What is an ad position?

When you run paid advertisements online, your ad doesn't just show up anywhere. It has a specific spot or rank, which we call its ad position. Think of it like a competition where many advertisers want their ads to be seen first. The ad position tells you exactly where your ad landed in that competition.

For example, if you search for something on Google, you'll see several ads at the very top of the results page. These ads are in prime positions. Ads further down the page or on subsequent pages have lower ad positions. This position is not just about who pays the most, but also about how relevant and useful your ad is to the person searching.

Why ad position matters

Ad position is really important because it directly impacts how many people see and click on your ad. Ads that appear higher up the page are much more likely to be noticed by users. When your ad is at the top, it grabs attention quickly, which can lead to more clicks and, ultimately, more potential customers for your business.

Consider this: most people don't scroll endlessly through search results. They often find what they need in the first few listings. If your ad is in one of those top spots, you have a much better chance of capturing their interest. A better ad position can mean more traffic to your website, more leads, and ultimately, a better return on your advertising investment.

Increased visibility and click-through rate

Higher ad positions naturally lead to greater visibility. When your ad is seen more often, it has a better chance of being clicked. This higher click-through rate (CTR) signals to ad platforms that your ad is relevant and engaging, which can sometimes even help improve your future ad positions and lower your costs.

How to improve your ad position

Improving your ad position isn't just about spending more money. While your bid plays a role, ad platforms like Google Ads use a system that rewards quality and relevance. Here's how you can work on getting your ads into better spots:

Improve your quality score

Your quality score is a diagnostic tool that tells you how relevant your ads, keywords, and landing page are to a user seeing your ad. Ad platforms give you a score from 1 to 10. A higher quality score can lead to better ad positions at lower costs. You can improve it by:

• Making your ads more relevant: Ensure your ad copy directly relates to the keywords people are searching for.
• Creating better landing pages: Your landing page should be easy to use, load quickly, and provide the information a user expects after clicking your ad.
• Boosting your expected click-through rate: Write compelling ad copy that encourages people to click.

Optimize your bids

Your bid is the maximum amount you're willing to pay for a click on your ad. While a higher bid can help, it's not the only factor. You need to find a balance between a competitive bid and a good quality score. Sometimes, a high quality score can help you achieve a better position even with a lower bid than a competitor.

Use ad extensions

Ad extensions add more information to your ad, like your phone number, location, or additional links to your website. These make your ad larger and more noticeable, which can improve its visibility and click-through rate, indirectly helping your ad position.

Best practices for managing ad position

To consistently secure good ad positions, you need to be proactive and analytical with your campaigns.

• Monitor your performance regularly: Keep an eye on your ad positions, click-through rates, and conversion rates. Ad platforms provide detailed reports that show you how your ads are performing.
• A/B test your ad copy and landing pages: Try different versions of your ads and landing pages to see which ones perform best. Small changes can sometimes make a big difference in your quality score and ad position.
• Refine your keywords: Continuously review your keywords. Remove underperforming ones and add new, relevant keywords that your target audience might be using. Use negative keywords to prevent your ads from showing for irrelevant searches.
• Understand competitor strategies: While you can't see their exact bids, you can observe what types of ads your competitors are running and where they are appearing. This can give you insights into potential opportunities or areas to improve.

By focusing on both the quality of your ads and your bidding strategy, you can significantly improve your ad position. This leads to more visibility, more clicks, and ultimately, better results for your marketing efforts.