Google AdSense introduces a novel ad format that transforms existing text on websites into clickable shortcuts for Google Search, offering site owners a new way to engage users and monetize their content.
This fresh format, dubbed “ad intents,” seamlessly integrates links into the text of webpages, enabling users to initiate a Google Search directly from the content they are reading. Without relying on third-party cookies, this format overlays relevant search results, including ads, on top of the current webpage when users interact with the links.
In addition to text links, site owners can also incorporate similar functionality using anchors positioned at the bottom of the page, enhancing user engagement and potentially boosting earnings.
Explaining the concept, Google states, “Ad intents is an intent-driven format that places links and anchors into existing text and pages on your site related to your content. When a user interacts with a link or anchor, it opens a dialogue that shows users relevant, organic search results with ads and can help to increase your earnings.”
While both formats can be employed independently, Google recommends using them together for optimal results. However, the company cautions against artificially inflating mentions of specific products to increase the frequency of ad intents, emphasizing the importance of maintaining the integrity of the content.
Crucially, this new ad format is designed to work seamlessly across mobile and desktop platforms, offering a consistent experience for users regardless of their device. Regarding the display of ads within the overlay boxes, Google clarifies that the content shown is relevant to the page’s context, although it does not explicitly state whether all ads are attributed to the publisher.
Google also outlines its approach to determining the number of ad intent links displayed on a page, aiming to strike a balance between monetization and user experience. This includes considerations such as the page’s word count and the avoidance of excessive or duplicate links.
AdSense publishers can opt in to utilize this new ad format, which is available starting today. This announcement comes amid reports of significant drops in revenue for AdSense users since February 2024, highlighting the ongoing evolution of monetization strategies in the digital advertising landscape.
