Breaking News: Google Removes Side Bar Ads
February 13, 2017
In an unprecedented and unexpected move, Google has removed ads from its right hand side bar, currently for those who seem to be signed into their Google accounts.
The top ads now include an extra position allowing a 4th contender into the spot. The traditional 3 premium ads now exist at the bottom of the page.
The move is surprising, but was made surely to fall in line with how mobile devices show ads. The right hand side doesn’t appear on mobile devices as it is.
The mobile versions as shown above now show three ads.
As an Agency that spends over $1million a year with Google, its a frustrating change. Along with removing the ‘change my location’ function recently, (a tool that a lot of Agencies used in bid competing), this is just another sting in the tail for Advertisers. Google seems to be consistently changing its page 1 appearance and result options, in what seems a never ending ‘search’ for the perfect page 1.
In one of its recent organic algorithm changes, big box national brands were favored over smaller local businesses. This change will also force the smaller advertiser out, as they simply won’t be able to compete. CPCs are going to start burning through the roof, and smaller advertisers will be caught in intense bidding wars they can’t compete against. No advertiser will want to pay for what will now be known as ‘the bottom three of Google’. This move will essentially leave the strongest to survive. It could also be a push to send more advertisers into the Adwords Express platform.
We’ll be testing the change and will update back here. At time of press, our clients bids remained the same for the top spot.