If you’ve conducted a Google search lately, you’ve probably noticed things have changed. Google has done away with side-rail advertisements and increased the number of advertisements that appear at the top of the search results page.
The changes hope to better match the vertical layout of smartphones, but they also mean subsequent changes in the way companies approach SEO. Ranking in about the top five search results used to be enough to get you on the first Google search page. With the new ad changes, as many as seven ads could appear on page one of search results, which means as few as two organic search results could make an appearance on the same page.
So, what does all this mean for you? Well, it could mean that if you are the third-ranked steakhouse in Utah, customers looking for dinner choices may never even know you exist.
How can you combat these ad changes and make sure your services are seen?
Hire an Awesome SEO Manager
Unfortunately, there is no magic solution. Better SEO is always the answer. If you want a guaranteed spot on the first page of search results, you need to be the best-ranked search result. Investing in an awesome SEO manager can make all the difference.
Use Informational Search Terms
Google’s new ad system places more advertisements on “highly commercial queries.” Getting fewer ads to appear when users search for your product or service, say your Utah-based steakhouse, could be accomplished in part by changing the keywords you use. Work with your SEO manager to identify search terms that are important to your business but also won’t set off a large number of ads. Lean more toward informational content than commercial.
Buy Ads
If SEO and informational search terms aren’t getting the job done, you can always buy ads. Ideally, this would be your last resort; however, a well-placed product listing ad (PLA) could put your Utah-area steakhouse at the very top of page one. With the new Google layout, it might be worth the investment.
