Google is experimenting with new ad placements in search results, but the frequency remains low. Here’s what you need to know:
By the numbers. As Mordy Oberstein, SEO Brand Manager at Wix shares:
- 0.31% of desktop SERPs contain ads mixed with organic results
- 0.01% of mobile SERPs contain ads mixed with organic results
- 2% of all SERPs have “normal” ad placement at the top.
- Desktop Preference: 18% of SERPs containing mixed ads place them immediately after a featured snippet.
- Mobile difference: Less than 2% of mobile SERPs with mixed ads follow this pattern.
Why we care. Ads placed in organic results or immediately after featured snippets could potentially attract more user attention than traditional placements. Click-through rates, conversion rates and overall ROI could be affected by these new placements, forcing advertisers to adjust their strategies accordingly.
The big picture. Google is testing various ad placements, including under featured snippets and in organic results.
Ad frequency:
- Desk : Usually two ads mixed with organic results
- Mobile: Usually an ad mixed with organic results
Between the lines. Google seems to favor placement right after Featured Snippets for ad placement on desktop, but this strategy isn’t reflected on mobile.
Bottom line. As Google experiments with new ad placements, the overall frequency of ads mixed into organic results or placed under featured snippets remains extremely low across all SERPs.
What to watch. How Google’s ad placement strategy is evolving and whether the frequency of mixed ads is increasing over time.
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About the author
Anu Adegbola was Paid Media Editor of Search Engine Land since 2024. It covers paid search, paid social, retail media, video and more.
In 2008, Anu’s career began with
lead digital marketing campaigns (primarily, but not exclusively, paid search) by strategizing, maximizing ROI, automating repetitive processes, and improving the efficiency of every part of marketing services through leadership inspiring on the agency side as well as on the client and marketing technology side.
Outside of Search Engine Land article editing, she is the founder of the PPC networking event – PPC Live and the host of weekly PPCChat Roundup podcast.
She is also an international speaker with some of the stages she has presented on SMX (USA), SMX (Munich), Friends of Search (Amsterdam), BrightonSEO, The Marketing Meetup, HeroConf (PPC Hero), SearchLove, BiddableWorld, SESLondon. , PPC Chat Live, AdWorld Experience (Bologna) and more.