Key Factors of Ad Rank in Google Ads: How to Optimise Your Ad Visibility

In Google Ads, Ad Rank is key to determining your ad's visibility. Why do some ads stand out while others get lost among the competition? What factors truly define that ranking position, and how can we effectively optimise them to maximise results? Let’s break down the most important factors that influence Ad Rank and how each contributes to the success of your campaigns.

Ad Rank is primarily determined by three crucial elements: bid, ad quality, and the expected impact of ad assets. Each of these elements has multiple layers worth understanding, such as keyword relevance, landing page quality, and the bidding strategy used.

1. Bid: This is the maximum price you’re willing to pay for a click, but it’s not just about bidding higher. Bids often need to be aligned with an automated strategy that takes into account signals like time of day or user device. These factors influence the likelihood of conversion, as certain times of day may perform better, and different devices can affect user behaviour. Efficiency is key; bidding higher without control can increase costs without necessarily improving results.

2. Ad quality: Here, keyword relevance, ad copy, and landing page experience come into play. To stand out, keywords must align with the user’s intent, not just their search terms. The ad content needs to demonstrate to the user that they’re in the right place, building trust from the outset. Landing pages should also be fast, secure, and clearly aligned with the ad message and page experience.

3. Expected impact of ad assets: Assets like call extensions, promotions, or even the website play an important role in enhancing user experience, simplifying access to relevant information, and increasing the likelihood of engagement. This can improve CTR, and some of these elements provide extra information without leaving the SERP. Including as many assets as possible, as long as they’re relevant, can have a positive impact.

One thing to bear in mind is that not everything affects Ad Rank equally. Elements like assets (extensions) may seem secondary but, in reality, help increase CTR and improve ad relevance across different contexts, ultimately adding value to your Ad Rank.

The most common mistake is focusing solely on increasing bids to improve position. Google also evaluates relevance and user experience.

In terms of the order of importance of Ad Rank elements, ad quality takes first place. Second is bid, which determines your competitiveness in auctions. Finally, the expected impact of ad assets is the third factor; while it plays an important role, it doesn’t weigh as heavily as quality and bid in determining Ad Rank.

The factors affecting Ad Rank complement each other, and good synergy among them is what allows you to stand out in auctions.

Dynamic keyword insertion: benefits, risks and best practices

Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI) is a useful tool that can enhance ad ranking, but it doesn’t guarantee results and should be used carefully. As with everything in paid media, the effectiveness of such automations depends on a strategic and mindful approach that considers the specific characteristics of each campaign.

DKI allows the specific keyword a user searched for and triggered the ad to be included in the ad title, thus achieving greater perceived relevance for the user. This can lead to a higher ad ranking and potential improvements in CTR. However, this tool should not be overused. The risk of excessive or poorly optimised insertion is a loss of control over the message, leading to incoherent ads or, in the worst cases, grammatical errors or nonsensical messages for the user.

There are other codes similar to DKI that are also worth considering. Options like user location insertion {LOCATION(City)}, which allows an ad to be tailored according to the city where the device is located, or countdown codes {COUNTDOWN(yyyy-MM-dd HH

,daysBefore)}, which help convey urgency by showing the time remaining until an event. These codes add a touch of personalisation that, when applied well, can increase the relevance of the ad and, consequently, the campaign’s performance.

The key, however, is not to lose sight of the purpose of the ad, which is to convey a clear, coherent message aligned with the brand’s values, such as its tone, mission, and unique selling points. DKI and other codes should only be used when their impact is positive and aligned with the brand’s overall message. Overusing insertions can lead to a robotic experience for the user, straying from the communication any brand should aim for.

A good question to ask before implementing these codes is: can they really enhance the ad’s impact or the effectiveness of the message for the user who sees it? In some cases, it might be better to keep an ad without insertion—clear and effective—rather than trying to make it hyper-personalised at the expense of coherence.

For every automation we introduce, we should consider the context and how users will interact with our ads, ensuring that we don’t fall into generic messaging that adds no value or, worse, ends up confusing the audience.

What’s your take? Have you had any good or bad experiences using DKI in your campaigns?

Introduction to International Paid Media

Expanding Paid Media internationally: Why should you consider it now?

Reach is a necessity for businesses looking to scale. If you only focus on your local market (national level), you're missing out on significant opportunities in less saturated markets, where competition is lower and acquisition costs or CPC may be cheaper.

This is where many hesitate. International expansion sounds complicated: different languages, cultures, regulations… It’s easy to dismiss it. However, it’s a mistake to think that advertising internationally is more “difficult” or expensive than optimising your paid media solely for a competitive local market.

Three key factors to consider in international markets:

Cultural and linguistic adaptation: You need to translate and adapt the language of your campaigns, creatives, and landing pages to the cultural context. This increases relevance and can also reduce your acquisition costs, while maintaining brand consistency and coherence—something that is often underestimated in improving CRO. Users will feel a stronger connection when they’re spoken to in their native language.

Optimisation of the user experience (UX): I’m not just talking about the website, but also the local currency, the most common payment methods, and the preferred shipping options, all of which are crucial for achieving conversions outside your usual market. What’s the point of driving traffic from abroad if you can’t offer a smooth purchasing experience?

Less competition, more opportunities (even if it doesn’t seem like it): When we talk about less competition in international markets, many people assume I’m simply referring to the number of competitors. However, it’s more complex than that. If you already have the capability and competitiveness to lead in your local market at a national level, it’s very likely that you have the conditions to be competitive abroad.

What really makes the difference here isn’t just the number of competitors, but the fact that many businesses aren’t ready to take the leap internationally. Barriers to entry—such as infrastructure, a sufficiently good offer, cultural adaptation, and resources—limit many businesses to only operate in their local markets. In contrast, if you’ve already overcome these challenges, you have an advantage that many other competitors don’t yet have. In other words, although there may be many players in the market, the real competition might be less intense than it seems.

And of course, this is something that needs to be analysed on a case-by-case basis, but overall, the landscape suggests that businesses well-prepared for internationalisation often face fewer real competitive barriers outside their local market.

Tapping into these markets is a smart way to reduce advertising costs, generate more customers, and diversify risks.

Before you start, research which platforms dominate in that country: Bing Ads is more popular in some markets than others, and the same goes for Google. There are local platforms that dominate, such as Yandex in Russia.

In markets like Japan or Germany, where consumers are more loyal, if you have a competitive and high-quality offer, you’ll not only achieve conversions but also gain customers with higher lifetime value. And yes, we’re talking about a real competitive advantage here: not many businesses dare to cross borders, but if you’re the first to do so, and do it well, you can dominate international markets faster.

Taking advantage of these markets is a smart way to reduce advertising costs, generate more customers, and diversify risks.