How to Evaluate Google Ads Position in 2024

Since Google sunset the average position metric in 2019, advertisers have grappled with new ways to evaluate their ad placement performance. While this change initially created confusion, it has actually led to more precise methods of understanding where and how ads appear in search results. In 2024, mastering these new metrics isn't just about knowing where your ads rank—it's about understanding their actual visibility and impact on campaign performance.

For PPC managers and digital marketers, this shift requires a fundamental change in how we think about ad position and optimization. Instead of chasing a simple numerical ranking, we now need to focus on more meaningful metrics that directly correlate with ad visibility and performance. This comprehensive guide will help you navigate these changes and develop effective strategies for evaluating and improving your ad positions in 2024.

Should You Care About Average Position Anyway?

The obsession with average position has long been a contentious topic in the PPC community. While Google's decision to sunset this metric in 2019 initially caused some angst among advertisers, it forced ppc to confront a truth: average position was always a misleading indicator of ad performance.

The Problem with Average Position

Average position never truly reflected where ads appeared on the search results page. An ad in "position 1" might have appeared at the bottom of the page, while "position 4" could show at the top, depending on how many ads Google displayed for that particular search. This disconnect between position number and actual visibility led to misguided optimization efforts and wasted budget.

What Really Matters in 2024

Instead of focusing on a numerical position, successful PPC managers now concentrate on metrics that directly impact business outcomes:

1. Impression Share: This metric reveals the percentage of times your ads appear when they could have shown. A low impression share often indicates more significant issues with budget or quality score that need addressing.

2. Search Top Impression Rate: Shows how often your ad appears above organic results, providing a clearer picture of actual visibility than the old average position metric ever could.

3. Conversion Rate by Search Absolute Top Rate: This combination metric helps understand if securing top placements actually drives better conversion outcomes for your specific business.

Focus on Performance, Not Position

The key to success in 2024's Google Ads landscape isn't about achieving a specific position—it's about optimizing for business outcomes. This means:

• Prioritizing conversion rate and ROAS over position metrics

• Understanding your target audience's behavior patterns

• Focusing on quality score improvements rather than simply increasing bids

• Testing different ad positions to find your campaign's optimal performance point

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When Position Does Matter

There are specific scenarios where ad position should be a priority:

1. Brand terms where maintaining top position is crucial for brand protection

2. Highly competitive markets where visibility directly correlates with market share

3. New product launches where maximum visibility is temporarily more important than efficiency

The sunset of average position forced advertisers to adopt more sophisticated approaches to campaign optimization. In 2024, successful PPC managers focus on metrics that directly tie to business outcomes rather than arbitrary position numbers.

Assessing Ad Position in 2024

Understanding your ad position in 2024 requires focusing on specific metrics that provide clear insights into where your ads actually appear on the search results page. Here's how to effectively evaluate your ad position:

Google now provides several precise metrics for understanding ad placement:

1. Search Top Impression Rate (Impr. Top %): Shows the percentage of your ad impressions that appear anywhere above organic search results.

2. Search Absolute Top Impression Rate (Impr. Abs. Top %): Reveals the percentage of your ad impressions that appear as the very first ad above organic results.

3. Search Top Impression Share: Calculated by dividing impressions on top by eligible impressions on top, this metric helps you understand your opportunities for improvement among top ads.

Mobile Performance Considerations

Mobile ad positioning deserves special attention, as 52% of PPC clicks come from mobile users, with 46% of mobile users unable to distinguish between PPC ads and organic search results.

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Position vs. Placement

It's crucial to understand that position metrics now reflect actual placement rather than numerical order. This provides more actionable insights for optimization:

• Top placement indicates appearance above organic results

• Absolute top means your ad appears as the first result

• These metrics don't reflect order compared to other ads, but rather actual placement on the search results page

Budget Impact on Position

Two key metrics help understand how budget affects position:

1. Search Lost Top IS (Budget): Shows missed top impressions due to budget constraints

2. Search Lost Absolute Top IS (Budget): Reveals missed absolute top position opportunities due to budget limitations

Search Absolute Top Impression Rate

The Search Absolute Top Impression Rate represents the holy grail of ad positioning - appearing as the very first result above all other ads and organic listings. This metric shows the percentage of your ad impressions that appear in this coveted position. While achieving 100% absolute top impression rate might seem desirable, it's often not the most cost-effective strategy for most businesses.

For most industries, maintaining an absolute top impression rate between 15-30% provides the best balance between visibility and cost efficiency. However, this sweet spot varies significantly by industry and campaign goals. For instance, branded campaigns often warrant a higher absolute top impression rate to maintain brand presence and prevent competitor interference.

