{"id":1428,"date":"2023-09-19T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-09-19T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cherylroll.com\/google-ads-manipulation-432089\/"},"modified":"2023-09-19T14:00:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T14:00:00","slug":"google-ads-manipulation-432089","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cherylroll.com\/google-ads-manipulation-432089\/","title":{"rendered":"Are you being manipulated by Google Ads?"},"content":{"rendered":"
Do you know when you’re being manipulated? <\/p>\n
Most of us get the ick around used car salesmen and high-pressure tactics, but subtler persuasion techniques can be far more powerful. <\/p>\n
Consider the unassuming Google Ads interface. Though it seems like a benign management tool, its crafty design subtly shapes user behavior, contributing to $224 billion for the tech giant last year alone.<\/p>\n
Dive into the covert persuasion tactics Google Ads uses to ensure “the house always wins” and discover strategies to outsmart the house.<\/p>\n
Deceptive patterns – once termed “dark patterns” – are manipulative design tactics that trick users into choices favoring the business. <\/p>\n
These patterns boost company metrics, but users pay the price through unintended purchases, surrendered personal data, or wasted time navigating misleading interfaces and “screen mazes.” <\/p>\n
Deceptive patterns refer to an entire class of unethical design techniques. Here are some you’ll find in the Google Ads interface:<\/p>\n
Unexpected and misleading defaults<\/strong><\/p>\n Pre-set user choices and defaults can influence your selections, and if you don’t pay close attention, you might inadvertently agree to something you don’t want.<\/p>\n Google defines Search campaigns as “text ads on search results that let you reach people while they’re searching on Google<\/a>.” <\/p>\n Yet, the Search campaign settings default to include the Display Network, which does not belong in the campaign by its very definition.<\/p>\n Location targeting defaults to include people who may be “interested in” (but have never been to) your target. <\/p>\n This setting is not immediately visible from the Location section. Not only do you need to uncheck it, but you have to know to un-nest it (click Location Options<\/em> to expand) in order to uncheck it. <\/p>\n Some campaign types don’t even allow for the removal of “interested in.”<\/p>\n Automated assets (formerly ad extensions<\/a>) are also hidden and run without your review or approval, even if they’re irrelevant to your business model. <\/p>\n Here’s Google explaining how they run automated location assets<\/a> even if you never linked your Business Profile to your account:<\/p>\n Obstacle course <\/strong><\/p>\n The “obstacle course” tactic places deliberate barriers in your way when you try to perform specific actions online.<\/p>\n Instead of a simple process, you’re forced to jump through hoops or contact a representative, adding complexity and deterring you from completing your intended tasks.<\/p>\n For instance, here are the steps to turn off the aforementioned automated assets you may not want running in your account:<\/p>\n Simple, right?<\/p>\n Other management tasks can’t even be completed in the interface, requiring you to contact Google directly for help. Good luck with that.<\/p>\n Sneak into basket and forced choice<\/strong><\/p>\n These deceptive design patterns manipulate users into making decisions or accepting choices you might not have consciously intended.<\/p>\n Google Ads wants you to keep mobile apps in your proverbial basket. There is no simple opt-out. They even “yanked advertisers’ option to exclude all mobile apps<\/a>” in 2018. <\/p>\n Though you can try to exclude 140 different app categories manually, the process isn’t 100% effective at eliminating app traffic.<\/p>\n Last year, they removed the option of content targeting for YouTube conversion campaigns<\/a>, meaning you have to choose between contextual relevance and conversion optimization.<\/p>\n While certain feature restrictions may stem from technical and data constraints, the deliberate elimination of features that advantage Google underscores a conscious, strategic decision.<\/p>\n Deceptive patterns are a growing problem that institutions like the European Union<\/a> and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC)<\/a> are fighting against. <\/p>\n Here’s how you can do your part in your Google Ads account:<\/p>\n Completion bias is your brain’s tendency to favor tasks you can finish quickly, often at the expense of more important or complex tasks. <\/p>\n The satisfaction and sense of accomplishment you feel successfully completing a task leads you to focus on short, achievable goals rather than more challenging or valuable ones.<\/p>\n The Google Ads interface hosts thousands of choices for changing settings and exploring data. <\/p>\n Because it can be overwhelming, you’re likely drawn to tasks that offer immediate results and a clear sense of completion.<\/p>\n Google knows that if it gives you a ranking, you’re hard-wired to improve it. It has cleverly assigned “scores” to certain actions it wants you to take that don’t otherwise benefit you.<\/p>\n Ad Strength<\/strong><\/p>\n Not to be confused with Quality Score<\/a> or Ad Rank, Ad Strength is a score assigned to responsive ads that doesn’t directly influence your ad’s serving eligibility<\/a>.<\/p>\n Will you sacrifice focused, curated ad messaging for a better arbitrary score in the interface? Lots of marketers do.<\/p>\n A 100% optimization score means “your account can perform at its full potential<\/a>,” according to Google<\/p>\n Your score (and the “full potential” of your account) is mostly based on your willingness to adopt Google’s campaign recommendations<\/a>, which may not align with your best interests.<\/p>\n First, understand that not all scores are created equal. <\/p>\n Diagnostic tools like Quality Score represent factors used in auction bidding and shouldn’t be overlooked. <\/p>\n But with vanity scores, “everything’s made up and the points don’t matter,” so you’ll want to:<\/p>\n Get the daily newsletter search marketers rely on.<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n
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How to protect yourself from deceptive patterns<\/h3>\n
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Completion bias: The allure of the checkmark<\/h2>\n
How Google Ads capitalizes on your need to complete<\/h3>\n
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Optimization score<\/h3>\n
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How to outsmart completion bias<\/h3>\n
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