Search impression share shows how often your ad pops up in search results compared to how often it could appear. It’s a percentage that reveals the visibility of your ad and its effectiveness in grabbing attention.
Every time your ad gets displayed, that’s an impression. Whether someone clicks it or not, it counts. Platforms like Google and Meta run ads based on a bidding system. You’re competing with all your competitors for those prime ad spots. Your impression share is the slice of the pie you get from all possible impressions. It’s an indicator of how much of the market your ad is reaching.
Search Impression Share is a key metric for understanding how well your ads are performing. A high impression share means your ad is out there more often than your competitors. It’s a sign of a healthy, strong campaign. On the flip side, a low impression share means it’s time to make some improvements in your ad’s content, targeting, or budget.
A high impression share means your ad is being seen by more people, giving you a better chance to attract potential customers. It’s a clear indicator that your campaign is on the right track. Conversely, a low impression share is a wake-up call to make some changes in your strategy It tells you that your ads are not performing as well as they could be, and it’s time to pinpoint weak spots and perform optimizations.
There are two primary types of impression share: Search Impression Share and Display Impression Share. Understanding both can help you tailor your strategies for different advertising platforms.
This type pertains specifically to ads shown in search engine results. It measures how often your ads are displayed compared to the total number of times they could have been shown, based on your target keywords. This metric is especially important for businesses focusing on search engine marketing (SEM) as it offers insights into the visibility and reach of their ads on platforms like Google and Bing.
Unlike search impression share, this display impression share measures the visibility of ads on display networks. These networks include websites and apps that show ads, where your ad is displayed in various formats like banners or videos. Display Impression Share is an important metric for businesses leveraging display advertising as it indicates the frequency and reach of their ads across a wide range of internet locations.
Now you know what impression share is and why it matters, let’s talk about how to boost it. Here are some best practices and tips to help you get more eyes on your ads.
Here’s a real-life example of what results from ad quality improvement look like.
Sold.com simplifies buying and selling a home by matching customers with a real estate agent. Sold.com knew that Google ads would be a great way to reach new customers, but its ads targeted generic keywords and sent users to the sold.com homepage, handicapping what could’ve been a killer tool for winning business.
97th Floor created a strategy to pull new leads and increase conversion while lowering cost. 97th Floor first began targeting focused search terms such as “how much is my home worth,” and “how to sell my home.” To retain these high-intent leads, our team also changed the ad landing page to the Seller’s Quiz where users can get a customized seller report. We then analyzed reports to cut underperforming ads and prioritize the most effective campaigns.
97th Floor’s efforts boosted ad quality scores and brought ROI and anticipated revenue to levels sold.com has never seen before.
It's important to consider impression share in conjunction with other Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). These related metrics provide a more comprehensive view of your campaign's overall health:
Impression share helps marketers understand the reach and visibility of their ads. It also serves as a barometer for ad competitiveness in the digital marketplace. A robust impression share signifies a strong presence in your target market, while a lower share signals an opportunity for strategic adjustments.
Improving impression share involves a mix of creative ad design, strategic keyword management, intelligent budget allocation, and continuous performance monitoring. By focusing on ad quality, targeting precision, and leveraging data-driven insights, you can take your advertising impact to the next level.
Search Impression Share is a metric that represents the percentage of times your ads were shown out of the total number of times they could have been displayed, based on your target keywords and campaign settings, in search engine results.
It gives insights into how often your ads are seen in search results, indicating the effectiveness of your keyword targeting, ad relevance, and competitiveness in auctions.
A higher impression share often correlates with increased visibility and potential customer engagement, which can lead to more conversions and a better return on investment (ROI).
Key factors include ad quality, keyword relevance, bidding strategy, budget allocation, and overall competition in the ad auction space.
Yes, a low impression share might suggest that your ads are not as competitive, either due to insufficient bidding, budget constraints, or poor ad relevance and quality.
Google calculates it by dividing the number of impressions your ad received by the estimated number of impressions it was eligible to receive, based on your current ads' targeting settings and bids.
While theoretically possible, achieving a 100% impression share is extremely difficult due to variables like budget limitations, competitive bidding, and fluctuating search volumes.
Investigate the cause – it could be due to reduced bids, budget cuts, lower ad quality, or increased competition. Respond by adjusting these factors and optimizing your ad strategies.
Yes, most ad platforms like Google Ads provide tools and analytics for monitoring impression share and offer suggestions for improvement based on campaign data.
Regularly monitoring impression share is key. Depending on your campaign's scale and dynamics, reviewing this metric weekly or bi-weekly can help in making timely adjustments for optimal performance.
