Google just made a surprising change to how Search Ads appear on search engine results pages (SERPs). Until now, when you searched for something on Google, the top-performing ads, those with the best Quality Scores and bids, showed up only above the organic results.
But things are changing.
As of now, Google Ads can display those top ads at the bottom of the page too.
Let’s break this down and understand what it means for advertisers, marketers, and your campaign monitoring strategies.
Why Did Google Make This Change?
As per the official update from Google Ads Help, Google has adjusted how it ranks and displays ads on the search page.
Previously, ads ranked in the top auction could only appear at the top. Lower-ranking ads went to the bottom. Now, Google allows high-ranking ads to also show at the bottom, depending on context and user intent.
This is not about ad quality going down. It’s about placement flexibility. It means even high-quality ads may now show at the bottom, not just the top of the page.
What Does This Mean for Advertisers?
If you’re running Google Ads campaigns, this change affects where your ads appear, even if your ad is one of the best performers.
Here's what you should be aware of:
- Performance Monitoring Is More Crucial Than Ever
With ads shifting position, your impressions and CTRs may vary based on new placements. - Context Matters More
Google may place top ads at the bottom based on user behavior, search context, and page layout. The idea is to improve user experience, not penalize your ad quality. - Testing Becomes Essential
A/B testing ad creatives and closely watching metrics like CTR, conversions, and impressions will help you understand if a bottom placement is impacting your ad results.
Keep an Eye on Your Campaigns with a Google Ads Monitoring Tool
With these kinds of updates, staying on top of your ad performance is no longer optional as it’s essential.
That's where tools like the Google Ads Monitoring Tool from DM Cockpit come in. It helps you track impressions, clicks, cost-per-click, and conversions all in one dashboard, so you never miss a shift in performance caused by algorithmic changes or ad placement experiments.
Why It Also Affects Your SEO and Keyword Strategy
When ad positions change, organic visibility also fluctuates. Users might scroll differently. Your organic result could be sandwiched between ads, or pushed lower by a combination of top and bottom ads.
This means keyword rankings matter more than ever, and keeping track of where your pages stand is key.
Want to check how your keywords are performing? Try our keyword position checker, it’s an easy way to stay updated on your rankings, spot drops early, and react fast.
What's Next from Google?
Google is known for testing layouts and placements. This might not be the last change we see this year.
What’s important is how you adapt. Keeping an eye on performance data, ad placements, and keyword visibility is the best way to navigate evolving SERPs.
Stay ahead with right tools and insights as SERPs keep evolving
This new Google Ads update might seem minor, but it can affect click behavior, campaign reporting, and overall marketing ROI.
So, what can you do?
- Monitor your Search Ad performance more closely
- Use a reliable Google Ads Monitoring Tool
- Track your keyword rankings with our keyword position checker
- Stay informed and flexible