Search Ads Layout in Google SERPs: an Update

12.08.2009 Posted in Search

We recently discovered that Google appeared to be testing a new SERPs layout which brought the PPC ads closer to the organic search results. This was originally showing in Firefox only, but not any more! It appears that the test may now have reached a positive conclusion.

I can now see the same layout appearing for Google search results in Firefox, Internet Explorer, Google Chrome and Opera. Either the test has been extended or, more likely, the test has been deemed successful and has been made live across all browsers. It hasn’t been long since the test began but with the sheer volume of search results Google computes on a daily basis they will have had more than enough data from AdWords to reach a statistically significant conclusion.

I expect the test resulted in higher clickthrough rates for PPC ads, and as such this is a good move for Google and the PPC marketing world in general. We have long believed the layout of PPC ads on Yahoo to be one of the major contributing factors to the typically low CTR seen on that search engine, so it’s good to see Google making a positive change to the layout of their SERPs.

Do other users now see this change across all browsers? Leave a comment to let us know…