Google will be removing the average position reporting metric from Google Ads this month.
The average position metric has been an insightful metric that many Google Ad users have grown to love. However, Google has decided to bid adieu to this key metric.
But don’t worry, Google won’t let you down.
To understand the impact of this, we need to know, what does average position mean?
Average position shows how your ad typically ranks against the competitors’ ads. In other words, it is a competitive metric.
But did you know that the average position is not the actual position where your ad is shown on the Google Search Result Page?
It’s just the average of where your ad was displayed against your competitor’s ads. A position of 1 does not necessarily mean that the ad was displayed above the organic results. It could have also been displayed way down the Search Engine Result Page, below the organic results or even on the second page. Aware of the non-exhaustive and approximate nature of the metric “Avg. pos.”, since November 2018, Google has gradually introduced 8 new metrics that will help in evaluating your position on Google search.
These new KPIs will help you to accurately determine the position and dominance of an ad on a SERP: The Top and Absolute Top metrics.
Unlike average position, these metrics don’t reflect the order of your ads compared to other ads, but the actual location of your ads on the SERPs.
These can be seen as two kinds of metrics:
1.Metrics about the location of your ads
- Search Top Impression Rate = Impr. (Top) % – is the percentage of your ad impressions that are shown anywhere above the organic results.
- Search Absolute Top Impression Rate = Impr. (Abs. Top) % – is the percentage of your ad impressions that are shown as the very first ad above the organic search results.
2. Metrics you can bid on to improve the location of your ads. You can use these metrics as a target, to set your bid, and if you want to increase the percentage of your ads that either show at the top or absolute top of the SERP.
- Search top IS is the impressions you’ve received in the top location (anywhere above the organic search results) compared to the estimated number of impressions you were eligible to receive in the top location.
- Search abs. top IS is the impressions you’ve received in the absolute top location (the very first ad above the organic search results) divided by the estimated number of impressions you were eligible to receive in the top location.
- Search lost top IS (budget) helps you to understand how often your ad didn’t show anywhere above the organic search results due to a low budget.
- Search lost abs. top IS (budget) estimates how often your ad wasn’t the very first ad above the organic search results due to a low budget.
- Search lost top IS (rank) estimates how often your ad didn’t show anywhere above the organic search results due to poor Ad Rank.
- Search lost abs. top IS (rank) estimates how often your ad wasn’t the very first ad above the organic search results due to poor Ad Rank.
Embrace the change
We highly recommend getting used to the alternative metrics and adjusting your reports & columns on the interface accordingly.
The new metrics will certainly help to conduct an in-depth analysis of campaigns and you can now determine the effect of your position.
If you need any help with your Digital Marketing Analytics, please contact Swoop Digital to help you reach your goals.