Impression share metrics show how often your ads appear compared to their maximum potential visibility. They help measure ad performance and identify areas for improvement in PPC campaigns. Here's what you need to know:
- Impression Share Formula: (Impressions ÷ Total Eligible Impressions) × 100.
- Why It Matters: Low impression share (<50%) can lead to 27% fewer clicks. Aim for 80-90% for strong performance.
- Where To Find It: Access metrics in Google Ads under "Competitive metrics" or similar sections in other platforms.
- Key Metrics: Search IS, Lost IS (budget), Lost IS (rank).
Quick Tips to Improve Impression Share:
- Increase your budget if you're losing impressions due to budget limits.
- Improve ad rank by raising bids and boosting Quality Score.
- Broaden targeting to increase eligible impressions.
Use tools like Optmyzr or SEMrush for advanced analysis and track metrics over time to optimize campaigns effectively.
How to Improve Your Google Ads Impression Share
Reading and Understanding Impression Share Data
Once you've accessed your data through platform reports or tools like those in the Top PPC Marketing Directory, here's how to interpret it effectively:
Google Ads Impression Share Reports
The hierarchy within your campaigns offers different insights into how your ads are performing:
| Level | Available Metrics | Key Insights |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign | Search IS, Lost IS (budget), Lost IS (rank) | Assess overall performance and budget usage |
| Ad Group | Search IS, Lost IS (rank) | Evaluate ad relevance and targeting |
| Keyword | Search IS, Lost IS (rank) | Examine competitiveness of specific terms |
This structure helps pinpoint issues. For example, budget constraints are often visible at the campaign level, while keyword-level losses might highlight problems with bidding or ad relevance.
"Impression share includes all auctions where your ad showed, and all auctions where your ad is competitive enough to show." - Google Ads Help [6]
Break down reports by device, location, and time to identify patterns in performance.
Related Performance Metrics
To focus on areas needing improvement, pay attention to these metric combinations:
| Metric Pattern | Action |
|---|---|
| High IS + Low CTR | Revise and improve ad copy |
| Low IS + High CTR | Increase budget or bids |
| High Lost IS (rank) + Good QS | Adjust your bidding strategy |
It's best to analyze data over a 14-30 day period to smooth out daily fluctuations and uncover meaningful trends.
Fixing Low Impression Share
Common Causes of Lost Impressions
Impression share can drop due to two main issues: budget constraints and ranking problems. Here's a quick breakdown to identify what's going wrong:
| Loss Type | Common Causes | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Budget-Related | Daily budget running out, uneven spending | Ads stop showing once the budget is used up |
| Rank-Related | Low Quality Score, low bids, poor ad relevance | Ads lose auctions to stronger competitors |
| Targeting | Narrow location settings, restrictive schedules | Limits the number of eligible impressions |
Steps to Increase Impression Share
To recover lost impressions, focus on fixing issues specific to your campaigns. Here's how:
If Budget-Related Losses Are the Issue:
- Use shared budgets across related campaigns to optimize spending.
- Switch to "Standard Delivery" to spread impressions more evenly throughout the day.
- Increase your budget in small increments, around 20%, to avoid overspending [3].
If Rank-Related Losses Are the Problem:
- Improve your Quality Score by focusing on landing page experience and ad relevance.
- Raise bids by 10-20% in areas where you're losing over 50% of auctions.
- Broaden your targeting strategically. For example, a legal firm increased their impression share from 35% to 68% by expanding their service area from 10 to 25 miles [7].
Device-specific adjustments can also make a big difference. Mobile campaigns often have 30-50% more eligible impressions but lower click-through rates (CTR). A retailer, for instance, boosted their mobile impression share from 45% to 82% by using accelerated mobile pages (AMP) [3].
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Advanced Impression Share Analysis
Once you've tackled immediate issues, it's time to focus on long-term improvements. This involves using advanced tracking to ensure your campaigns keep performing well over time.
