client’s ads would become larger and more interactive. Further, customers could easily get an initial impression of the client’s product offering. RKG believed that these changes would lead to an increase in Clickthrough Rate (CTR), resulting in greater traffic and an increase in sales volume, while still maintaining efficiency. Considering the benefits, RKG implemented PlusBox ads for their client in an effort to increase CTR and bottom line sales.
Results:
Ultimately, the client observed a sizable increase in CTR following the implementation of the PlusBox feature. The CTR increased 56% on ads with a PlusBox over ads without a PlusBox on Google.com. The total Google CTR rate increased 133 percentage points for the account. The client continued to operate at efficient spend levels, but now benefited from increased traffic volume with the PlusBox advertising feature.