Average position data is being removed from Google Ads.

We’ve known for a while that this was coming, but the time has now arrived. Average position has been a part of Google Ads since the beginning and for many has been one of the more important metrics to look at when optimising.

Looking for keywords that are falling below 2rd of 3rd positions but that have a great cost per acquisition or high volumes of conversions showed an opportunity to increase bids and get even more exposure.

Luckily we are left with other metrics including impression share which gives an indication of how often a keyword is triggering in comparison with other ads eligible for an auction.

It’s interesting watching the evolution of visibility and control as Google moves further and further towards automation.

Google’s post on the sunset of average position states:

We understand it’s valuable to know how prominently your ads show on the search results page. So, in November, we rolled out ‘Search absolute top impression rate “Impr. (Abs.Top) %”‘ and ‘Search top impression rate “Impr. (Top) %“‘, which describe what percentage of your ads appear at the top of the page and absolute top of the page. These new metrics give you a much clearer view of your prominence on the page than average position does.

I believe these metrics are valuable but they will definitely be harder to explain or for a newbie to grasp.