Ad position inconsistency

[Carophilly]

How come some searches result in PPC ads turning up at the top and side of the page while other just produce ads on the side and none at the top?

What determines that we'll lose the top ones every so often?

[Mel66]

Google's algorithm determines this. Ads with a higher quality score might get to show at the top - and, they might not. And it's dynamic and constantly changing. All you can really do is try to write good ad copy and get a good CTR. Even if you do that there is no guarantee your ad will show at the top.

Melissa

[Carophilly]

Thanks Melissa,

I understand that, but what I'm trying to explain to my client is why some pages show ads at the top and the side, and others only show them at the side. The top ones disappear. Know what I mean?

Thanks,
Caro

[jimbeetle]

It isn't simply that the top three ads are displayed at the top of the page. As mel66 explained, ads have to meet certain enhanced criteria to be displayed at the top. If no ads meet that criteria, then none are displayed at the top.

[AussieWebmaster]

It isn't simply that the top three ads are displayed at the top of the page. As mel66 explained, ads have to meet certain enhanced criteria to be displayed at the top. If no ads meet that criteria, then none are displayed at the top.

Solid CTR and decent bid will get you there... it is a variation on those two that the decision is based on....

[Carophilly]

Hi,

I have attached two screenshots to better explain my question. They were taken seconds apart in two different browser windows, during which time I'm sure all 3 ads involved maintained their capacity to reach the required criteria. Yet one screen featured an ad at the top and the other didn't.

This is what I am trying to figure out....

Thanks again,
Caro

Ok looks like I messed up the image uploads! Sorry, will try figure out how to show this better

[Mel66]

OK Carophilly, I think I understand now. I've seen this happen before. It seems more common when I'm logged in to Google and using personalized search, but I've seen it happen when I'm not logged in, also.

I don't know exactly why this happens, except that, again, Adwords rankings and positions (top vs. side) are dynamic and constantly changing, even within a few seconds of each other. Google may change ads during the same user session if they see that the user is clicking or not clicking on any of the ads. Again, I don't know the exact formula for this, but I know it happens.

There isn't a great way to explain things like this except to say that where ads are displayed is entirely up to Google and the advertiser has limited control over it! I've been asked similar questions by my CEO, and I feel like a doofus answering them with "well, it's a big mystery because it's up to Google," but that's the truth. I feel your pain.

Melissa

[abbottsys]

How come some searches result in PPC ads turning up at the top and side of the page while other just produce ads on the side and none at the top? What determines that we'll lose the top ones every so often?

Remember, nothing is being lost. Sometimes Google "promotes" the top ranking ads to the area above the organics, sometimes it does not. But, when promotion does not occur no ads are lost, they should still be at the side.

[Carophilly]

Thanks Everyone,

I guess we'll just have to keep explaining to clients that Google loves to maintain an air of mystery sometimes, and learn to deal with the doofus factor!

Caro

[abbottsys]

Thanks Everyone,

I guess we'll just have to keep explaining to clients that Google loves to maintain an air of mystery sometimes, and learn to deal with the doofus factor! Caro

LOL! Well, there are a few people (including some on this forum) who have a deep insight into the Adwords rules. But, don't forget:

1) Nobody knows the rules except Google
2) Google knows the rules, but not their impact until deployed and tested
3) The rules change

So using Adwords is life surfing, you're not sure how waves are made, all you can do is try and ride 'em :)

[Mel66]

So using Adwords is life surfing, you're not sure how waves are made, all you can do is try and ride 'em :)
That is the quote of the day! I'm gonna use that the next time someone grills me about the inner workings of Adwords!

Melissa

[egain]

Purely an educated guess - but I would imagine it would be dictated by the level of competition for the phrase itself - however that still isnt directly answering your question as to why it sometimes displays differently.

[AussieWebmaster]

Purely an educated guess - but I would imagine it would be dictated by the level of competition for the phrase itself - however that still isnt directly answering your question as to why it sometimes displays differently.

Competition will help - but ultimately it is a pure numbers play... the combination of Max bid and CTR hits the magic number and it moves across.

[lizcamps]

Hi all,
Thanks for this discussion, I had wondered about it for a while too.

My best explanation is that Google's ad display algorithm tests different ad placements at different times, and whether it will show an ad at the top or side really depends on chance with regard to your searching for it the first time vs. 5 seconds later.

Kind of the same way that if your daily budget is <100% of the recommended budget, sometimes your ad will appear at all, and other times not (in proportion to your daily budget divided by the recommended budget)

If you could perform the searches 1000 times in an hour you would be able to see the proportion of the statistical trend and be able to glean Google's formula. But 2 or even 20 searches won't reveal the pattern to you or me...

Hope this helps,
Liz