Without warning, Google stopped showing paid search ads on the right-hand side of desktop search results.
In its place, a fourth ad is now shown above the organic search results, and up to three ads are shown at the bottom of the page, below the organic results.
This, of course, limits your reach, but may increase your results.
The table below shows click through rates during the 7-day period before and after the change in ad placements on Google desktop search results:
| Position | Old Click Through Rate | New Click Through Rate | Change in CTR |
| 1 | 3.877% | 4.20% | 8.4% |
| 2 | 1.15% | 1.24% | 7.7% |
| 3 | 2.16% | 2.04% | -5.6% |
| 4 | 0.68% | 0.81% | 18.2% |
Data for this analysis was taken from a two-week period, analyzing over half a million individual searches for a range of industries.
Bottom line: your Google plus search results may go up, but avoid third place.
Need help with running a paid search campaign? Call me at (310) 212-5727 or email me at [email protected]
