Google Upgraded URLs: Don't Just Prepare for the Transition, Optimize
The mandatory Google Upgraded URLs July 2015 deadline will be here before you know it, at which point all URLs on AdWords will be migrated over to the new URL structure. With less than three months to go, it’s critical for Google advertisers are prepared for migrating, maintaining and optimizing their URLs across their entire program in the future. Advertisers need to ensure they have the necessary technology and knowledge to allow for a simple, seamless migration and URL framework. So the real question is, are you prepared?
For Google advertisers with third party tracking values, migrating URLs across an entire program can be a giant undertaking. Some advertisers may be wondering what the best way to handle the migration is to ensure that there is limited disruption to existing ad campaigns. While there are many ways to go about this, we’re here to provide you with our best practice guide for the Upgraded URLs migration.
Get the direction you need
The migration process for Upgraded URLs is a new experience for all advertisers so it may be difficult to assess what exactly needs to be done, and when. That said it never hurts to have a helping hand to assist you in navigate through the necessary steps to successfully transform your existing URLs into the new Upgraded URLs. In May, Marin will be providing a migration portal that will give advertisers step-by-step instructions outlining what they need to do and when, an overview of their account, the components that will be affected, and access to a wealth of other helpful resources at their fingertips.
Set yourself up for ongoing success
How you set-up your URLs during the migration will have a direct impact on the management of your URLs going forward. To ensure that your new Upgraded URLs are set up in a way that you can easily change and scale going forward, it is recommended that you use a shared account-tracking template approach. This template solution will make it easier to make changes in the future by allowing you to make basic tracking parameter changes to URLs without having to going through the Google editorial review process, which requires taking keywords and ads offline. Ultimately, this solution results in cleaner looking URLs with increased readability. With Marin, we will take your URLs from the account tracking template, and then through the use of an automated tool, we will transfer your existing URLs to the new structure making them available for your review. From there, you will be able to traffic your URLs to the publisher at your convenience.
After the migration, the ongoing management of your Upgraded URLs can be simplified with the help of a tool that understands the challenges that come with adopting to the new URL structure. Marin offers a pop-up side panel that allows you to make URL edits on the spot while you’re looking at your campaigns, keywords, and groups, a URL builder to help you easily piece together the three components of new URLs, and a preview feature to help you troubleshoot your URLs before publishing.
As there are many different options available out there to help you handle the Upgraded URLs migration, choosing the right one for your business needs will help to ensure that you hit the ground running with Upgraded URLs!
