Google tests bulleted lists in ads

Google is testing ad descriptions with bullets, Ginny Marvin, the company’s ads product liaison, confirmed via Twitter on Wednesday.

In the screenshot of the test (above), we can see up to three bullet points within one ad. The bullet points in the example above show a mixture of descriptions and CTAs. Tip of the hat to Mark Williams-Cook for bringing this to our attention.

Why we care. Within ads, a bulleted list may be used to showcase unique selling points, product features or additional CTAs. The more relevant information you’re able to pack into an ad, the more likely it is that the ad will drive engagement — bullet lists can help keep that information scannable for potential customers.

Google’s confirmation. “Yes, this is an experiment to show ad descriptions with bullets,” Marvin said, adding, “We’re always experimenting and don’t have anything more to share on this at the moment.”

Other recent Google Ads tests. Google Ads is always testing out new features and ad formats. Over the last few weeks, the platform has also been seen testing favicons in text ads and, underneath the hood, global site tags with automatic collection. As is the case with bulleted descriptions, Google did not say whether these features will eventually receive a wider rollout.

About The Author

George Nguyen is an editor for Search Engine Land, covering organic search, podcasting and e-commerce. His background is in journalism and content marketing. Prior to entering the industry, he worked as a radio personality, writer, podcast host and public school teacher.