By: Maher Al Osta
In 2016 Google is introducing some significant changes by removing the ad sidebar from the right side of their desktop search results, which will result in better filtration through a smaller number of ads shown during multiple search queries. Paid ads will now be found at the top and/or bottom of the search results. At the top of the page, above the search results, Google will show highly commercial ads, i.e. those that have leased the most expensive keywords at the local level.
Google has confirmed that this change is the result of research that started in 2010 and that the changes will soon roll out in browsers for all available languages (a total of 253). Instead of the three paid ads on the right side, from now on Google will be showing four ads on the top and/or four at the bottom of the page.
Apart from the additional fourth paid ad that will be shown at the top, two exceptions were announced.
The first exception relates to the Product Listing Ads that will still appear on the right side of the browser, because they contain more relevant information than the text ad, i.e. they show users the photo, title, price, name of company or internet store and other important information about the product being advertised.
The second exception relates to the Knowledge Panel information about companies, which will continue to be shown framed in the ‘box’ to the right of the search results. The question is whether the basic information and contact data of individual companies can be highlighted in order to contribute to their promotion through local search engines. However, Google still keeps the details of the search algorithm and the system for prioritizing ad display strictly confidential.
Whether it’s about the lease of keywords through the Google search engine, positioning of the company on Google Maps or basic information on Google My Business, there’s still no way for us to influence the presentation of these ads, which many consider to be an equitable solution.
Testing of these Google innovations has been ongoing for quite some time now, so some users from the United States can already see the changed appearance of the browser on a very small number of queries. These changes will also have a significant impact on the design of highly commercial ads, through which it will be possible to provide more relevant information to users, which will contribute to better campaign results for advertisers.
By removing all right side ads, Google wants to sync the desktop version of the browser to mobile search where Google already displays two or three ads at the top of search results.
