Ad Rank

What Is Ad Rank and How to Improve Ad Ranks in Google Ads

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We all have seen ads appearing in Google search results and as the name suggests, Ad Rank has something to do with the ranking of the ads appearing. But how does Google decide the order of placing ads?

Just like all other systematic Google work, it uses an algorithm/formula called ad rank to decide the position of ads on the search engine results page (SERP). There are many factors at play here, and you need to work on certain things to improve the ad ranks.

Ad rank is simple but finding and implementing the ways to improve your ad rank isn’t. Worry not, we’ve come up with a detailed guide to assist you with your Google Ads rankings. Let’s dive right in.

What Is Ad Rank?

Ad rank
What is Ad Rank?

Ad rank is simply the position of an ad on the search result page. The ad rank determines if your ad will show up or not for specific keywords.

Many marketers often think of a single factor affecting the ad rank, i.e. bidding amount. Well, that is not always the case because a top-ranked ad is not necessarily linked to the highest bid. As the ads in top positions receive the maximum number of clicks, it is important to learn about the factors influencing ad rank. This helps in identifying the areas of improvement as well.

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How does ad rank affect on cost?


Factors like ad rank and cost per click work closely together. Every advertiser’s ultimate goal is to increase their website’s ad rank. CPC refers to the amount of money you pay for each click. When your ad rank increases automatically, your ad rank affects the cost per click. When ad rank increases, CPC decreases. 

Your cost per click is calculated based on your ad rank, which includes the thresholds and other advertisers. Ad rank threshold determines the ability at various factors, including ad quality, ad position, user signal and attributes, topic, and related auctions.

Factors/Formula for Calculating Ad Rank

The exact formula for calculating ad rank is only known to Google, but certain factors are part of the formula. These factors include:

  • Bid Amount/Ad Rank Thresholds:
    It is the minimum amount you need to bid for ranking on a specific position. Ad Rank Thresholds on certain keywords imply that, based on the search context, the bid amount can be the main factor behind the ranking.
  • User Experience:
    This simply means how informative, relevant, navigable, and user-friendly is your landing page. Does it deliver what is being promised in the ad copy? This is all part of the user experience and plays an important role in ad rankings.
  • Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR):
    Google keeps track of all how well the keywords you choose are performing. It weighs this factor to determine how likely users are to click on your ad.
  • Ad Quality/Relevance:
    The quality of your ad copy, landing page, CTA, and more helps in determining how relevant is your advertisement. This is all part of the quality score and it is a crucial factor in determining the ad rank.

Now that you know that Google AdWords’ is not just about placing the highest bids, it is time to pay attention to other details as well. You can pay less than your competitors and can rank higher than them simply with an engaging and high-quality ad copy.

Although Adwords is part of paid advertising, Google tries to bring in the organic results factor here as well to display the most relevant results to users. This is why you will need to work on some strategies to cost-efficiently rank at the top. Let’s discuss them in detail.

How to Improve Ad Ranks in Google Ads?

Improve ad rank

Here are some of the ways you can try to improve your ad ranks on Google.

#1 Offer Relevant, Concise, and Original Content

The first thing that Google sees is what you are publishing in your ad copy and what you are offering on the landing page. The landing page should be like the continuation of your ad copy. Let’s say that you are talking about Valentine’s Day gifts for men, the landing page should not be about generic Valentine’s Day gifts or anniversary gifts.

Similarly, if your ad copy is related to something generic, then your landing page should not be too specific about a certain product/service. Make sure to offer exactly what you are promising to the users in your ad copy.

#2 Include Relevant Ad Extensions Only

Marketers often use ad extensions to increase CTR but there is a catch as ad extensions do not always work. If your ad extensions are not aligning well with your call-to-action and campaign goals, then you are not offering relevant content to users.

Let’s say that you mentioned the line “Call now to get instant help” in your ad headline and have inserted a link-based email extension, this is just a red sign for Google. You need to put a call ad extension so that the ad looks relevant to users and Google. So, make sure to use extensions to enhance your offer and not just because everyone is doing it.

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#3 Utilize More Specific Ad Groups

Ad groups are crucial components when it comes to ad rankings. If you don’t have fully specific ad groups, then your ads are likely to underperform. Your ad groups should be so relevant that searchers get exactly what they searched for.

If you try to add a lot of generic keywords, then you risk displaying ads that are not relevant to the search intent. This lowers the CTR and eventually affects your quality score. Start with a single keyword and group the most relevant ones. Think from the users’ perspectives whether your ad is relevant for a particular search query or not.

#4 Do Not Forget to Include Negative Keywords

Everyone wants to rank well on the right keywords but you need to make sure that you are not ranking on the wrong ones. If your ad is being displayed on irrelevant keywords, the ad clicks can frustrate the visitors and that damages your ad quality and ad rank.

This can also lower your return on investment as you won’t get conversions on irrelevant clicks. Make sure to include these negative keywords in your campaign so that your ads don’t show up on those keywords.

#5 Make Site Navigation Easy and Decrease Landing Page Loading Time

A seamless overall user experience (UX) is really important and that comes when users can easily access your website from any device. So, work on your site navigation and remove any unnecessary elements that might cause trouble with the UX.

Also, make sure that your landing page loads quickly in less than two seconds. To load quickly on mobile devices, you can turn the pages into Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP). Google considers the loading time and speed of your site as well, so you should keep the site optimized.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What are the Factors or Formula for Calculating Ad Rank?

1. Bid Amount or Ad Rank Thresholds
2. User Experience
3. Expected Click-Through Rate (CTR)
4. Ad Quality or Relevance

What are the ways to improve Ad Rank in Google Ads?

1. Offer Relevant concise, and original content
2. Include Relevant Ad Extensions only
3. Utilize more specific Ad Groups
4. Do not Forget to Include negative keywords
5. Make site Navigation easy and decrease landing page loading time

Why is it important to decrease landing page loading time?

Decreasing the landing page loading time is important because it gives the best user experience and helps users easily access your website from any device.

Takeaway: Improving Ad Ranks Takes Time & Dedication

takes time and dedication

There are many players in the industry, and getting a competitive edge can be quite challenging. You will have to be patient while strategizing your Google Ads.

High-quality and engaging content right from your ad copy, landing page, and CTA is the key to delivering a great user experience. This helps in lowering your bounce rates and optimizes the conversion rates to boost your ad rank.

Give adequate time to the factors and points we discussed above and work on each point to see improvements in your Google Ad rankings. If you have tried everything we mentioned above, then only you should think of bidding higher to dominate the top ranks for your keywords.

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