At first glance, Google’s motives may be hard to understand, but when you look into it, the choice becomes clearer. The main reason the web giant changed how paid ads are displayed is a strategy it has been pursuing for some time now: the shift to mobile, following the lead of all the big names in the digital world. Last year, the share of searches performed on mobile devices actually overtook searches on “regular” computers! Google must therefore adapt to the format of mobile screens, which differ from computer screens and on which right-hand ads lose their effectiveness.
What’s actually changing?
The disappearance of ads from the right-hand sidebar comes with the addition of an extra paid result above the organic results. The number of paid results in that spot thus increases from three to four. In addition, three ad results now appear below the organic results at the bottom of search pages. Since this change, the number of paid ads is capped at seven per page, whereas there could be up to eleven before.
Removing the ads from the right-hand column doesn’t mean Google has decided to forget about that space. Quite the opposite! The space will now be used for content that has more value in users’ eyes.
Product Listing Ads & Knowledge Graph
With the right-hand space freed from traditional Google Ads, it will now be occupied by modules that let Google present more relevant search results to consumers.
Product Listing Ads are the first module Google plans to use more. They are visual ads that appear when a search is directly related to buying a product. These ads, which are more interactive than Google Ads sponsored links, let consumers buy a product in a few clicks. Product Listing Ads are therefore a tool that simplifies the path between the moment a query is entered in the search engine and the moment of purchase.
The Knowledge Graph is another module that will replace sponsored links in the right-hand space. It refers to the information Google takes care to include in the results of certain searches, such as the synopsis, cast and reviews for a search about a movie. Google plans to use the Knowledge Graph to include ads in various forms. In this example, the information shown could include links where you can rent or buy the movie in question.
What impact for consumers and advertisers?
For consumers searching with the aim of buying a product, this major change will have rather positive effects! Google says the change will highlight results with high commercial value that contain better information for consumers and will deliver better performance for advertisers. Ads shown in Product Listing Ads or in the Knowledge Graph will thus target users who have already started their buying process.
For advertisers, the change will sometimes have more negative impacts. With regard to SEO strategies, a website that used to appear at the bottom of a page will be pushed even lower, or even to the second page, which will affect its effectiveness. Bids on certain keywords in Google AdWords are also likely to rise, since fewer ad spots will no doubt increase competition.
In short, this change in how Google displays paid results on results pages will mainly affect how relevant consumers find the ads. For health professionals who want to keep enjoying good visibility on the web, some changes may be in store, especially if your position in the organic results is affected. Fortunately, the web marketing professionals at Virus Santé Communication are here to make sure your visibility won’t be affected!
