Sensing the need for a free, easy-to-use program for marketers to create interactive ads, Google created an application to make this happen – Google Web Designer. Ads created on this program are compatible across devices, so images and features are available to mobile, tablet, and desktop users.
Launched in 2013, the program remains in beta, but expert and amateur designers alike have figured out how to make this tool work for web development. Let’s take a closer look.
The Importance of Security with Google Apps
Google Web Designer is compatible with Google Drive and Google Apps – which means you’ll need to follow best practices for securing your site’s information. Although Google has created many layers of security, you’ll still need to ensure that any employees and other team members follow protocol. Implement safety measures like multi-factor authentication, strong passwords, encryption, and others; these should be in place prior to major project developments to avoid compromising important data.
The Basics
Now that you’ve created a safety net, it’s time to start creating. Here’s what you need to know about Google Web Designer.
The search engine giant described the program as a way for advertisers to easily build HTML5 ads for mobile and desktop viewers. Much like Dreamweaver, its workhorse of a predecessor, Google Web Designer is a “what you see is what you get” program. Its interface allows you to click, drag, and drop to place text, images, and other design elements into your workspace. The software will automatically generate CSS and HTML code.
With updates to the program, designers can also take advantage of its animation features, as well as full integration with AdWords and DoubleClick Studio. You can also create 3D content and manipulate it using this tool.
What Google Web Designer Can Do
The name of the program is a little misleading. While you could certainly build a website in Google Web Designer, it’s not the best tool – or even the best free tool – for the job. Rather, Google Web Designer will help you create some useful web tools for targeting your audience. These include ads, banners, sidebars, popups, animated buttons, and more.
You can also choose which web development language you want to work in. These include HTML, HTML with Pages, CSS, JavaScript, and XML. You can also set up your workspace in an editing mode that will allow you to focus on creating a banner, expandable ad, or interstitial ad.
Explore Advanced Features
Google Web Designer’s official YouTube channel provides tutorials for using this program to its fullest, available in multiple languages. Now that you’ve got the basics down, it’s up to you to explore the full capabilities of Google Web Designer and figure out how to make it work for you. Ultimately, if you have an eye for design and a willingness to tinker, you’ll definitely enjoy what this program has to offer.