Check out the screenshot below of the Google search results for the ever competitive query, “auto insurance”. At the top of the right rail, you’ll see a map. If you click the title of the map (“Map for auto insurance”), you get taken to a local results page that includes local brokers. If you’re a local broker, this could be a great way to get more business. However, if you’re a paid search advertiser and show up on the right rail, this means lower CTRs.
The map pushes all ads on the right rail down. At the end of the day, this means it’s more important than ever to show up in the top yellow bar. Otherwise, your ad will get a significantly lower CTRs. Google is supposed to normalize CTRs for position for purposes of quality score, but I wonder if they are factoring in this new map feature. The lower CTRs of right rail advertisers could be a vicious cycle if Google is not taking this new map feature into account.
My advice: Work on your CTRs, landing pages, and overall account structure/efficiency to make sure you show up in that top yellow bar! It’s becoming more important than ever to avoid the right rail, if possible, and show up in the yellow bar.
Screenshot of Google search results © Google
Nice post Ian, I will also try to come into yellow bar and I hope it will work good for me.
Thanks so much, Kashif, for the comment!
Indeed, I am interested in Local SEO and hope I could help local small business owners rank and get more new business. I read a little bit about Google Local and Places. Do you work on Local SEO as well?
Hi Kent,
I absolutely love SEO. I can’t say I’m a local SEO expert. I’m more of a general SEO expert. I could probably stand to sharpen up my local SEO skills so I’d be really curious to read any tips you may be able to provide on your blog about local SEO.
All the best,
Ian
Wow, interesting observation for sure, Ian. I had never noticed before. Thanks for pointing it out.
-Jean
I don’t think is paid service of Google