Potential Decrease in AdWords Content Network Clicks
The official Google AdWords blog has just announced that Google has updated the content network text ad mechanism. While previously the whole text ad area was clickable, now only “clicks on the title or URL of text ads will be counted.” At least, theoretically.
Previously, users could click anywhere on text ads running on the content network, including the ad’s background and any part of the ad text…As a result of this change, some advertisers may notice a decrease in both the number of clicks and the clickthrough rate (CTR) in content network campaigns — along with an increase in the average return on investment (ROI) of content network traffic.
So if I have a look at some of my Louisiana or New Orleans geotargeted ads in my gmail account, I should only get to an advertiser’s page if I click on the title, or the URL, rather than the whole text ad area (which may as well generate accidental click throughs!). I should, but that’s not what my experience shows.
Check out this screenshot taken a few minutes ago:
As you can see the dotted area indicates that it is still the whole text ad area that is clickable. And I also checked the 2nd and 3rd line (description lines): they do work. Maybe the change is coming a bit later than the promised ‘now.’
I have also checked some text ads running alongside local online news articles, and the test showed that two ads in a box are only clickable for title and URL, while one ad in a box (with a higher CPM bid, occupying the total box area) is clickable in its entirety.
See this Google ad on 2TheAdvocate:
However, the main point is that this AdWords update is very welcome even if it reduces the number of clicks, which clients like so much without taking into a closer look at what that click is actually worth. After all, you don’t really want accidental clicks to your site for $1 or even more, as in the case of ‘mesothelioma attorney Louisiana’ which could be $10-65 per click.
For more advice, you can contact me at annasebestyen at gmail dot com.