Google Marketing Live: Top 5 Sessions You Need to Attend in 2019
Google is set to kick-off this year’s Google Marketing Live event where it will announce the release of new products and changes coming to the Google Ads platform.
Formerly known as Google Marketing Next, this year’s event will be hosted through a live stream of scheduled topics.
So, why should you care about the latest products from Google?
If you’re a modern marketer (just the fact you’re reading this suggest as much), staying on top of the latest trends and emerging tech is paramount to growing, adapting, and evolving your business.
But it isn’t just Google Ads updates and features that are why you should check it out. Google also brings on many of its leadership and presenters from outside the company to share insights and valuable lessons for attendees.
Still not sure if Google Marketing Live 2019 is for you? Check out my breakdown of this year’s event.
When is Google Marketing Live?
This special two-day event kicks off on May 14, 2019, with closing remarks on May 15th. The keynote session will begin promptly at noon EDT.
Most folks can only experience the event via live stream, but Google does invite a select few to attend in person. Invitations to this exclusive event are only extended to those in Google’s Premier Agency program. In fact, our team will be there this year, and we feel extremely lucky that we get to go.
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Don’t worry; there’s still plenty of time to sign up for the live stream.
All of these sessions can be watched later as on-demand videos. Some sessions do have a Q&A component to them, which is only available during the event. For you inquisitive types, watching the live stream is a must if you have questions you want to ask. A lot of people will be watching as well so they may not get to your question.
Who Should Attend Google Marketing Live?
Generally speaking, digital marketers who use the Google Ads platform will want to watch several key sessions from this year’s event.
This event will still have a few sessions you’ll want to check out even if you don’t leverage Google’s marketing tools.
The event does serve to drum up excitement for several announcements from the Google Ads team. But Google Marketing Live touches on several key themes that should matter to all marketers:
- Complexity of the Buyer’s Journey: One of the best parts about innovations in ad tech is the ability for marketers to get a clearer image of how customers interact with brands. Businesses will have greater insights on their customers and how each touchpoint impacts their journey.
- Meeting Expectations of Customers: The age of mobile isn’t coming, it’s already here. Google’s been banging on this drum for a while, but a mobile-friendly site won’t cut it anymore.
- Opportunity for Growth, Innovation: Embracing new technology is no longer optional if companies want to be successful. But at the same time, companies must also have the ability to welcome new ideas, experimentation, and break away from traditional thought processes.
The above themes represent what marketers can gain from Google’s live event. If you care about any of these themes and understand how they can help your brand thrive, then it’s clear why you should attend.
Google Marketing Live aims to cover quite a bit this year. Since it takes place over two days with some sessions happening simultaneously, that’s a lot to take in.
This begs the question:
Should I attend the entire event?
Top 5 Google Marketing Live Sessions
I’m not unreasonable. I know that time is one of our greatest assets; you need the low-down on which sessions you really need to attend.
I’ll include some bonus sessions later on, but here it is. The five most important Google Marketing Live sessions marketers should not miss.
1. Ads Innovation Keynote
When – May 14, 12:10 – 1:10 p.m. EDT
The real reason why we’re all here. The main event.
If you only have time to spare for a single session at this year’s event, this is the one. This keynote gives an overview of all the shiny new toys and product upgrades coming to Google Ads.
With a few of Google’s top executives, attendees will get a look into 10+ new digital marketing products. Google hasn’t given much on what to expect, although don’t be surprised if they talk about updates coming to the Google Ads mobile app.
As a bonus for attendees, there will be a follow-up session to this keynote for an extended Q&A session where product leaders will share some best practices from 1:10 to 1:30 p.m.
2. The Future of Search
When – May 14, 1:30 – 1:50 p.m. EDT
Being an expert in SEO means understanding not only how it works right now, but also what the landscape may look like in the future.
One of the primary benefits of Search as a means for connecting businesses with customers will always be user intent. In order to meet changing expectations, Google must continuously improve the quality of search results.
Hosted by Ben Gomes, SVP of Search, this session will cover how Search has changed and where they think it will go. For just 20 minutes of your time, you’ll come away with a high-level picture of how certain technology may change Search for the better.
More importantly, you may learn how your company will need to adapt in the coming years. Make sure to bookmark this session if the future of Google Search impacts your bottom-line.
3. Anticipate to Win
When – May 14, 5:00 – 5:20 p.m. EDT
Artificial intelligence continues to get better and Google thinks there’s a lot of opportunities out there for brands. In this session, Google’s Allan Thygesen will present how AI can drive growth by anticipating consumer needs and meeting those users at the right moments.
4. Drive Business Growth with Faster, Well-Designed Mobile Sites
When – May 15, 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. EDT
It’s no mystery why websites need to have a mobile-friendly experience. The rise of mobile technology has forever changed our world, meaning that mobile-friendly experiences are becoming a bare minimum for businesses.
Responsive design simply isn’t enough anymore. As brands continue to innovate for mobile audiences, consumer expectations will change. Failing to meet these expectations can have a detrimental effect on your future.
In this session, attendees can expect to learn how AMP, Progressive Web Apps (PWA), and mobile UX (mUX) can create a mobile experience that delivers business results.
5. Driving Growth in Retail
When – May 15, 1:00 – 1:20 p.m. EDT
Google Marketing Live has several sessions dedicated to specific industries. This one on retail should be a good one.
Co-hosted by John McAteer and Surojit Chatterjee of Google, this session expands on one of the event’s underlying themes of meeting the expectations of consumers. In combination with advancements in technology, the retail world is continually shifting.
Both McAteer and Chatterjee will share Google’s views on how retailers can best drive growth.
Takeaways (+4 Bonus Sessions)
I believe that you could attend every session across both days and learn something incredibly useful from each one.
Luckily, you don’t have to.
Not everyone will have time to access even the sessions I talked about in this article. But you will at least know the ones I think have value for most professional marketers.
Remember, you don’t have to attend these sessions as they happen since you can watch them later. If on-demand is more your speed and you want to go beyond, here are a few other sessions I think you should watch.
- Breaking Through a Competitive Market with Measurement
- May 14, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. EDT
- Hear how Rothy’s – a disruptive direct-to-consumer brand – built a growth strategy and identified key markets by leveraging best-in-class measurement.
- Inclusion Works: How Brands Redefined the Rules to Business (And Won More Customers)
- May 15, 11:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. EDT
- Come meet the CXOs who are redefining the rules of business. Learn how these leaders are weaving inclusion into the fabric of their brands and winning customers along the way.
- The Future of Retail with Andreessen Horowitz
- May 15, 1:20 – 1:55 p.m. EDT
- Technology has significantly changed retail over the past decade. We’re now on the cusp of new, major platform shifts – like machine learning – which will dramatically impact swaths of retail, manufacturing, marketing, and entertainment. Benedict Evans, partner at Andreessen Horowitz, will explore what’s in store for these key industries and beyond, as technology begins to tackle bigger problems, in harder markets, at deeper levels.
- Global Transformation for the Auto Industry
- May 15, 1:30 – 2:00 p.m. EDT
- Ruth Heuss, a Senior Partner at McKinsey who specializes in the global Auto industry, will share McKinsey’s perspective on the macro shifts transforming the industry and the implications for marketers across tiers.
