If you’ve noticed something different when searching on Google lately, you’re not alone. Google is testing a new way of showing ads on the SERPS both mobile & desktop. Instead of a single ad at the top, you might see groups of ads bundled together, marked with little bubble-style icons in the corner.
There’s also a new option popping up: “Hide Sponsored Result.” That means people can choose to remove paid ads from their search results page. While this sounds like a win for users, it could shift the way ads perform. For law firms, this might actually push more people toward Local Service Ads (LSAs), since those feel more natural than traditional search ads and have taken on a more organic appearance since verified badges were taken away recently.
The bottom line: Your ad messaging needs to stand out. In a world where people can literally hide your ad, making sure your copy connects quickly and gives people a reason to click is more important than ever. For now this is just a test that we are hoping does not roll out fully. Although it also seems to be a current trend amongst all big tech in wanting ads to not look like ads, a solution to a problem that they themselves helped to create.
