Google Ads rolls out new promotions feature for App campaigns


Google Ads is quietly testing a new ‘Promotions’ feature in app campaigns, giving advertisers a new way to drive engagement during key events. This beta feature is currently only available to a limited number of ad accounts, making it a rare find.

Why we care: This new tool allows advertisers to create app-specific promotions, similar to those available in web campaigns, but tailored to mobile users. With options to personalize for occasions like Black Friday or Christmas and choose between different promotion types, advertisers can now more effectively increase in-app engagement and conversions.

How it works: The feature includes fields such as occasion selection, promotion type (e.g. percent off), item name, and a pre-populated final URL for the app. Advanced options enable URL tracking and scheduling, ensuring campaigns are timely and trackable. A preview feature allows you to visualize how ads will appear on search and display networks.

Seen for the first time. We were first informed of this update by David Vargas’ LinkedIn:

Screenshot 2024 09 03 As of 18.21.28
Screenshot 2024 09 03 As of 18.22.04

The bottom line: As Google Ads expands its capabilities, this feature provides a valuable opportunity for app marketers to leverage event promotions, which could drive higher engagement and conversions during peak periods. Keep an eye out for this feature as it rolls out more widely.


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About the author

Anu Adegbola

Anu Adegbola was Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. It covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more.

In 2008, Anu’s career began with

lead digital marketing campaigns (primarily, but not exclusively, paid search) by strategizing, maximizing ROI, automating repetitive processes, and improving the efficiency of every part of marketing departments through leadership inspiring on the agency side as well as on the client and marketing technology side.

Outside of Search Engine Land article editing, she is the founder of the PPC networking event – PPC Live and the host of weekly PPCChat Roundup podcast.

She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on SMX (USA), SMX (Munich), Friends of Search (Amsterdam), BrightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon. , PPC Chat Live, AdWorld Experience (Bologna) and more.