Learn about Ad Rank and three ways to improve it.
Learn about Ad Rank and three ways to improve it.
If you're looking for a comprehensive resource to learn all about the ad rank statistic and how to increase it without breaking the bank, look no further. The definition of ad rank remains the same, but understanding how to improve it is crucial for getting your ads to rank higher on Google Search. But what are the factors that contribute to ad rank, and which ones can you influence to boost your ads? If you're unsure where to start, this guide is for you. Although calculating ad rank may seem simple, improving it can be challenging. However, this guide covers everything you need to know about ad rank, its significance, and how to enhance it without overspending.
What Exactly Is Ad Rank?
Google defines Ad Rank as a metric used to determine the position of your ad relative to other ads on a page, as well as whether your ad will appear at all. For instance, if your ad appears in the second position on the page, your Ad Rank for that search is two. Previously, Ad Rank was calculated based on your maximum CPC and the number of competitors in relation to the search. However, since Google Ads made significant changes to Ad Rank, including limits and machine learning, the calculation has become more complex. Ad Rank is now determined by the sum of your bid, ad quality at auction, the auction's competitiveness, a user's search context, and the expected influence of extensions and other ad formats. These factors are used to assign an Ad Rank to a particular keyword search, making each search unique. To fully understand Ad Rank, let's delve deeper into each of the above components. Your bid price is the amount you're willing to spend to appear in a given position when a user searches for a term, subject to minimum and maximum thresholds. Ad quality, which includes expected click-through rate (CTR), ad relevancy, and landing page experience, also plays a critical role. Signals and attributes provided by users, such as location, device type, and time of day, may influence Ad Rank thresholds. Search context and auction competitiveness also impact Ad Rank, as two people searching for the same phrase may have very different circumstances, and bids for related but similar queries can inform each other. Although organic and sponsored searches have significant differences, Google favors more relevant content for searchers. Now that we understand the basics of Ad Rank and how it's calculated, let's explore three ways to increase your Ad Rank without spending more money.
1. Make Your Ads More Relevant
Ad relevancy plays a crucial role in determining your ad rank, as it is one of the three components of ad quality or quality score. According to Google, ad relevancy refers to how well your ad aligns with a user's search intent. To improve ad relevancy, start by reviewing your ad copy and assessing whether it includes relevant keywords that users might search for. Responsive Search Ads can also help experiment with different ad copies to find what resonates with your audience. It's essential to avoid keyword stuffing, as this practice can be detrimental to your ad performance.
Furthermore, Google's definition of ad relevancy includes how well an ad aligns with a user's purpose. For instance, if a user searches for the "cost of a keyword research tool," an ad that matches the search intent and provides relevant information such as pricing comparisons, trial periods, and brand authority will be considered highly relevant.
In conclusion, ad relevancy is more than just using relevant keywords in your ad copy. It's about understanding a user's intent and providing them with valuable information that aligns with their search query. By doing so, you can improve your ad's relevancy, which can lead to higher ad rank and better ad performance.
2. Pay Attention to Ad Extension Content When creating new campaigns and ad groups, it's easy to overlook ad extensions.
Contrary to what you might think, setting up ad extensions is not a waste of time or an insignificant task. In reality, ad extensions play a crucial role in enhancing your Google ad rank and increasing your click-through rate (CTR).
So, how do ad extensions help in boosting CTR? Ad extensions allow you to offer users more information about your business beyond the limited character count of headlines and descriptions. However, it's crucial to note that you shouldn't add extensions just for the sake of it. If you add extensions that aren't relevant to the search terms, your ad rank may be negatively affected.
There are various ad extensions available, including location, sitelink, callout, structured snippet, price, app, image, lead form, promotion, and call. So, how do you choose which ones to use? The ideal approach is to create ad extensions that align with the objectives of your campaign. For example, if you're a local business seeking to increase in-store visits, adding location extensions could be beneficial. On the other hand, if generating leads is your primary objective, using a lead form extension in your ads may help, particularly if your landing page is not up to par.
To summarize, when adding extensions to your campaigns, ensure that you are specific and align them with your campaign objectives to reap the benefits.
3. Improve Your Landing Pages
Many advertisers tend to neglect the significance of landing pages in the conversion process. However, in my opinion, it is the most crucial aspect of optimizing your ad rank.
A poorly designed landing page can be frustrating for users and result in lost sales opportunities. To ensure a seamless user experience, the landing page should match the user's search query as closely as possible.
Previously, advertisers would create distinct landing pages for each ad group to ensure that the page contained everything the ad group required. However, Google's current emphasis is on intent.
Rather than obsessing over the headline's exact match to a user's search query, we should concentrate on what they see when they land on the page. When creating an effective landing page, there are numerous factors to consider, including the device used, the amount of whitespace, clear calls-to-action, and the number of clicks required to solve a problem.
The speed of the website is another essential factor to keep in mind. To enhance your ad rank, it is crucial that your landing page offers a consistent and high-quality user experience.. The landing page experience is so vital that Google has included it in its Quality Score measure. If you invest time and effort into optimizing your landing pages today, you will see the results over time.
Conclusion
If your primary method for improving your ad rank is to tweak your bids and budgets, it's time to reassess your approach. There are several other factors that you can adjust to increase your ad rank without increasing your campaign expenses. For instance, you can align your ad copy with the user's search intent, which can be achieved by refining the language and messaging in your ads. You can also incorporate relevant ad extensions to boost your ad's CTR.
Additionally, you can improve your landing page experience, which can increase your conversion rates. If you focus on these aspects and put in the effort, you'll have a stronger foundation for adjusting your bids and budgets to secure the top search position.