The popular adage: The best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of Google Search Results, confirms the veritableness of ranking in the first page of the Search Engine Results Page (SERP) of major search engines such as the search engine giant, Google.
Did you know that there are insightful metrics that can help you understand where your ads appear on the SERPs?
The “Average Position” Metric
The “Average Position” mode is the metric that marketers can obtain and analyze where the ad appears on the SERPs. The order in which the ad appears and the position with respect to the other ads in the auction is what this metric represents. A note to remember, this metric does not provide information about where an ad appears on the search.
To exemplify, the “Average Position” of an ad may be number 1, but it is possible that it will lie at the bottom of the SERPs. It shows the position as 1 because there are no other ads competing for the keyword in the auction.
To resolve this common problem faced by marketers, Google created new metrics that provide a clearer and deeper understanding about the place where your ad appears. These are referred to as the “New Metrics”.
The New Metrics
Impr. (Absolute Top)%: This metric tells you the percentage of impressions your ad received as the very first ad above the organic search results.
Impr. (Top)%: With this metric, you can obtain the overall percentage of impressions your ad received anywhere above the organic search results.
Search (Absolute Top) IS: This metric is the ratio of the impressions received by your ad in the absolute top location as well as the expected number of impressions that your ad was eligible to receive in the top location.
Search (Top) IS: This metric is the ratio of the impressions received by your ad in the top location anywhere above the organic search results to the estimated number of impressions that your ad was eligible to receive in the top location.
Benefits for Marketers
With utilizing the new metrics above, your business will benefit greatly. Some of these advantages include:
- You can track the exact location of your ads in the SERPs using the metrics, Impr. (Absolute Top)% and Impr. (Top)%.
- You can adjust bids using the metrics, Search (Absolute Top) IS, and Search (Top) IS.
- You can improve the chances of getting noticed on SERPs.
- You can increase CTR
- You can improve your quality score.
- You can accrue conversions at a low CPC
As you have seen, Average Position metric may not always tell the full story. So, using the 4 new metrics you will be able to better evaluate the performance of your ads. You can use them wisely to improve where and how you invest in Google Ads to improve ROI.
Sagar T
Sagar, Vice President of Digital Analyst Team (DAT), brings over 15 years of digital media expertise, including 12 years dedicated to DAT's growth. Certified in Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Google Analytics, and Marin, he excels in managing an annual budget of over $80 million. Sagar is renowned for his strategic acumen in digital marketing, exceptional budget management, and his ability to drive significant industry results.