Impression Share

Impression share (IS) is an important metric in pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, as it helps advertisers measure the effectiveness of their campaigns. In simple terms, impression share is the percentage of impressions (or views) that an advertiser’s ad receives out of the total number of impressions available in the target market. This metric is crucial for advertisers, as it allows them to understand how well their ads are performing in terms of visibility and reach.

Understanding Impression Share

Impression share is calculated by dividing the number of impressions an advertiser’s ad receives by the total number of impressions available in the target market. For example, if an advertiser’s ad receives 1,000 impressions and there are 10,000 impressions available in the target market, the impression share would be 10%.

It’s important to note that the total number of impressions available in the target market is not the same as the total number of searches performed. This is because not all searches will result in an ad being shown. For example, if an advertiser is targeting the keyword “red shoes,” and there are 1,000 searches for this keyword, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the advertiser’s ad will be shown 1,000 times. The ad may only be shown to a portion of these searchers, depending on various factors such as ad quality and relevance, bid amount, and competition.

Types of Impression Share

There are three types of impression share:

• Search impression share: This is the percentage of impressions an advertiser’s ad receives on the search network out of the total number of impressions available.
• Display impression share: This is the percentage of impressions an advertiser’s ad receives on the display network out of the total number of impressions available.
• Absolute top impression share: This is the percentage of impressions an advertiser’s ad receives in the top position (the first ad shown on the page) out of the total number of impressions available.

Factors Affecting Impression Share

There are several factors that can impact an advertiser’s impression share, including:

• Bid amount: The higher the bid amount, the more likely it is that an ad will be shown. However, it’s important to note that bid amount is just one of many factors that determines ad rank (the position of an ad on the search results page).
• Ad quality and relevance: Google’s algorithm takes into account the relevance and quality of an ad when determining ad rank. Ads that are highly relevant and of high quality are more likely to be shown and have a higher impression share.
• Competition: If an advertiser is in a highly competitive market, it may be more difficult to achieve a high impression share. This is because there are likely many other advertisers bidding on the same keywords and vying for the same impressions.

Best Practices for Improving Impression Share

There are several best practices that PPC advertisers can follow to improve their impression share:

Optimize Ad Relevance and Quality

As mentioned earlier, ad relevance and quality are important factors that can affect impression share. Advertisers should ensure that their ads are highly targeted and relevant to the keywords and placements they are bidding on, and that the landing page provides a seamless and relevant user experience.

To optimize ad relevance and quality, advertisers can:

• Use specific and relevant keywords in the ad copy and landing page content
• Use negative keywords to exclude irrelevant searches
• Use ad extensions to provide additional information and make the ad more prominent
• Optimize the landing page for relevance and user experience

Manage Bids Effectively

Bid management is an important aspect of PPC advertising, and can have a significant impact on impression share. Advertisers should aim to strike a balance between maximizing their bid and ensuring that they are getting a good return on their investment.

To manage bids effectively, advertisers can:

• Use bid adjustments to increase or decrease the bid amount for specific keywords, placements, or demographics
• Use automated bidding strategies to optimize bids in real-time
• Monitor the performance of the ad and adjust the bid accordingly

Monitor and Analyze Key Metrics

Monitoring and analyzing key metrics such as impression share, CTR, and cost-per-click (CPC) can provide valuable insights into the performance of a PPC campaign and help identify opportunities for improvement. Advertisers should regularly review these metrics and make adjustments as needed to optimize their campaigns.

Impression Share and Ad Performance

Impression share is an important metric to track, as it can provide insight into the overall performance of an ad campaign. A high impression share generally indicates that the campaign is performing well, as it means that the ad is being shown to a large percentage of users in the target market. On the other hand, a low impression share may indicate that the campaign is underperforming and that adjustments need to be made to improve the visibility and reach of the ad.

It’s important to note, however, that impression share is just one metric to consider when evaluating ad performance. Other metrics such as click-through rate (CTR) and conversion rate are also important to track, as they provide insight into how well the ad is performing in terms of driving traffic and conversions.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good impression share?

A good impression share will depend on the specific goals and circumstances of an ad campaign. For example, a campaign with a high impression share may be considered successful if the goal is to increase brand awareness. However, if the goal is to drive conversions, a high impression share may not be as important as a high CTR or conversion rate.

Can impression share be 100%?

It is theoretically possible for an advertiser to have a 100% impression share, but it is unlikely. This is because there are always other advertisers competing for the same impressions, and the ad rank algorithm takes into account various factors such as bid amount, ad quality and relevance, and competition.

Can impression share be improved?

Yes, impression share can be improved by making adjustments to the ad campaign such as increasing the bid amount, improving the ad quality and relevance, expanding the keyword list, and using negative keywords. It’s important to continually monitor and optimise the ad campaign to ensure that the impression share is as high as possible.