Why Did Google Change AdWords Name To Google Ads?
A few years ago, Google Adwords officially changed their name to Google Ads. You may still hear some refer to Google Ads as Google Adwords, especially those who have been in the industry since the beginning. I can’t claim to have any insider knowledge about this, but since this is an interesting topic for a PPC consultant, I wanted to dive into it. Keep in mind nothing in the platforms themselves changed with this. It was merely a semantic and branding effort from Google. The biggest effect might have been companies changing their website headline from Google Adwords agency to Google Ads Agency!
Google Adwords Background from a PPC Consultant
To start, most working in a Google Adwords Agency and those employed within the industry already called it Google Ads. And most who are not in the industry almost exclusively call it Google Ads. Likely, Google realized this and decided to simplify it.
Beyond this, Google is likely aligning their name more with what’s actually capable using Google Ads. To give some background, when Google Adwords first started, there were only search ads on desktops. If you are unfamiliar, search ads are strictly the paid results you see when conducting a Google search. But a lot has happened since Google first rolled out the Adword platform. Now Google Ads cover a variety of networks and channels. This includes display advertising, Youtube ads, Google Maps ads, search partner sites, display partner sites, shopping ads, mobile apps and new channels like Discovery.
When you hear Google Adwords, if you aren’t a PPC consultant, you might only associate that with the original search ads. But now this encompasses so much more and Google Ads really speaks to its full potential.
Insights as an Employee of a “Former” Google Adwords Agency
My prediction as a “former” Google Adwords services provider is Google will continue to push their expansion into other channels. Video and image ads will become even more important, and this will stop any confusion for business owners on what is Google Ads vs. what is Google Adwords.
Now being a PPC consultant or even running campaigns requires much more expertise than 20 years ago. Rather than simply running search ads, you now have to be a master of all channels. Rather than strictly search ads, you will have to understand how to properly use all the options Google Ads gives you to create results for your business. This doesn’t always mean you need to hire a PPC consultant or specialist, but you must understand the interplay between ad channels and how this impacts your site.
Ultimately, I believe the name change was long overdue and appropriate. Adwords is a name from a different era of Google, before Youtube or mobile apps was a worry for any business owner. PPC consultants will have to become a master of all channels to effectively manage accounts. This is not a question I receive all the time, but for those of you that were curious, I hope to have given an answer here.