DoubleClick & Google Analytics 360
For many digital marketers, the cloud and data analytics are the commonplace tool from which to gather trends, information, and coherently organize client campaigns. Various digital service providers offer measurement and data collection tools, although Google’s platform has long been one of the most well diversified marketing programs since the ‘08 Google / DoubleClick merger. Google formally announced the creation of the Google Marketing Platform on June 27th, 2018. This move marks the formal integration of several Google / DoubleClick properties, as well as a unified rebranding or retitling of several existing Google services.
The Google Marketing Platform will include elements and aspects of all of the following: Google Analytics, AdWords, DoubleClick Search, DoubleClick Bid Manager, Campaign Manager, Studio and Audience Center. Many of these products have rebranded and some others consolidated for the sake of universalizing the interaction between all the various Google tools. The Google Marketing Platform (which began to go live at the end of July / beginning of August 2018) launches with Search Ads 360, Display and Video 360, Analytics 360, Data Studio, Optimize 360, Surveys 360, and Tag Manager 360.
Search Ads 360 takes the place of DoubleClick Search, whereas Display & Video 360 is an amalgamation of several DoubleClick properties including, Big Manager, Campaign Manager, Studio and Audience Center. These moves represent Google’s interest to streamline all the tools into a singular digital marketplace for advertisers, marketers, and any other businesses desiring analytical webtools. Google Analytics is to be simply retitled as Analytics 360, with no major changes to the interface or data representation options within the portal. Google Adwords has been shortened to Google Ads, for the sake of abundant written and visual advertising options within the platform. Finally, the Google Ad Manager combines DoubleClick for Publishers and DoubleClick Ad Exchange to complete Google’s efforts to unify the Google tools and DoubleClick ventures into one marketing platform conglomerate.
These maneuvers by Google are not entirely surprising to anyone following their moves since their acquisition of DoubleClick, a massive digital advertising service / platform, for the handsome dollar figure of $3.1 billion cash in 2008. Since the merger in 2008 and its subsequent approval from both the Federal Trade Commission and EU regulators, the segmented distribution of services between Google (Alphabet Inc.), and DoubleClick did not inform users of a unified business structure. While the rebranding of different tools and consolidation of others may appear to be surface level changes, the structural implications of a revamped Google Marketing Platform can be observed through any pricing changes and the potentiality of “a la carte” availability of products.
The biggest change between the previous Google and DoubleClick property model to the Google Marketing Platform is the inspiration and creation of an opportunity for further changes to Google’s digital platform down the road. The significant upgrade from the previous disjointed system is the new availability for integrations between different third-party vendors and overall ease in access for users to seamlessly connect their various exchanges and tech providers.
The long-term goal for consumers and marketers alike with Google’s unification of their web products system is an ever increasing interconnectivity between many different web tools and digital marketing products regardless of producer or company owning said products. Google’s rebrand of their services opens the door for industry newcomers to better grasp an elaborate system of products to generate effective data and analytics. The purpose of streamlining their webtools / products is a multifaceted explanation but what is becoming more evident is the growing reach of Google’s platforms with the emphasis on more integrations with other software and internet exchanges for digital marketers.
For us at Hero, we utilize the Google Marketing Platform for our in-house analytics and contracted management of several client accounts. We rely on Google’s marketing products to remain informed and competitive within our industry. Their rebranding / consolidation efforts maximizes efficiency and a singular connected usage of all Google properties for creative agencies like ourselves. We look forward to ongoing updates with the progressively advancing rollout of Google’s revamped platform and we will amend this blog with new details as they become available.