Google's New Left Column

[staninbrooklyn]

I've noticed that some of my AdWords ads that appear regularly no longer show up when I click on some of the left columns in Google's new SERP. They appear in the Everything view but if I click on Shopping or Images or News, then the ads disappear. I've obviously got some setting turned off. Anyone know what's causing this?

[Rehan]

Shopping, Images, News, etc are considered "Search partners" in the Search Network. Have you enabled them for your campaign(s) ?

[staninbrooklyn]

Yes. Thanks I figured it out through trial and error. But I don't like this new look as an advertiser. Because Google has created this left-hand column, the CTRs on AdWords will go way down from the first SERP. The new left-hand column pages (shopping, images, news) will grab eyeballs but Google only shows two (and rarely three) ads at the top of the Shopping section. It has essentially swapped out targeted AdWords for its confusing Google Shopping Feed. My AdWords CTRS are way way down and I'm quite sure others are too. I can't see how this helps AdWords advertisers at all.

[after_hours]

CTR should go down but Conversion rate should go up. The easier it is for non-conversion minded searches to find the information they're seeking, the less chance they're going to make an unnecessary click on your ad.

[staninbrooklyn]

No way. Google's Shopping section now limits AdWords to just the top 2 (and rarely 3) AdWords ads. Otherwise, the entire section is devoted to its nasty Google Merchant Center which is unusable. There were tens of thousands of advertisers who were able to convert profitably in the #3 - #10 spot in the right column and they've now been completely shut out from this section. Makes no sense.

[netmeg]

My clients get a lot of good sales out of that nasty Google Merchant Center, and for free too (other than the cost of my putting together the feed for them) Just sayin'.