Google Backpedals On Ad Rotation Change? Well, Sort Of

Near the end of April, Google shocked advertisers with another not so welcome change to the AdWords platform. It announced the end of the “Rotate evenly “ Ad Rotation option.  This option does just what you think it should. It allows for you, the advertiser, to rotate your ads at an evenly weighted distribution. It’s used by advertisers in the know who wish to properly test ad copy. The default rotation setting on Google is “Optimize for clicks” this setting causes Google to show the ad it thinks will be clicked most often there by giving the best user experience to the searcher. We’re sure money has nothing to do with it but then again Google sent us a gallon of its Kool-Aid to drink while reading the announcement.

The new setting replacing this option was supposed to rotate evenly for 30 days, and then switches it to Optimize for Clicks. This was very upsetting to many agencies and advertisers because they would no longer be able to properly test their ads. Because ads often don’t get enough traffic to make a determination within that 30 day window, the move seemed a deliberant attempt by Google to increase their profits and further strip control away from the advertiser.  If anything, it was a step back in functionality all in the name of user (Searcher) experience.

Needless to say, torches were lit and pitchforks were raised as a petition was circulated around the search marketing industry for weeks asking Google to give us the option to opt out. We all banded together to battle this epic paradigm shift in advertiser control. And guess what? Our cries were heard and a compromise has been made!  A few days ago, Google announced it would be extending the 30 day rotation period to 90 days plus it has given advertisers the option to permanently opt out, you can do so by clicking here. Google has stated that “…If we see a large amount of demand for the opt-out over the next few weeks, we’ll also offer the opt-out in the AdWords interface directly.” So by all means, opt out!

If you’d like to get the scoop direct from the horse’s mouth you can read about it on the AdWords Blog. Happy testing everyone!