To improve your absolute top impression rate, focus on three key areas: increasing your quality score, optimizing your bidding strategy, and ensuring strong ad relevance. Remember that pushing for absolute top position often leads to significantly higher costs per click, sometimes as much as 2-3 times higher than other top positions.

Search Impression Share

Search Impression Share might be the most crucial metric for understanding your ad's overall visibility in the auction landscape. This metric reveals the percentage of times your ad appears compared to the total number of times it could have appeared based on your targeting settings.

A low impression share often indicates untapped potential in your campaigns. For example, if your impression share is 60%, you're missing out on 40% of possible impressions. These missed opportunities typically stem from either budget constraints (Search Lost IS Budget) or rank issues (Search Lost IS Rank).

To optimize your impression share effectively, first identify whether you're losing impressions due to budget or rank. If budget is the limiting factor, consider reallocating spend from lower-performing campaigns or increasing your overall budget. If rank is the issue, focus on improving your quality score through better ad relevance, expected CTR, and landing page experience.

For competitive industries, achieving an impression share above 80% is considered excellent, while maintaining at least 50% impression share is generally considered acceptable for most businesses. However, these benchmarks should be adjusted based on your specific industry, competition level, and business goals.

Factors Affecting Ad Position in 2024

In 2024, Google Ads position is determined by a complex interplay of factors that go well beyond simple bid amounts. At the core, Ad Rank remains the crucial algorithm that determines where your ad appears, but its components have evolved significantly.

Quality Score continues to be a fundamental factor, with landing page experience carrying more weight than ever before. Google's machine learning algorithms now evaluate page load times, mobile responsiveness, and user engagement metrics to determine quality.

Ad relevance has become increasingly sophisticated, with Google's AI analyzing not just keyword matching but the semantic meaning of your ad copy and landing pages.

Auction-time bidding signals now play a more significant role than ever. These include device type, location, time of day, and user behavior patterns.

Strategies for Improving Ad Position

Improving ad position in 2024 requires a multi-faceted approach that balances technical optimization with strategic bidding. Here are the most effective strategies:

Quality Score Optimization

Focus on improving your quality score components systematically. Start with expected CTR by testing different ad copies and formats. Advertisers who achieve quality scores of 8 or higher typically see a 50% reduction in cost-per-click compared to the average position.

Smart Bidding Strategy Implementation

Leverage Google's automated bidding strategies effectively. Target ROAS and Target CPA strategies, when properly configured with accurate conversion tracking, can improve ad position while maintaining efficiency. Campaigns using smart bidding see an average of 20% improvement in conversion value compared to manual bidding.

Ad Asset Optimization

Regularly test and optimize your ad assets. This includes:

• Testing at least 3 different headline variations for each core message

• Implementing all relevant ad extensions

• Using responsive search ads with dynamic asset optimization

• Regular removal of underperforming assets

Landing Page Experience Enhancement

Improve your landing page experience through:

• Matching landing page content closely with ad copy and user intent

• Optimizing page load speed (aim for under 3 seconds)

• Ensuring mobile responsiveness

• Implementing clear calls-to-action above the fold

Budget and Bid Adjustments

Make strategic adjustments to your bidding:

• Use bid adjustments for high-performing demographics, devices, and locations

• Allocate budget based on performance data rather than equal distribution

• Implement dayparting based on conversion rate patterns

• Regular monitoring and adjustment of target ROAS/CPA values

Competitive Analysis and Response

Stay ahead of competitors by:

• Regularly reviewing Auction Insights data

• Adjusting bids for key terms where impression share is below target

• Monitoring competitor ad copy and offers

• Testing different value propositions in your ad copy

Closing Thoughts

The evolution of Google Ads position metrics reflects a broader shift in digital advertising - moving away from simplistic ranking metrics toward more meaningful measures of ad effectiveness and visibility. While the sunset of average position initially created challenges, it has ultimately led to more sophisticated and effective ways of evaluating ad performance.

Ready to improve your Google Ads performance? DriftLead specializes in helping businesses navigate these complex metrics and achieve better results from their PPC campaigns. With over a decade of experience in digital advertising, we can help you:

• Develop a customized strategy for your business goals

• Implement advanced tracking and optimization

• Maximize your return on ad spend

Visit https://driftlead.com/marketing-plan/ to get your free marketing plan and discover how we can help you achieve better results from your Google Ads campaigns. The future of Google Ads lies not in chasing positions, but in creating sophisticated, data-driven strategies that drive real business results. Start optimizing your campaigns today for better performance tomorrow.