Big news from Google. On 13th October, they announced some pretty major changes to how ads will show up in search results, and they’re rolling out globally. If you are currently running paid search activity, you’ll want to pay attention.
So, what’s changing?
A couple of things:
- Ads will now sit together under one “Sponsored results” label instead of separate listings.
- Users will soon have the option to hide the ad unit after they’ve viewed it.
According to Google, this update is designed to help people “navigate the top of page more easily” and create a “more personalised browsing experience.” It’s all part of their wider push to build trust with users, while still keeping advertisers visible.
Why this matters
We’re already seeing a shift in how people click, thanks to GenAI responses appearing right in the results. That’s changing user behaviour fast. This latest tweak from Google could accelerate that shift even more.
Here’s what we’re likely to see:
- CTR changes: If users can hide ads, your copy and creative will need to work a lot harder. The focus has to be on relevance, quality, and intent – giving users a real reason to click.
- CPC increases: Fewer clicks and higher competition usually mean one thing: costs go up. Every impression will need to deliver more value.
- Organic impact: Clearer ad labelling might make organic results stand out more (or, depending on visibility, less). Either way, it’ll shift the balance.
- AI advantage: With both paid and organic squeezed, Google’s AI Overviews could become the default click magnet – they’re already capturing a growing share of user attention.
What brands need to do next
This isn’t just a design change. It’s another sign that search is evolving, fast. The lines between paid, organic, and AI-driven discovery are blurring.
To stay visible, brands need a joined-up search strategy. Paid and organic can’t work in silos anymore, they have to move together, feeding off shared insights and unified intent data.
At Found, we’re already helping brands adapt. Our Everysearch™ framework gives marketers the tools to show up where it matters most, not just in traditional search, but across the emerging world of AI-powered discovery too.
If you want to discuss how this could affect your activity, then get in touch with our team.
