If you haven’t noticed yet Google Paid ads that show up when you do a Google Search are now appearing much closer to the organic listings.
Why did Google do this? Well probably for a few reasons.
Reasons For Google Adwords Ad Placement Change
Firstly - SURPRISE! Google uses Google Analytics! Google is always experimenting in some fashion. You don’t get to be cutting edge by standing still, so this shouldn’t be a huge shock.
One possibility is the advancement in computer monitors. With manufacturers building larger monitors with larger pixel screen real estate, it would have cause the right-aligned Google Ads to appear further away from the regular listings right up against the right side of your screen.
Another possibility is simply to garner higher click through rates for Google’s advertisers. AdSense users have been using this tactic for years, whereby they put Google’s Ads close to content and also right along side navigation areas in an effort to fool visitors into clicking the paid ads, rather than un-paid navigation links.
A third possibility is competition. Have you noticed where Bing’s Paid Ads are located?
Pretty similar, huh?
It's All About Usability
In the end it is important to remember that virtually all of the revenue received by Google is from Google Adwords. They are always treading a thin line between increasing revenues and ensuring a positive user experience.
Try making the screen so that you can adjust the window size. You will notice that if you decrease the size of the screen from right to left that the Google ads will continue to appear on the screen to the point that you can even make them run over the Organic listings.
The question then becomes do the new ads improve usability or are they over the fine line of replacing usability for revenue.
Only Google would know --- through Google Analytics!
on
Humans are very much visually-oriented creatures and when I was working in a supermarket in Malaysia, there was a lot of focus on product-placement on the supermarket shelves. We would rearrange slow-moving products at eye-level and then sales would pick up by as much as 10 percent. We would also arrange candies and chocolates aimed at children at adult waist-level or adult chest-level as this was the ideal range for them to be visible to children. Therefore, I am not surprised that Google has been experimenting with this type of product placement, and ads situated closer to the content will be visually picked up faster by users.
on
accidental clicks would result in poorer conversion however – and the advertiser would have to react by lowering their bids. it makes sense to bring it closer with proliferation of wide screen monitors – though I wish they would center the whole page instead of pushing everything over to the left.
on
Google is plugging all possible holes that may loose its market share to a totally rejuvenated Bing & Yahoo!
on
I feel it’s both; its aim is to both rake in increased revenue as well as give the user a better”user- experience”. Google obviously is out to make money and would do everything legally to achieve that aim keeping in mind their avowed aim of not doing anything evil. Google I feel is still playing a fair game.
on
Mhhhh…I have noticed it a few days ago. Sponsored listings are all that matters for Google as this is a major source income for them. You’re right, the demarcation is thinning down. No need to ponder much, its more about the cash thru clicks that Google is concerned here.