Explain ad rank?

Digital Marketing
#1

So, we’ve all seen ads appearing in Google Search, served via the Google Ads platform, but how does Google determine which order to show ads with the search engine results page (SERP)?

It’s not as straightforward as you might think!

Google uses a formula called Ad Rank which ultimately decides which position ads will show in. So let’s take a look at Ad Rank and the factors used to rank your ads.

What Is Ad Rank?
An auction determines the position of ads within the SERP. But, unlike with most auctions, the winner is not necessarily the highest bidder. In the Google Ad auction, the amount bid is only one factor used to determine the overall Ad Rank. The Ad Rank score is what determines ad positions in the search results.

So, if a pay-per-click (PPC) ad is the first listing at the top of the SERP, it won’t always have the highest bid behind it, but it will have the highest Ad Rank.

The highest ad positions typically deliver the highest number of clicks, which is why getting your ads to rank as high as possible matters.

Read on to learn about how Ad Rank is calculated and how to increase your Ad Rank in Google Ads.