This post is a few days late now but earlier this month, Google made it official that it will be migrating three of the existing AdWords tools into the new version of the Google Display Planner. The tools that will be migrating are the Contextual Targeting Tool, the Placement Tool, and the Google Ad Planner.
According to Google, the new Google Display Planner is designed to be a “unified research and planning tool, bringing you targeting ideas and estimates that can help you build better display campaigns.”
Display Planner is also built into AdWords, therefore, campaign managers will find it easier to manage all campaigns from one place. With all the tools in one place it’s meant to simplify adding keywords, placements, as well as testing targeting ideas for each campaign.
The current Contextual Targeting Tool and Placement Tool will slowly be phased out in the next few days. Google recommends that if you are currently using Google Ad Planner and have existing media plans and website lists, you should export the information and save it in the coming weeks before the tool is phased out.
Here is a quick video tutorial showing how the new Display Planner Tool works:
There are other plans in the works that will further merge or eliminate some of Google’s previous tools to be replaced with new ones, so this is an area to keep an eye on. It’s quite confusing as it is and it seems like Google’s efforts to simplify some of its features may not quite make it much easier to AdWords campaign managers after all. Time will tell.
Google’s Guide to Display Planner >
Until next time, this is Manuel Gil del Real (MGR)
