Google Updates AdWords Express Sign-Up Process, Ad Copy Preview And Dashboard

Google has updated  the interface for AdWords Express, Google’s AdWords product designed for small businesses.

Among the interface updates are a redesigned dashboard to show an at-a-glance look at ad views (impressions), clicks and calls generated as well as a pie chart that tracks monthly budget expenditures.  A new performance graph allows advertisers to compare results over time.

A real-time ad creator tool now lets users see how their ad will look as they write their copy. Hovering over the icons at the bottom of the window allows advertisers to see a preview of the ad in the different ad formats available.

Google also reduced the account sign-up process to three steps: select your audience (geographic targeting), create your ad, and select your budget.

It’s not clear how many small businesses Google has been able to bring on to AdWords Express, but the simplified account sign-up suggests the company may be challanged in bringing more small businesses onto the platform. The company ran a free month of advertising promotion toward the end of last year to try to lure new customers, and in January Google began promoting Google Express to SMBs on Google+.