Google AdWords – Page 3 – The Web Authority

November 19, 2018November 16, 2018

Google Changes the Definition of Average Position Part One

We Are a Google Partner Specializing in Search Marketing. — We Are a Google Partner Specializing in Search Marketing and Search Optimization.

On November 6, 2018 Google announced a “change” to Average Position in Google AdWords or Google Ads. The full announcement can be found online.

I have been a Google Partner and Certified AdWords Professional for years. I have studied and passed numerous certification exams, nearly from the time that Google instituted the AdWords certification program.

This announcement states that people were confused on what Average Position is and that it is not what they had thought. Here is the important quote from the announcement.

Contrary to common perception, average position is not meant to describe where the ad appears on the page. Average position reflects the order that your ad appears versus the other ads in the ad auction. As a result, an ad position of “1” means that your ad shows ahead of all other ads, but it doesn’t mean the ad was at the very top of the page. Sometimes no ads are displayed above the organic search results so the ad with a position of “1” appears at the bottom of the page.

Therefore, we’re rolling out four new metrics over the next several weeks that – unlike average position – provide clear insights on where your ads are appearing on the search results page:

Well, this is a change. All the AdWords test materials and study guides over the years have stated that average position was just that – a statistical average of where your ad appeared on the page to give you an idea of how high or low your position was as a factor of your quality score and bid.

Strangely, now Google has announced that no, we have all been mistaken and that Average Position was not that, but rather a factor of ad rank – which is very, very different.

This is a marked change and one that has impacted numerous client accounts in November. Where accounts were happily chugging along with great click and conversion numbers, November 6th hit and I had many accounts take a sudden nose dive in clicks and conversions. I saw this across several key accounts in very diverse sectors. It appears that Google has restructured the auction algorithm to cater to this new terminology that they have themselves created for Average Position as of this year.

Please visit my post on Wednesday, part two of this series to learn about the new metrics they have rolled out as part of this definition change of Average Position.

July 4, 2018June 29, 2018

Consumers Embrace Pay Per Click Ads

Nancy McCord a Google Partner and Bing Partner

Consumers have embraced pay per click ads! No longer do users of Google or Bing scroll to see the organic search results, rather they are clicking the first and second pay per click ads on a page, and especially when on a smartphone.

Over the years, pay per click ads have become more relevant than even the organic listings. And, as the organic listings are getting harder to find, click activity is happening at the top of the page.

With the advent of personalized search, sophisticated device tracking, and a myriad of ad extensions that selectively show, tailored to the user’s history, intent, and location, pay per click is usurping the place of organic search results on the Web.

As user’s hurry to make decisions and want information tailored to their personal needs, the dynamic nature and relevancy of ad serving is revolutionizing web searches.

With deep sitelinks, listings of services, current promotions, maps of your store location, and click to call buttons, these new ad versions are attractive for consumers to click and give immediate results.

As we watch many client accounts, we see pay per click traffic numbers are on the rise and organic numbers are declining in our monthly Google Analytics action reports. For businesses this sets a new landscape for the Web – one that is now pay to play, and it’s big business for Google and Bing.

Think that you don’t need to get involved in pay per click advertising? Take a careful review of the search results page on your desktop and smartphone. With shrinking organic real estate and with most organic search results now below the page fold, consumers are making decisions and clicking on ads and in many cases not even looking at organic listings.

If you are ready to try Google Ads, Bing Ads or just learn more about pay per click advertising, I invite you to browse our website at www.McCordWeb.com.

June 13, 2018June 3, 2018

Don’t Bleed Cash, Move Out Of Broad Match

As a Google Partner and Bing Partner, I feel like I can speak with authority on this topic. In AdWords alone, I manage an actual monthly ad spend for clients of over $120,000 per 30 days or $1,441,776 yearly. As an experienced account manager I have to say that I simply hate broad match.

Don’t get me wrong, I like using broad match modifiers for keywords, but I feel that for most clients broad match is simply a way to bleed cash out of a pay per click account.

Google AdWords and Bing Ads (especially Bing Ads) Love, Love, Love broad match keywords. Heavy use of broad match without a reality check on the terms your ads are showing for is lining their pockets with your cash.

McCord Web Services is a Bing Partner and Accredited Bing Ads Professional.

If you don’t believe me, click just one of your high click volume broad match keywords and then click the drop down to view search queries. You will be shocked to see what is there.

Even with a huge and extensive negative keyword list, the way both Google and Bing Ads show your ads on synonyms for your broad match keyword would simply not be a good fit for most businesses that are focused on direct action or lead conversions and sales.

I hate to say never, but as click costs rise in an account the first thing I do is move out of broad match, use only broad match modifiers, phrase match and exact match. I end up with a much better cost per conversion and better overall results.

Need a savvy pay per click account manager on your side? Check out our programs. We work as a white label supplier/expert for agencies

January 3, 2018December 29, 2017

Let the Recertification Begin

We Are a Google Partner Specializing in Search Marketing, Mobile, and Display. — We Are a Google Partner Specializing in Search Marketing,, Mobile, Shopping, and Display.

The start of each new year heralds the beginning of my Bing Ads and Google AdWords recertification cycles.

As a Bing Partner I must recertify each January to maintain my Bing Partner Status.

As a Google Partner, I must take two exams to recertify my AdWords credentials. I must take the AdWords Fundamentals exam and then one other exam. I typically take the Search Advertising exam as this is what is useful for the bulk of my clients.

This past year I certified in AdWords in Search, Mobile, Display, and Shopping. This year due to my workload I will certify in just the Fundamentals and Search.

The Bing Ads test is fairly easy, but the AdWords exams are typically difficult with the Search exam being the most difficult out of all the exams available. March and April are my AdWords recertification months.

I personally find the training interesting, but time consuming. I do sharpen my skills and I do put into practice the things that I learn in each recertification study period as the information benefits my clients’ account performance. But these exams are not simple and you must study for them as the information is not intuitive rather detailed and the test based on Google’s perspective of value based on the training materials.

The last time I took the Fundamentals exam, the printed documentation of the study guide was over 400 pages. The study guide for the Search exam was another 400 pages.

If you need an Internet Marketing Service professional that knows Google AdWords and Bing Ads, I invite you to find out more about our professional services and the value that a Google Partner brings to your programs.