AdWords was launched in 2000, and since then, it has seen a number of changes. But one thing that has never changed has been the ads down the right side of the page in the search results.
Until now.
On February 19th, Google suddenly and unexpectedly made one of the largest changes to AdWords in years. Side ads are no more. And, as always happens when Google makes big changes, advertisers are panicking. But there is no need to panic. Here’s a quick look at what has happened.
Ads Now Display at the Top and Bottom
The PPC ads will now only show above and below the organic search results. At the top, there will now be anything up to four ads displayed (compared to three before the changes). The fourth ad will display for highly commercial queries, according to Google, which are queries where the searcher is probably looking to buy something.
At the bottom, anything up to three ads will show. Also, sometimes there will be no ads at the top and the only ads on display will appear below the organic results.
No Ads on the Right
Ads have now disappeared entirely from the right side of the page on desktop search. So what will we see in their place?
For the most part, nothing. However, on some queries you will now see Product Listing Ads (PLAs), which may appear when people search for products that are listed in Google.
Knowledge Graph Boxes might also show, and these usually appear are when people search for companies and brands.
What Do You Need to Do?
First of all, don’t panic. Yes, there will be some changes to CPC, CTRs, ad impressions, but this could turn out to be a good thing. We won’t know for sure until more data comes out.
Many are worried that CPC will increase, but we just don’t know yet. However, it’s not obvious that they will increase just because fewer ads are showing. In fact, more impressions on the top ads could keep CPCs low.
Also, another fourth ad at the top could be great news for advertisers. It pushes the organic results lower, and it also allows you to use ad extensions, which you could not use on the side ads.
The best thing to do is carry on as normal for now, but keep a very close eye on your data. Follow some of the leading PPC resources on the web to keep track of what they discover from their research, and look out for any official announcements from Google.
Continue Getting Results from PPC
Yes, it’s a big change, but there is no need to worry. Google has made this change after carrying out lots of testing, and it is unlikely to want to introduce changes that are going to hurt its advertisers.
Just be aware that the changes have occurred, and keep an even closer eye on your data in the coming weeks and months to get a better idea about any changes you might need to make.
We can set up your PPC advertising for you, whether you want standard ads or ads with mobile numbers. At Web Results Direct, our Google AdWords Certified Professionals have helped many of our clients enjoy higher conversions and excellent ROI from AdWords, so contact us an let help. You may find out that it is the perfect way to drive more calls to your business.
