Staking your claim for the best Adwords real estate with Ad Extensions and Product Listing Ads

Samsung LED TVs product listing.

It’s hard to deny that being top of the first page is still the best position to be in if you want your Google Adwords ads to be seen. But following a number of changes to Google’s Search Results Pages (SERPS) there are now many more things to distract a user’s attention.

Not only that, but in some cases you may find that being number one is not the most efficient ranking position for you to meet Cost Per Conversion or ROI targets. If this is the case then you need to still find a way to capture the most clicks possible while occupying a lower position.

Your aim should be to make your ads stand out and take as much ad space above the fold as possible. This is where Ad Extensions and Product Listing Ads come in, as they can help you do both.

In an attempt to help you quantify the exposure benefits from implementing these strategies, we have some examples below with approximate pixel counts of the ad real estate that you will gain (and take away from the competition) if you utilise the extension and product listing options available.

Sitelinks

Additional Pixel Count for Single Line Sitelinks: 9,972

Additional Pixel Count for Double Line Sitelinks: 21,606

If you rank in the top ads section you may be eligible to display Sitelink Extensions underneath your normal text ad. The screenshot below clearly shows that Sitelinks over two lines not only take up more ad space, but are also easier to read than Sitelinks that appear on only one line. Unfortunately, you cannot choose how or when your Sitelinks appear. This is left up to Google to decide.

Sitelinks

Seller ratings

Additional Pixel Count for Seller Ratings in Top Ads Section: 8,310

Additional Pixel Count for Seller Ratings on Side of Page: 3,600

If your online store is rated on Google Product Search and you have received at least 30 reviews that average four stars or above then Seller Ratings will automatically appear. Visually,the stars stand out on the page and can even draw attention at the side of the page. They can also be viewed as a sign of trust.

Google +1 Social Extension

Additional Pixel Count for Plus 1 Social Extension in Top Ads: 9,972

This can also be a strong indicator of trust and gives your Google+ profile an additional brand mention.

Product listing ad

Additional Pixel Count for a Product Listing Ad in Top Ads: 15,200

Additional Pixel Count for a Product Listing Ad in Top Right: 9,975

Product Listing Ads can appear either on the top right corner with six places, or in the Top Ads section with 5fiveplaces available. Not only will these give you more ad real estate but the images are also very eye-catching, so it is important to win a place here whenever possible. It is also worth noting that you can win more than one place here, or even take all of the spots.

Product extensions

Additional Pixel Count for Seller Ratings in Top Ads Section: 27,700

Not as eye-catching as Product Listing Ads but can still steal large amounts of valuable ad real estate from your competitors and highlight prices, which is always good for ecommerce ads.

Product extensions running trainers

Location extensions

Additional Pixel Count for Location Extensions in Top Ads: 19,390

Additional Pixel Count for Location Extensions on Side: 7,600

Local businesses that have a physical store can utilise Location Extensions to add a couple more lines of information for address and telephone details, as well as a link to directions. Also, the large map in the top right hand corner is a good amount of ad real estate and having your little blue marker highlighted in there can quickly tell people where your services are located at a glance.

More sales and cheaper clicks

There is a double impact from increasing your chances of winning those clicks, because it not only leads more potential customers to your website but will also be likely to raise your click-through rates - which in turn can then lead to higher position and lower CPCs.

So in this fight for screen domination, it is imperative to take advantage of as many of these features in your strategy as possible. Remember, the more space that you take up on the page, the less your rivals will get.

So what does the future hold?

Some exciting developments are in the pipeline - Keep your eyes and ears open for Enhanced Sitelinks that Google has announced are coming soon. Just look at how much ad real estate they can pick up - Wow!