Since its rebranding in 2018, Google Search Ads 360 has continued to be a powerful tool for PPC advertisers. However, many marketers still struggle to understand its full potential.
This confusion often leads businesses, agencies and corporations to miss the benefits of integrating it into their marketing strategies.
This article will address some of the most common questions about Google Search Ads 360 and help clarify how it can enhance your marketing efforts.
What is Google Search Ads 360?
Search Ads 360, or SA360, is a tool created by Google to manage multiple paid ads accounts and platforms in one interface.
Search Ads 360 has a direct API connection with several search engines, allowing you to view all your campaign data in one place. This streamlined access helps you make informed strategic decisions without consulting multiple sources, saving you time and money.
Once you link Search Ads 360 to a search engine, you can create and manage your search marketing campaigns within the platform. Any changes you make can be automatically copied back to the engines.
You can also make adjustments directly in the search engine’s ad platform and easily import those changes back into Search Ads 360.
Currently, SA360 supports the following platforms:
Google Ads.
Microsoft Advertising.
Yahoo Japan sponsored products.
Baidu.
Other third-party search engines.
You might remember SA360’s predecessor, DoubleClick or DoubleClick’s main product line, known as DART (Dynamic Advertising, Reporting and Targeting).
Google acquired DoubleClick in 2007 and integrated it into its offerings as DoubleClick Campaign Manager (DCM). The tool was renamed Search Ads 360 in 2018 – the same year Google AdWords became Google Ads.
How does Google Search Ads 360 help marketing efforts?
And what does Google Search Ads 360 have that regular ol’ Google Ads doesn’t?
Multi-platform campaign management with add-on cross-channel integration
Search Ads 360 allows you to manage and optimize search ads across multiple platforms, such as Google and Microsoft Ads, all from a single interface.
On its own, SA360 streamlines your advertising efforts and saves you time.
When integrated with other tools in the Google Marketing Platform, like Display & Video 360 and Campaign Manager 360, it allows you to develop cross-channel strategies that seamlessly combine search, display and video advertising for a more unified and consistent marketing approach.
Advanced audience targeting
With Search Ads 360, you can use advanced audience targeting features to reach specific segments across platforms.
Since it integrates with multiple search engines, you can consistently create and target audience segments across platforms like Google, Bing and Yahoo.
This ensures your message is relevant and reaches the right people no matter which search engine they’re using, thus improving engagement and ROI.
Time-saving automation
Beyond bidding, Search Ads 360 offers automation for many campaign management tasks, such as real-time budget pacing, scheduling and reporting.
Again, since it integrates with multiple search engines, you’ll have the ability to set up and manage automated rules across all your accounts and platforms.
This helps you and your marketing team to focus on strategy and analysis rather than repetitive tasks.
Dig deeper: Search Ads 360: 3 best practices for advanced PPC marketers
Why would you want to use Google Search Ads 360 instead of Google Ads?
At the time of publication, many features that used to be exclusive to Google Search Ads 360 have been integrated into the Google Ads platform.
Automated bidding, advanced reporting and ad copy testing all used to be unique to the Google Search Ads 360 platform.
While Search Ads 360 still boasts additional desirable features and flexibility, such as direct integrations with third parties and real-time reporting, the most widely-used features have also been migrated over to Google Ads.