Written By: Rose Finnigan & Noel O’Sullivan
There are a plethora of reasons to run responsive display ads or RDAs. First of all, they are easy to create and exceptional in reaching your audience and future residents. We dive into the data for creating high-converting PPC ads, what sets responsive ads apart from static ads, and 4 reasons to run responsive ads for your apartment communities.
Responsive Display Ads vs. Static Ads
We evaluated the performance of Responsive Display Ads (RDAs) compared to our standard, static display ads in Google Ads. And the response was, well, positive.
Static Ads
Static ads are images or designs uploaded to Google display campaigns in a variety of sizes — typically 5 — which are then served on websites, apps, YouTube, and Gmail.
Responsive Display Ads
With RDAs you can upload a variety of assets such as images, headlines, logos, videos, and descriptions and Google’s AI will generate ad combinations for websites, apps, YouTube, and Gmail. The variations are endless and allow Google to push only the best-performing combinations.
Measuring the Success of RDAs
We tested Responsive Display Ads with 14 properties located in Texas. The Designated Market Area (DMA) included Austin, Houston, San Antonio, and Dallas. We ran a true A/B test and ensured impressions remained consistent with our static and responsive ads for 4 months to attract future renters. However, retargeting performance is expected to be higher. All properties selected in this test were multifamily properties, class A and B, with an average monthly budget between $200-$500.
Google highly recommends using RDAs over static ads to increase your reach and relevance. With thousands of ad combinations, your ads can show up in any ad space available. Before conducting this test, we believed that static ads limit your flexibility and inventory, which can result in creative fatigue, high CPMs, and fewer site visits.
*Based on 14 properties in Texas during a 4-month period.
4 Reasons to Run Responsive Display Ads
Our test proved that RDAs can drive more site visits at a lower cost per site visit, without impacting CPM or visibility. We believe RDAs are an effective ad format to use when you want to drive more site visits at a lower cost.
1. Higher Site Visits
We saw 66% higher site visit rates from our RDAs compared to our static ads. You are guaranteed to see more site visits if you implement RDAs.
2. Consistent Cost Per Thousand (CPM)
Even though RDAs drive more site visits, they don’t cost more than static ads. This means you can maintain your profit margins while driving more traffic to your site.
3. Awareness of the Ramp-Up Period
As with any Google product driven by AI, expect to wait a couple of weeks before you see favorable results. It can take up to 6 weeks for your RDAs to outperform your existing static ads, but that doesn’t mean you can’t expect good performance in the future. We recommend running RDAs for a minimum of 6 weeks and optimization after 2 months of data and refreshed creative every 90 days for optimal results and performance.
4. Videos Are Favorable with RDAs
Over 60% of shoppers say online videos have given them ideas or inspiration for their purchase. So with the help of videos, you can broaden your reach to future residents on Google’s display network.
If Google finds that using videos to enhance your ad performance would be more beneficial, it will show videos instead of the same images. You can include up to five videos in your ad campaign and expand your reach.
With different ad placements, you can drastically improve ad performance with sight, sound, and motion for maximum reach and conversions.
Ready to Roll Out RDAs for your Apartment Community?
