This week we ask ‘What do Google AdWords Changes Mean for Businesses?’. Google AdWords is the platform that delivers small text based adverts within Google’s search results, Google displays adverts relevant to a user’s search, based on the keywords included in both the search term and the advert.
Google’s recent announcement that it was making changes to the way it displayed its AdWords results has had the marketing world in a spin, mainly because of the significance of the change and how quickly it happened. So what is all the fuss about and what do the changes to AdWords really mean for your business? First things first, let’s take a look at what has changed.
What has Changed in Google AdWords?
We know that Google has made some changes but let’s have a look at exactly what has changed. The main differences you may have noticed on your Google search results pages are:
- Google no longer displays sidebar adverts in the right hand column of search results pages
- An extra advert has been added about the organic search results, taking it from 3 to 4
- Product listings still appear in the right hand column
- Adverts that once appeared in positions 5-7 in the right hand column now appear at the bottom of the page, in between the organic search results and the related searches
Why has Google AdWords Changed?
Google announced that the reason behind the changes were based on two things. Firstly the text adverts that were displayed in the right hand column didn’t receive as many clicks as the text adverts featured above the organic search results, and in other areas of the page. So the recent changes are good news for businesses using AdWords. They should see an improvement in the amount of traffic from their AdWords campaign.
Secondly, Google said that they wanted to create a consistent user experience across desktop, mobile and tablet. As the right hand sidebar did not exist when viewed on mobile the recent changes will ensure that adverts are still visible when people perform mobile searches. This is also good news as mobile searches have overtaken the number of searches performed on desktop.
What About Organic Search?
You may be wondering what will happen to organic search results if more AdWords adverts are being displayed above and below them, although the new layout of adverts takes up more space and the four top of page adverts push the organic search results further down the page – it’s not necessarily a bad thing.
With less distraction on the page since the removal of the right hand column adverts and with users scrolling further down the page, organic search results could actually see a boost in click through rates. Ensure you are making the most of your organic search traffic by devising an effective SEO strategy to maximise on your organic search opportunities.
If you have any questions about search marketing or what Blackberry Design could do for your business, get in touch on 01527 517309 or fill in our contact form