Google Updates Ads Auction Page to Clarify Separate Auctions for Ad Locations

Google Ads updated its Ads Auction Help documentation to clarify how separate auctions are conducted for different ad positions on a search results page—such as top-of-page, sidebar, or bottom listings. This long-awaited update aims to improve advertiser transparency and help marketers better understand how bids compete for various real estate on Google’s search results.

While many advertisers believed all ad placements competed in a single, unified auction, this clarification reveals a more nuanced bidding process—one that can affect budget allocation, ad visibility, and click-through performance.

What Did Google Clarify?

 According to Google’s updated documentation, ad positions like:

• Top of the Page (above organic results)
  
  
• Bottom of the Page
  
  
• Right-Side Panel or Sidebar Ads

are each determined through separate auctions. That means a single keyword bid can compete in multiple distinct auctions depending on ad rank, budget constraints, and targeting parameters.

This granular system ensures that different placements don’t necessarily compete head-to-head in a winner-takes-all format. Instead, each position tier has its own eligibility and ranking process based on quality score and bid value.

Why This Matters for Advertisers

 Understanding that ad slots are managed via separate auctions gives advertisers a clearer picture of how Google determines where an ad appears. More importantly, it explains why ads with similar bids and quality scores may end up in vastly different positions.

This has several implications:

• Performance Insight: Lower visibility may not mean poor ad performance—it might reflect lower competitiveness in that specific placement auction.
  
  
• Budget Strategy: Knowing that lower-tier placements may still yield cost-effective traffic can help brands diversify spend across positions.
  
  
• Improved Optimization: Advertisers can now better tailor their bidding strategies by analyzing performance across placements rather than treating all positions as one outcome.

Optimizing for Separate Auctions

 With this knowledge, marketers can now test separate bidding strategies depending on where they want to appear. For instance:

• Use higher bids for competitive top-of-page slots where visibility is crucial.
  
  
• Target sidebar or bottom slots for long-tail keywords where cost-per-click (CPC) can be significantly lower.
  
  
• Combine bid strategies with ad scheduling, device targeting, and audience segmentation to refine placement tactics.

Advertisers running Google Ads scripts or automated rules can also adjust logic to accommodate this new understanding of placement competition.

Impact on Reporting and Metrics

 With separate auctions in play, advertisers are encouraged to monitor Impression Share by Position, Top vs. Absolute Top Metrics, and Placement Performance Reports more closely. These metrics help reveal not only where your ads are appearing but also how your bids and quality scores stack up in each individual auction.

For brands running Performance Max or Search + Display hybrid campaigns, this clarification reinforces the need to analyze ad placement at a more granular level—especially when evaluating overall ad rank and budget pacing.

Best Practices Moving Forward

 To adapt effectively to this updated information:

• Audit current campaign placement reports to identify performance variances by position.
  
  
• A/B test ad creatives for different positions, as user attention varies greatly between top and bottom slots.
  
  
• Incorporate bid modifiers based on high- and low-performing placements.
  
  
• Educate your in-house teams or clients about how Google’s auction structure works to align expectations.

Conclusion

 Digilogy helps businesses optimize their Google Ads campaigns with deeper insight into auction mechanics, bidding strategy, and ad placement performance. With Google clarifying that each ad position is determined by a separate auction, advertisers now have a unique opportunity to refine targeting and spend for better results. Contact Digilogy today to align your ad strategy with Google’s latest updates and drive smarter campaign outcomes.