How Google’s RDAs became a double edged sword – and how the industry is fighting back

Google's responsive display ads use AI to take the donkey work out of scaling ads to fit across all sites, platforms and devices – but some are using this power for evil... but a new working group has been set up to set things straight.

Google Responsive Display Ads (RDAs) have become a mainstay in the online advertising world.?But, while they have been massively successful and offer a powerful tool for marketers, they come with some drawbacks – drawbacks that the telemedia industry is looking to overcome to make RDAs work.

RDAs are a format that allows advertisers to upload various assets like headlines, descriptions?and visuals, which?Google’s AI then automatically generates different ad combinations based on the available ad space on a website or app.?This means a single RDA can transform into a small text ad on one site and a large banner ad with images and video on another.

The allure of RDAs is obvious. This effortless scaling allows the creation of multiple ad variations in one go, making them quick and easy to generate and getting ads out over a multitiude of screens and platforms simultaneously. Google’s AI does the heavy lifting.

Because of this, RDAs seamlessly adapt to various ad spaces across the Google Display Network (GDN),?which encompasses millions of websites and apps.?This expands your reach beyond just search results, potentially exposing your brand to new customers.

Meanwhile, Google’s AI constantly tests different ad combinations,?showing the most effective ones to users.?This data-driven approach can lead to better ad performance over time.

However, there is a flipside. While RDAs offer undeniable advantages,?there are also potential drawbacks to consider – and it is herein that the telemedia industry is having to act. Since Google’s AI determines the final ad format,?you relinquish some control over how your ad appears.?This might not align perfectly with your branding or creative vision.

The responsive nature of RDAs can sometimes lead to misleading banner sizes.?An ad designed for a large space might shrink to a thumbnail on a mobile device,?potentially losing its visual impact and key messaging.Similarly, while you can set targeting parameters,?GDN’s vastness means your ad could appear on unexpected websites,?some of which might not align with your brand image.

Research by UK telemedia industry body Association for Interactive Media and Micropayments and market intel company MCP Insight has found that some ads are also being placed so as to look just like content on websites and so clicks on what look like that websites call to action is in fact diverting to the advertisers – who may not be looking to be one hundred per cent in tune with the website brand.

This has prompted aimm to team up with MCP to create a working group charged with looking at how to make use of RDAs more responsible within the mVAS and DCB sector.

While the working group will tackle these issues of placement, it has also recently announced that it will broaden its scope to to look at another issue plaguing the use of RDAs. Google RDAs use optimised targeting to place ads on high-conversion websites and apps. However, some unscrupulous publishers exploit the algorithm by building websites specifically designed to maximise ad conversions. This results in a poor experience for consumers and advertisers alike.

aimm and MCP Insight believe that by developing and adopting best practice it would reduce the conversion rates of unscrupulous publisher sites, thereby reducing complaints and protecting advertising spend.

In the meantime there are some key things that mVAS and DCB advertisers can do to maximise the effectiveness of RDAs. These include simple ad best practice, such as providing Google’s AI with a diverse set of compelling headlines,?descriptions?and visuals. This gives the algorithm more options to create high-performing ad combinations.

Close monitoring is also a must. Don’t be a passive participant.?Regularly analyse ad performance data to see which combinations perform best.?You can then adjust your assets or targeting to optimize results.

And be clear with your targeting. While RDAs offer reach,?don’t neglect the importance of targeting.?Define your ideal audience and set appropriate parameters to minimise the chances of your ad appearing on irrelevant websites.

RDAs offer a powerful tool for advertisers seeking to effortlessly reach a broad audience across the web.?However, understanding the limitations and potential pitfalls is crucial.?By providing high-quality assets,?closely monitoring performance,?and maintaining clear targeting,?advertisers can leverage the strengths of RDAs while mitigating the downsides.