It’s uncertain what is happening with the new changes Google has made to removing all PPC Ads from the right side, I don’t think advertisers are happy with this move.
From what I read “While advertisers loved it“, I don’t really believe it, unless your deep in pockets, someone has to lose with less ads being displayed.
As many as 11 ads were displayed on a page before and now a new max we are being told will be 4 at the top “designed for highly commercial queries” from what I read in The Verge with a possible additional 3 ads on the bottom reported originally reported by The SEM Post
Google is continuing to tweak this since December when it was big news then.
I was working this morning Feb 21, 2016 everything seem normal after being contacted by a fellow colleague, then later in the evening I started doing some research and every listing was modified to the new format.
In addition free organic listings just took another hit for being pushed lower and lower below the fold.
Since 2012 the trend of adding images, some ads and other Google properties has sometimes removed any organic listings above the fold on page one of Google to be visible.
For the moment it is uncertain what the strategy is for reducing the max ads from 11 to 7 is going to be.
This move freed up more virtual real estate for Google’s Product Listing Ads to show in the sidebar
In addition this space will give Google more flexibility to display its other properties such as knowledge panel.
The change will impact search globally and all languages.
I think we are in for a big dance again with how organic search will be displayed for sometime.
The best I can make of this change it has to do with mobile devices surpassing desktops and Google is positioning search for this.
Update 2/22/2016
Today I am working with my authority software and decided to check some keywords for ad counts
definitely Google has covered above the fold with their products with organic search nowhere in sight
I still see some ads on right side if the keyword is not product driven
Will keep you posted
Ed Chiasson
SlickTimeSavers.com