Parallel Tracking for Video Campaigns gets a mandatory nod from March 31st, 2020!

Every time the google ad words team rolls out a new feature, the entire search marketing industry is speculating its effect. With SEM campaigns being ‘conversion-centric,’ it is natural that anything related to campaign tracking freaks us out, the latest update being parallel tracking for video campaigns.

So, what is parallel tracking?

Parallel tracking is a method of speeding up user journeys.  It means the ad click directly loads the landing page URL and lets the click measurement happen in the background. It reduces the overall load time of the landing page.

Google ads parallel tracking has already been mandatory for search, display, and shopping campaigns. Furthermore, as of March 31st, 2020, it will also be mandatory for all video campaigns.

For the user, the difference will be less clunky. Whereas, for the advertiser, the difference is a user more likely to convert.

Benefits of google parallel tracking for campaigns:

• A Decrease in load time: As per Google, even a one-second increase in page load time can decrease conversions by 20%. Parallel tracking will help speed up page load time by running third-party trackers in the background instead of redirecting the user.
• A Decrease in bounce rate: By improving load time, parallel tracking is likely to improve the bounce rate. Fewer bounces mean more opportunities for conversion from campaigns.
• Increase in conversions: When more visitors reach and engage with your site without any delay, it helps reduce wasted ad spend and increases conversions for the business.
• Helping advertisers offer faster mobile experiences: Google parallel tracking improves the overall mobile site speed by measuring the ad click in the background and bringing the visitors directly to the landing page.

How does the ad-click process flow?

With Parallel Tracking:

When a user clicks on the ad, he is directly taken to the business landing page.

Without Parallel Tracking:

Making a seamless integration to the parallel tracking tool:

Ensure the compatibility of your tracking template: If you are using a third-party URL template provider or rely upon dynamic landing page redirects, make sure your provider’s template is compatible with parallel tracking. Else it won’t work when Google makes the switch.

Add a final URL tag: To minimize duplicate counts on visits, add a final URL tag on your template, and make sure it is secure.

How to enable parallel tracking for your campaigns:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account
2. Click ‘All campaigns’ in the navigation menu
3. Now click ‘Settings’ in the page menu on the left
4. After this, click 'Account Settings'
5. Click 'Tracking'
6. Turn on the switch next to ‘Parallel tracking’

Key Takeaways:

Google is all about a better experience for customers and advertisers, and parallel tracking is a win-win for both. 

Speeding up this post-click experience is an attempt from Google to improve user experience. This, in turn, will improve the ROI of advertisers who deliver it.