Marketing (in Art) Digest: Google Ads examples Oct 2024

Just to stay updated on trends, exhibitions, and new ideas, I've compiled a selection of newsletters from museums, institutes, and galleries (and some playful retailers). I aim to create a monthly series that highlights key updates from industry newsletters, archives insights, and spots trends for my own future reference—and for anyone else who's interested.

 

1. Adding images, Structured snippet, sitelinks

• Art can be effective to draw users in - so organisations often showcasing highlights from exhibitions.
• Ads become even more effective with structured snippets, sitelinks, and pricing details, which Google recommends for optimization. Sitelinks can direct users to “Plan Your Visit” or “Membership,” while structured snippets and pricing (as used by the V&A) provide key information that helps users decide quickly.

 

 

2. Using Events and Highlights to Drive Engagement:

• Current and upcoming exhibitions are often the centerpiece of Google Ads, serving as the primary draw for audiences.
• These ads typically feature enticing show descriptions, visitor reviews, and compelling reasons to attend, sometimes adding urgency as the show nears its closing date.

 

 

3. Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)

• Clear CTAs are essential in Google Ads. So they are relatively less interesting as they’re often quite standard. However, some art organizations use creative wording to make them more engaging.
• Barbican’s "The best of the Barbican" and "Whatever you're into, you'll find it here" are catchy and inviting, while "See more for less" encourages curiosity and value.
• MoMA’s CTA includes "Renew," targeted at members to renew their memberships directly within the ad. (Although it reached the wrong audience - me.)
• It’s not a sponsored ad, the National Gallery’s page description acts as a strong CTA, demonstrating that even organic listings can drive engagement when phrased effectively.