How Search Ads Work
Auctions, Quality Score, rank.
The Search Auction
Google Search ads appear when someone types a query that matches your keywords. Every search triggers a real-time auction that decides which ads show and in what order.
You don't simply pay the most to win. Google blends your bid with ad quality, so a smaller advertiser with relevant ads can outrank a bigger spender.
Ad Rank
Ad Rank determines position. It combines your bid, Quality Score, the context of the search, and the expected impact of assets like sitelinks.
Because Ad Rank is recalculated every auction, the same keyword can win position 1 on one search and position 3 on the next.
Ad Rank = Bid x Quality Score (+ context, ad assets, thresholds)
Example:
Advertiser A: $2.00 bid x QS 9 = 18.0
Advertiser B: $4.00 bid x QS 4 = 16.0
=> Advertiser A wins despite lower bidAll lessons in this course
- How Search Ads Work
- Keyword Match Types
- Writing Responsive Search Ads
- Negative Keywords and Tuning