Google Changed “Sponsored Links” to “Ads”
Filed under: Pay Per Click, Search Engine Marketing, Search Engines
Google Changed “Sponsored Links” to “Ads”
Last week, Google started using a new description in the ad frame that the text ads appears in it’s search results. Instead of the usual long-standing “sponsored links” disclaimer, they have just use the word “ads” rather.
Here is a screen shot showing the change. See the little word “Ads” above the ad?
Normally, “Sponsored links” should appear there, below is a screen shot of the previous:
A few things we observe here:
1) This might symbolize a shift in Google going beyond “text links” in the ad frame. Google had been experimenting with many ad formats in this area, such as product ads, map ads, image ads and even tested video and other interactive ad units in this area before. Labeling this ad frame as a “ sponsored link” might be too limiting.
2) There might be a change in user behaviour towards the text ads. Through our course of work, we had meet some clients who did not even realised that “sponsored links” are actually paid advertisements. And they had been clicking on them regardless. Having the word “Ads” obviously shown now, less-savvy users may start to think twice about clicking on to them, well knowing they are advertisements with vested interest.
3) This may lead to users becoming more “ad-blind” when using Google. Having said “ad-blindness” do occur across all forms of media, be it TV, newspaper, magazine, online banners, etc, it may become worst on Google now.
How can it affect SEO and PPC(SEM)?
For SEO, with users starting to be more aware of the presence of advertisements, they would rather click on the natural/organic results. This means that it is ever more important to make your site more relevant to the search results by doing proper On-page SEO work on your site.
For PPC, marketers have to be more meticulous in constantly making sure that their text ads are well related to the keyword. With the text ads closely related to the user’s search, there would still be a fair chance for them to click on your text ads. Marketers must do more optimisation on their ad copies, A / B test the ads with more variations or even the dynamic keyword function which are already existing methodologies we are using at AdVantage SEO.
If the above sounds complicated and difficult to apprehend, do not worry. We are the experts, so that you do not have to be one. Contact us at +65 9450 0295 / +65 6640 9987 or email info@advantageseo.net and we would provide you with a solution!
