Google Updates Its Definition Of Top Ads

Back in October we reported that Google has confirmed its search ads, Google Ads, can show up mixed in the middle of the organic search results. Now Google is updating its help documentation to change the definition of top ads to say the ads may appear below the organic results, ultimately not making the ads appear at the top.

A Google spokesperson told me, “We updated our definition of top ads in our Help Center to better reflect how ads can appear in Google Search today. This is a definitional change that doesn’t affect how performance metrics are calculated.”

Google updated the top ads help document to now say:

Top ads are adjacent to the top organic search results. Top ads are generally above the top organic results, although top ads may show below the top organic results on certain queries. Placement of top ads is dynamic and may change based on the user’s search.

This help page now references top ads and says:

When people search on Google, text ads can appear at different positions relative to organic search results. Top ads are adjacent to the top organic search results. Top ads are generally above the top organic results, although top ads may show below the top organic search results on certain queries. Placement of top ads is dynamic and may change based on the user’s search.

Previously it said:

When people search on Google, text ads can appear above or below the search results. Only up to four ads are eligible to show above the search results.

Ginny Marvin, Google’s Ads Liaison, posted about this on X adding:

An FYI: To better reflect how ads can appear in Google Search today, we’ve updated the definition of top ads.

Note that this is a definitional change (as ads can appear above the organic result or below for certain queries) and doesn’t affect how performance metrics are calculated.

Google also told me that as ads placement continues to evolve on search, Google said it will remain dedicated to connecting advertisers with users interested in their products and services.

Here is the screenshot from last October showing Google search ads in the middle of the search results page, and not at the top of the page:

Here is some of the reaction:

Can’t wait for these @GoogleAds prominence metrics coming 🙎‍♂️ pic.twitter.com/WTZ7acNHbQ

— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) March 27, 2024

Not particularly liking that “dynamic” language in this change. Thoughts?

— Anthony Higman (@AnthonyHigman) March 27, 2024

Some new definitions.#PPCChat pic.twitter.com/1orS3ybowR

— Lawrence Chasse (@lchasse) March 27, 2024

Ad Formats: pic.twitter.com/ygpyjxUb3j

— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) March 27, 2024

What’s crazier is that the above reads as if PMax wouldn’t have an Ad Format and would therefore have less Prominence than that of an RSA/PLA

— Greg Finn (@gregfinn) March 27, 2024

To clarify, the prominence metrics aren’t new.
Admittedly, the ad format concept is confusing. In this context they refer to things like a phone number that may be included in your ad. More here: https://t.co/P8VCpeq5he.

Ad formats also are part of what’s considered in Ad Rank:…

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) March 27, 2024

It means that in some cases ads may show below organic results. This is an ongoing evolution (example: https://t.co/HVigoiRNeN) and something we’ll continue to experiment with going forward. We use existing signals and systems to make decisions on where ads will show. And to be…

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) March 27, 2024

They are still the top ads in the results. The definition update just clarifies that top ads may show below the organic results for certain queries. And to be clear, for most queries, ads will continue to appear at the top of search results.

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) March 27, 2024

Thus the definition change. They are called “top ads” because they’re the top search ads in the results.

— AdsLiaison (@adsliaison) March 27, 2024

Forum discussion at X.