Google has announced a significant expansion of its advertising offerings for the automotive industry in the United Kingdom. Starting October 2024, vehicle ads will be available to all UK advertisers, marking a new era in digital automotive marketing.
Key Points of the Update
Launch Date: Vehicle ads will be accessible to UK advertisers from October 2024.
Ad Format: These are performance-focused, omnichannel, lower-funnel advertisements.
Global Expansion: Plans are in place to extend this feature to more countries in the future.
Ad Content: Ads will display car images along with crucial details such as make, model, price, and mileage.
User Journey: Clicks on ads will direct users to the Vehicle Description Page (VDP) on the advertiser's website.
How It Works
Vehicle ads are designed to showcase an advertiser's entire inventory to potential customers browsing on Google.com. The format is tailored to capture the interest of users actively shopping for vehicles, providing them with key information at a glance.
Implementation Process
UK vehicle advertisers can participate by:
- Uploading their vehicle feeds to the Merchant Center
- Running Performance Max campaigns in Google Ads to serve vehicle ads
Limitations
It's important to note that vehicle parts, accessories, tires, and services are not supported within this ad format.
Implications for the UK Automotive Market
This new ad format could significantly impact how car dealerships and manufacturers reach potential customers in the UK. By providing a more direct and informative advertising channel, it may streamline the car-buying process for consumers while offering advertisers a more targeted approach to reaching in-market shoppers.
Automotive advertisers in the UK should start preparing their inventory data and familiarizing themselves with the requirements and best practices for vehicle ads to take full advantage of this new opportunity when it launches in October 2024.
