Impression Share 101: Mastering the Do's and Don'ts

Impression Share, or IS, is a crucial metric in the world of digital advertising. It measures the visibility of your ads and helps you determine if you're making the most of your advertising budget. 

In this article, we will discuss what Impression Share is, why it's relevant, and how to use it to achieve your advertising goals. Whether you're a seasoned advertiser or just starting out, you'll come away with a better understanding of how to make the most of your advertising efforts and improve your overall performance.

What is Google Ads Impression Share?

Impression Share is a metric that measures the number of times an ad is shown (impressions) in relation to the number of times the ad could have been shown (eligible impressions). 

Simply put, it is a percentage that indicates the proportion of times an ad is shown compared to the number of opportunities for it to be shown. Impression Share is calculated by:

Impression Share = impressions / total eligible impressions

Why is Impression Share Important for Digital Advertisers?

Impression Share is a crucial metric for digital advertisers as it provides valuable insights into the success of advertising campaigns. It allows advertisers to measure the visibility of their ads, evaluate the effectiveness of their targeting, and understand their competition.

In addition, tracking Impression Share helps advertisers optimize their ad spending by showing them where they are losing impressions and what they can do to improve. This can lead to increased visibility and better results for their campaigns.

What Is Considered A Good Impression Share?

A good Impression Share in Google Ads varies depending on whether you're targeting branded or non-branded keywords. 

For branded keywords, an Impression Share of over 90% is considered good, as these terms are already associated with your brand and there is less competition. 

70% is considered a good impression share for non-branded keywords. Due to competition for these terms, a higher share would indicate stronger visibility and potential conversions. An Impression Share above 80% is considered excellent for both branded and non-branded keywords.

Where To Find Impression Share

Knowing your Impression Share can help you optimize your campaigns to reach more of your target audience. To locate where your Impression Share is:

1. Go to the "Campaigns" tab.

2. Select the campaign you want to view the Impression Share for.

3. Click on the "Columns" menu, and select "Modify Columns".

4. Choose the Impression Share you want to see and click “Apply”.

5. Your statistics table will now show your Impression Share data.

How to Improve Google Ads Impression Share

Now that you know where to find your Impression Share, it’s time to talk about how to improve it. There are several strategies you can use to improve your Impression Share. These include:

  • Conducting thorough keyword research and targeting the right keywords to reach your target audience.
  • Ensuring that your ads are relevant and of high quality. Ads that are relevant and engaging will gain more impressions, which can improve your Impression Share.
  • Implementing effective bid management strategies. Bid management involves adjusting bids for specific keywords and campaigns to increase visibility and reach.

Best Practices for Managing Impression Share

To effectively manage Impression Share, it is important to set specific goals and regularly monitor and analyze your campaigns. This will help you identify areas where you can improve and optimize your campaigns for better results.

Some best practices for managing Impression Share include:

  • Using demographic and geographic targeting. Setting these will help target the right audience who are likely to be interested in your products. 
  • Conducting A/B tests. Regularly running A/B tests helps identify what works best to improve your Impression Share over time. Test different ad headlines and images to see which performs better.
  • Monitoring and adjusting bids. Regularly check and change your bid amounts to guarantee optimal visibility and reach. If your Impression Share is dropping during specific times, try adjusting your bids to enhance ad presence for those hours.
  • Using customer match and remarketing lists. to reach users who have already engaged with your brand, improving the relevance of your ads and increasing Impression Share. For example, use remarketing to show related product ads to users who have visited your website.
  • Continuous optimization. Impression Share is not a one-time optimization effort, it requires continuous monitoring and optimization to achieve the best results.

In conclusion, Google Ads Impression Share is an essential metric for seasoned digital advertisers looking to maximize the visibility and success of their advertising campaigns. By understanding and effectively managing Impression Share, advertisers can achieve their advertising goals to stay ahead of the competition.

Author

Don’t let click fraud drain your ad budget.

Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Don’t let click fraud drain your ad budget.