Paid Search 2015: Many Changes That Will Have An Impact In 2016

Another year, another whirlwind in paid search. What marked 2015 wasn’t one big change, like 2013’s Enhanced Campaigns, or even 2014’s move to Shopping Campaigns, but a lot (a lot) of smaller changes that added up to a need to be constantly on your game.

From new reporting tools to new ways of categorizing what counts as a conversion to more automation and opportunities to target and tailor messages to certain audiences, 2015 packed in a whole lot in twelve months. It was also the year mobile search on Google surpasses desktop, so naturally there continued to be movement on the mobile ad and reporting fronts.

Yahoo’s revised search deal with Microsoft meant that paid search advertisers and agencies had to start paying attention to three engines again. Whether that will last is something to watch in the coming year. As is progress with Google’s buy button, AKA “Purchases On Google”. While the announcement this summer to facilitate purchasing straight from mobile product listing ads made a splash, the pilot has flown under the radar this holiday season.

For the full rundown on the significant developments in paid search of 2015, see our full coverage on Search Engine Land, Epic Roundup: The Biggest Things To Happen In Paid Search In 2015.