If you have spoken to me, or read some of my newsletter emails, as well as reading other material readily available on the Internet, you will be acutely aware that Google is constantly changing and evolving. In fact, Google changes its algorithm monthly in some way, shape or form.
Late last year they even rolled their periodic “Panda” update into the monthly algorithm updates, which have, or will have, dire consequences for some websites with low quality content & SEO.
So, the latest (major) change is quite obvious, and you will likely have noticed it, but you may not be aware of the implications.
Previously you will recall several (possible) elements to a Google search results page (SERPs):
- Group of up to 3 ads
- Group of up to 3 maps (Google My Business)
- Google Product Listings (Shopping)
- Google “Quick Answers” (depending on search query)
- Organic search results (showing 10-100 depending on your settings)
- More ads at the bottom
- Google exact match My Business listing – right column
- Up to 8 or so ads – right column
However, just recently the right hand column ads have been removed, and the ads that appear at the top have been increased to (up to) 4. The right hand column will be/is being utilised for Google Product Listings (you know, those shopping cart-looking product ads?), as well as an exact, or almost exact match Google My Business (map) listing.
The potential now is for this scenario:
- Group of up to FOUR ads
- Group of up to THREE maps (Google My Business)
- Google “Quick Answers” (depending on search query)
- Organic search results (showing 10-100 depending on your settings)
- More ads at the bottom
- Google exact match My Business listing – right column
- Google Product Listings (Shopping) – right column (may appear in the main column instead)
What is the impact of these new Google changes?
So, let’s imagine you are lucky enough to hold the #1 organic search result for a valuable (and competitive) keyword. the chances are that now, even though you are #1 organically, you may STILL potentially be only number EIGHT because of the ads and the map listings.
SEO just became a whole lot more competitive, as did Google ads. Less ads means what? The price of ads will rise as businesses compete to be as visible as possible, particularly ones whose SEO is not up to scratch.
The requirement for ad optimisation (yes, it IS a thing!) has now become much more important too. A higher quality score will bode well for your ad campaigns, both in position and budget.
But back to SEO. Even if you DO rank #1, you may now be tempted (forced) into running more competitive Google ads simply to be at the top.
But now it’s even more important to be as high up organically as possible. It is also important that you have a properly setup Google My Business listing so you give Google the BEST incentive to display your listing.
Here is another example. I have a lawyer client who is #2 organically for a competitive and high earning keyword. Sounds good, right? Not so much. Now there are 4 paid ads (4 units high), a map insert (2 units high), 3 Google My Business map listings (3 units high), all above his listing. Essentially, this means his search result is now NINE units down the page, ‘below the fold’ as it were.
