Google Ads Auction Insights 

When a user searches for a keyword, Google conducts an ad auction in the background to determine which ads serve and where they should appear on the search result page. Each auction may produce a different result since the auction process is repeated every time a user searches for a term. The auction insights report assists advertisers in understanding how they compare to other advertisers in these auctions. 

What Is Auction Insights Report and What Does It Include?

Google Ads’ auction insights report includes information about other advertisers bidding on the same keywords as you. This data can assist advertisers in making strategic decisions about bidding and budgeting by highlighting areas where you are succeeding and where you may be missing opportunities. An auction insight report is not available for each Google Ads campaign type. For Search Campaigns, Google shopping ads, and Performance Max Campaigns, the auction insights report is available. There are six metrics available in the auction insights report, and they are: 

Impression Share (IS)

This metric shows the percentage of impressions your ads received out of the total available impressions. A high impression share indicates that your ads are reaching a large audience, while a low impression share suggests that your ads are not reaching your target audience as effectively.

Impression share = (impressions/total eligible impressions) x 100

Overlap Rate

It shows the percentage of impressions your ads received that were also received by another advertiser’s ads. A high overlap rate indicates that you are bidding on the same impressions as other advertisers, while a low overlap rate suggests that you have a unique target audience.

Position Above Rate (Search campaigns only)

This metric shows the percentage of impressions your ads received that were shown above other advertisers’ ads. A high position above rate indicates that your ads are appearing higher on the page, while a low position above rate suggests that your ads are appearing lower on the page.

Top of Page Rate (Search campaigns only)

This metric shows the percentage of impressions your ads received that were shown at the top of the page. A high top of page rate indicates that your ads are being shown in a prominent position, while a low top of page rate suggests that your ads are being shown lower on the page.

Absolute Top-of-Page Rate (Search campaigns only)

It shows how often your ad was shown at the absolute top of the page as the first ad above the unpaid search results. 

Outranking Share 

This metric shows the percentage of impressions your ads received that were shown ahead of a specific competitor’s ads. This metric can help you understand how your bidding strategies compare to your competitors.

How to Read Google Ads Auction Insights Report?

In Google Ads optimization, it is important to understand the data accurately. If current ad campaigns are not working, it is a good idea to consider to re-shape the digital marketing strategy. At this stage, the Google Ads auction insights report will be very useful in making the right decision. 

An ad campaign can be analyzed and improved according to Google Ads Insights. Within the scope of the auction insight report, main competitors can be identified, and new competitors can be found. According to six main metrics in the auction insights report, competitor campaigns that work better than yours can be identified. Based on impression share, you can find out how much your competitors might spend.