Today, Google announced a change to how search results show on mobile devices for US-English users. Now when people reach the bottom of the search results page, Google will automatically load the next page of results. Pages will automatically load until approximately four pages of results are shown. This lets users continuously scroll for longer before needing to tap the "See more" button, making it easier to find the information they’re looking for.
This change is rolling out over the next two weeks starting today, and does not affect how the ad auction works or the way Ad Rank is calculated. However, see the Q&A below to learn more about what it might mean for you.
Is there any change to where my ads can show on the search results page?
Our systems recalculate Ad Rank for each search results page to ensure that the most relevant and helpful ads are shown at the top. As part of this change to how search results show, we’re redistributing the number of text ads that can show between the top and bottom of pages for US-English mobile queries. Now, text ads can show at the top of the second page and beyond, while fewer text ads will show at the bottom of each page. There is no change to how Shopping and Local ads show.
Can my ads show more than once for the same query?
Yes. Ads have always been eligible (based on Ad Rank) to show on a search results page and again on a subsequent page. Our systems calculate your Ad Rank for each page and take into account whether your ad was shown on a previous page.
What should I expect as a result of this change?
Search, Shopping, and Local campaigns that serve ads on US-English queries may see more mobile impressions, which could result in lower CTR. We expect clicks, conversions, average CPC, and average CPA to remain flat.
Additionally, Search campaigns may see more impressions from top ads and fewer impressions from bottom ads. To understand your performance based on where your text ads show on the search results page, consider segmenting your performance data by “Top vs. Other” and reviewing your prominence metrics. There is no change to these reports.
We recommend monitoring your campaigns and continuing to optimize them based on your business objectives. This change to mobile search results is expected to roll out to additional countries and languages next year.
Posted by Mohamed Farid, Product Manager, Google Ads
