Image Search Ads

A Caveat?

[PayMePerClick]

After having these ads up for a week and following Google's instructions to create a new ad group I've had 9 impressions. Astonishingly low.

After chatting online with a rep (which I wasn't aware was an option before now) he told me you can't bid on the same keywords you have in another ad group because they will compete with each other. I had a hunch this was an issue but it seems SO flawed I assumed it couldn't be right and image search would be a separate deal. Google should let you show these new image search ads for the same keywords you have in your standard ad groups. I am covered for just about all searches I want be shown for on Google's standard search and I don't want to stop being shown there so I can be seen in Google Images. The rep told me to raise my bids to increase CTR to outperform my standard text ads. Great, so now THOSE ads won't show?

Seems flawed to me and the wording in Google's own help section is misleading and should mention that essentially you can't advertise on the same keyword in both standard search and Google images.

[RhinoFish]

you're getting something wrong here, you can bid a keyword for search in one campaign and that same keyword in another display network campaign.

[PayMePerClick]

Are you referring to the Image SEARCH ads, or just image ads? I'm aware of what you're talking about but that is not the same as what I'm referencing.

[RhinoFish]

i'm not sure what you're talking about, sorry.

[PayMePerClick]

[adwords.google.com...]

[RhinoFish]

Ah, got you now. You want to advertise on Google's Image Search pages. G lets you create special ads, with both text and image, and they run only on the G Image Search pages. Nothing to do with Display Network (formerly Content Network) - in fact, your campaign must be opted into Search to run these ads.

The rep is wrong, you can target keywords in the "Google Image Search" campaigns and ad groups if they appear in other campaigns in your account. They do not compete. The Image Search Ad format only shows on the Image Search pages - and no other types of ads show there (except product extension ads, but those aren't keyword triggered).

Your low imps is either from a low QS or a niche (as defined by your keywords) where people aren't searching.

So what's the QS grades looking like?

In this very unique ad niche, where G know people are looking for images, you must provide a high quality, large image on your landing page.

The keyword dealio here works just like search, perhaps your keywords are too specific... do you have some broad or mod-broads backing up your exacts and phrase matches?

[PayMePerClick]

I thought about that and that the rep may be wrong but these are branded searches with 7/10 - 10/10 QS. I think he/Google is right. Although they are different areas of Google there is some competition. He clearly specified to get more impressions and clicks I'd have to outbid my identical standard search keywords or pause the standard keywords.

[RhinoFish]

"there is some competition."

How?

[PayMePerClick]

Because it's all in the same search network. They've just offered a different ad type to show in the image section. I don't know how they do it in their serving platform to only show these ads on Google Images, but it's the same network. So, since they are the same network can you explain how they wouldn't compete?

[RhinoFish]

the ad format (that gets paired with the keyword) that is specifically for Google Image Search won't show elsewhere.

and all other ad formats don't show there on the Google Image Search pages.

you can nest Image Search within the same ad groups / campaigns as non-Image Search, or split for better control, but either way, they won't compete - the ad formats are mutually exclusive.

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if you have an ad group with the word "blue widgets" and there are no Image Search Ads in that Ad Group, it cannot show / compete against any other Ad Group that does contain the exact same keywords (or variants, or whatever) and does contain Image Search Ad formats for space on the Google Image Search Ad pages.

[PayMePerClick]

I understand what you're saying, I just don't know if that's actually how it's working. I remember a couple years ago my standard search ads used to run on the maps page and would compete with my actual "google maps ad". The maps ad couldn't show on standard SERPs but standard text ads could and did show up in the maps area.

Has anyone else tried this new ad format? I'd appreciate clarification over speculation.