Paid Search Updates: April 2019

Google Images Are Now Automatically Showing Google Ads

Many shoppers begin their research by searching for items on Google Images. When they find something that catches their eye, they click on the image that will instantly direct them to a landing page where they can find more information on the merchant and product. Google also rolled out Shoppable Ads, a new “Pinterest-like” ad format that allows retailers the ability to highlight multiple products within a single ad unit. Previously, advertisers would have to opt-in to the Google Search Partner Network to show their ads in Google Images. Now, the change has been implemented automatically.

Placing ads in Google Images will entice the user to start their shopping process on Google. This is a way for Google to compete with Amazon and take more users with purchase intent to their site first.

What does this mean for Google advertisers?

In an email sent out to Google Ads users, Google had this to say:

“If your campaigns are not currently opted into the Search Partner Network – your ads will start showing on Google Images and as a result there may be a 3-10% increase in traffic at lower cost-per-click and comparable conversion rates.”

This automatic change was implemented as Google continues to look for more ways to optimize the overall shopping and image search functionality experience for its mobile users.

Target Non-Spending Mobile Players

Google is introducing “smart segmentation,” targeting non-spending mobile players. The new ad units are designed to re-engage non-spending players who can be targeted more frequently with ads for in-app purchases. Google will use machine learning to segment players based on the probability of them making an in-app purchase.

“With smart segmentation, Google’s in-game ads can automatically create advertising groups out of spending and non-spending players.” – Matt Southern

Smart segmentation is available only for gaming ads, but the feature sounds promising for service-based apps looking to retarget inactive users.

Google Ad’s Average Position Metric Will Soon Disappear

Google announced that its fundamental metric Average Position will soon disappear by the end of September 2019. Average position was a key metric automatically included in reports sent out to clients, but was the report a reliable way to make any decisions? Not so much.

Average position was a ‘nice-to-have’ indicator for knowing whether your ad appeared at or near the top. However, that position only reflects the order of your paid results, not your location. Even if your ad position is 1, it might be showing beneath the organic search results.

“Average Position can be misleading and an Average Position of 1.0, doesn’t mean the ad was always the first ad on a SERP, but it did mean your ad was the first paid result to appear on a page. […] Removing the Average Position Metric removes the confusion between Average Position and the Ad Location within a SERP.” — Source