Tracking Performance Over Time
To get a clearer picture of your performance, monitor Search Lost IS (Rank) and (Budget) alongside your overall metrics. Use these calculations to dig deeper:
| Metric | Formula | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Potential Impressions | Current Impressions ÷ Impression Share | Identifies the total possible impressions available |
| Rank-Lost Impressions | Potential Impressions × Search Lost IS (Rank) | Calculates the impressions lost due to low ad rank |
| Budget-Lost Impressions | Potential Impressions × Search Lost IS (Budget) | Highlights the impact of budget limitations |
For competitive insights, Google Ads' Auction Insights report is a valuable resource. Key metrics to monitor include:
- Overlap Rate: Tracks how often your keywords overlap with competitors.
- Position Above Rate: Shows how often competitors rank higher than you.
- Absolute Top Impression Share: Measures how often your ads appear in premium positions.
PPC Analysis Tools
Using specialized tools can take your impression share analysis to the next level. Research shows that businesses using these tools see a 28% higher ROAS compared to those relying only on CTRs [4].
"Impression share metrics act as a diagnostic tool - they tell you where to look, not what to fix." - PPC Hero [2]
Here are some tools worth considering:
| Tool | Key Features | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Optmyzr | Custom IS forecasting models, automated alerts | Predicting performance trends |
| Adalysis | Competitor benchmarking, cannibalization detection | Gaining competitive insights |
| SEMrush | Cross-channel tracking, automated reporting | Broad performance monitoring |
These tools can simplify your analysis and keep you proactive. Set up weekly dashboards to flag changes of 5% or more in impression share, and configure alerts for any three-day drops in performance. This method helps you catch and address issues before they escalate [4].
Next Steps
Once you've implemented advanced tracking strategies, it's time to focus on maintaining and optimizing your improvements. Here's how:
Key Analysis Methods
Use a structured approach to analyze the connection between impression share and conversion metrics. Here's a breakdown of what to track and when to act:
| Analysis Type | Key Metrics | Action Threshold |
|---|---|---|
| Budget & Quality | Search Lost IS (budget/rank) + CTR | Increase budget if loss exceeds 20%; review ads if CTR declines. |
| Device Performance | Device-specific IS breakdown | Adjust bids depending on device performance. |
| Time Patterns | Hourly IS distribution | Optimize ad scheduling for peak hours. |
Industry standards suggest keeping impression share at 80-90% for branded terms and 60-70% for competitive, non-branded keywords, aligning with the "Strong" performance tier mentioned earlier [1].
Recommended Tools and Resources
To keep your campaigns on track, consider using these tools:
| Tool Category | Recommended Solution | Maintenance Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Performance Tracking | AgencyAnalytics | Benchmark impression share across accounts. |
| Automated Reporting | Google Data Studio | Visualize weekly impression share trends. |
For a detailed comparison of tools, check out the Top PPC Marketing Directory (https://ppcmarketinghub.com), which offers in-depth reviews to help you choose the best tools for your needs.
Finally, schedule weekly reviews for campaigns with budgets over $50/day and bi-weekly checks for smaller accounts [3].
FAQs
What is a good impressions share?
The ideal impression share depends on your campaign type and industry. For branded keywords, you should aim for an 85-95% impression share to ensure your brand remains highly visible. On the other hand, for non-brand terms, achieving 40-60% impression share is more common due to increased competition [2][5].
When setting your impression share goals, consider these factors:
- Budget limitations and Quality Score: A 1-point increase in Quality Score can improve your impression share by 3-5% [4].
- Device performance differences: Adjust targets based on how your ads perform across various devices.
"While 90%+ IS seems ideal, we've found the optimal range is 70-85% for most non-brand terms - enough visibility without overspending on marginal positions." - Search Engine Land Analysis [2]
For active campaigns, monitor impression share weekly. For longer-term trends, review it monthly to account for seasonal changes. To fine-tune your campaigns, use the analysis methods and tools mentioned earlier in this guide. You can also explore resources like the Top PPC Marketing Directory (https://ppcmarketinghub.com) to keep your campaigns on track and maintain a healthy impression share.
