Google has been including the domain name of websites in the headline of ads for quite some time, but they don’t seem to give any insight into how you can change what’s displayed. Sure, it’s a small detail, and sure, it’s probably doesn’t have much of an effect on users. However, I was on a mission to figure out how to change the capitalization to match the brand of one of our clients, and when I’m on a mission, I go all out. After all, it’s not often that you run into an issue that can’t be solved with a quick search! I hope this helps someone out there.
The Secret? It’s all in the display URL.
Yes, you heard me right. That display URL you type for all of your ads? It’s directly affecting how your domain gets displayed on the headline of all of your ads. Let’s break down a display url:
Subdomain: When it comes to the subdomain on display URLs, you can take it or leave it. If you have a lot of text you need to fit in your URL, it’s best to just leave it off. The important thing to remember here is that no matter the capitalization of your subdomain, it will always show up lowercase and it will NEVER appear on the headline.
Domain: This is the bread and butter of this article. Any changes in capitalization that you make to the domain name will be reflected on the headline but NOT on the display url. This is the best way to make sure your brand name shines the way you want it to on your ads.
Top Level Domain: This part is key to ensuring your display URL gets approved, but no matter what capitalization you use here, the headline of your ad will mirror it in all lowercase.
Directory: This is the most relevant part of your display URL. You should always make sure that the directory matches as closely as possible to a user’s query or intent. Any changes in capitalization that you make here will be reflected on the display URL, but the directory will NEVER show up on the headline.
A Visual Guide to Display URL Changes
There are so many intricacies between what gets typed as the Display URL and what shows up on the ad that reading through it all can sometimes get a little bit wordy. That’s why I made this handy-dandy visual guide that will show you exactly what changes to a Display URL can do to your ad.
By following the guidelines I’ve laid out, you should be ready to dominate your domain and make your ads like you want them to.