Google Adwords - Destination URLs to Become Read Only on July 1st 2015

Google Adwords is a paid advertising platform where you can pay for traffic to your website. Using Google Adwords you can attain prominent placement within the search engine results although this is only on a paid basis.

If your company currently has an active Adwords account you'll know that when someone clicks on your ad, they are transported directly to a web address you have specified, or in Google speak, a Destination URL.

Up until now, the destination URL has included tracking information to allow you to track the ad’s performance via your AdWords account. If you made changes to your tracking information, it is more often than not sent the ad back into editorial review. This meant that advertisers lost tracking history and their ad was out of action during the obligatory review process. The system was annoying and sometimes time consuming.

What’s Changing Within Google Adwords?

The new update will separate the destination URL from the tracking information and when you set a landing page for your ad, specifying a Final URL will be the only available option. You can see both the Final URL and the Destination URL options in the image below (under the landing page option).

When is the Update Happening?

The changes come into effect on July 1, 2015, but you can start upgrading your destination URLs to Final URLs now. After this date, you will see errors if you try and modify a destination URL in AdWords and the field will become ‘read-only’.

Who Will Be Affected?

Not everyone will be affected by the changes – it depends on what type of advertiser you are. To check whether the upgrade affects your AdWords account, check the Google guide.

What Does the Update Mean For You?

The update will allow you to make changes to tracking parameters without triggering an ad review. It is a forced migration so you won’t be able to opt out, but the old system was not user friendly at all and most people agree the change is long overdue.

Whether you manage your Adwords account or an agency does it on behalf of your company, make sure to check your URLs are upgraded within your Adwords account before July 1st 2015.

Google also has a ‘help page’ on the subject, but if you are not sure what to do or you need help or support with you Adwords account get in touch with us today.

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