Google is testing a new label for Search ads that could give certain advertisers a visual guarantee within search results.
In a post on LinkedIn, Google Ads Link Ginny Marvin announced a limited US trial adding a “Strong Match” or “Strong Match” label to select Search ads.
According to Marvin, labels are designed to help users quickly identify the most relevant information for their query while helping marketers connect with a highly targeted audience.
The test is currently being rolled out to a small percentage of users in the United States.
Marvin said the selection depends on the quality of the existing ad and the related signals that Google already uses to evaluate Search ads.
Although the announcement itself was relatively brief, it quickly sparked questions from advertisers about how the label is determined, whether it can influence click behavior, and what it might indicate about the future direction of Search.
Google has yet to define what qualifies as a “strongest game”
Google’s announcement answered what the label is intended to do, but not how advertisers qualify for it.
According to Marvin, nominations are based on existing quality and important signals. Apart from that, Google did not elaborate on how the label is determined.
As a result, marketers still don’t know:
- What signals are used to determine the label
- How those signs weigh
- Whether the nomination is based on a query, keyword, ad, landing page, or a combination of factors
- That multiple advertisers can find a label in the same auction
- Whether the label is tied to the ad space
The lack of information quickly became one of the main talking points after the announcement.
Several advertisers have questioned whether the term reflects the same systems Google already uses to test ad relevance or whether the test introduces an additional layer of testing.
Others have questioned whether bidding power plays a role.
Google’s explanation suggests that the label is intended to indicate relevance rather than dismissal. However, the company did not explain how those decisions were made.
Until Google shares more information, advertisers are left with a label that seems meaningful but has no clear meaning.
Advertisers Ask for More Transparency
Advertisers quickly focused on a different question: how Google decides which ads get the label.
Several commentators have questioned whether “Strong matches” reflect similar systems Google already uses or whether additional features are involved.
Terry Hogan asked if the appointment was really based on kinship or if the ability to apply influenced the decision.
Kristen Kelleher asked a popular question, based on the number of likes she received:
What components make up the score under the game label? Is this based on quality score based on keyword, ad relevance, landing page end or is it based only on the ad itself?
So far, Google is not providing more details.
Some commenters asked questions of measurement around the label test.
Craig Graham asked: “Are there plans for any kind of reporting on the marketer side of this if testing is done more widely?”
That seems to be important if the name influences the click behavior. Advertisers will likely want to know when their ads receive the label and whether it affects performance.
Questions also piled up on Marvin’s LinkedIn post about how the label would appear in search results.
Bernt Muurling asked if the power play will always be the first result shown.
If the label only appears in a high-ranking ad, it reinforces Google’s existing ranking decisions. If it appears elsewhere on the page, it introduces a new signal that users can check next to the ad’s location.
Justin Winschitl pointed out what might be the biggest challenge of testing:
He is interested in what are the criteria for labeling “same species” and if there may be errors in labeling, harming businesses. On the other hand, if the buttons are installed, it can be very useful for the best match filtering and effective ad usage!
If the name is occasionally incorrect, advertisers may question whether Google favors one business over another.
Could This Be A Socially Related Signal?
The test stands out because it can make Google’s test of relevance visible to users.
Advertisers have always known that Google evaluates factors such as ad relevance, landing page experience, expected click-through rate, and other quality signals when deciding which ads to show and where to rank. That testing happens mostly behind the scenes.
The “Strongest match” label will shift part of Google’s relevance assessment from Google Ads to the user experience itself.
That may seem like a small change, but it introduces a new twist to the search experience.
Users already see the ad space. A visible label gives them another signal to check.
This is one of the reasons why many marketers immediately question how a word is determined and how it can influence click-through behavior.
It also raises questions about whether the label becomes a competitive advantage in itself.
If users start viewing the designation as a recommendation from Google, advertisers who receive the label can benefit beyond the visibility that comes with ranking well in the auction.
Whether that happens will likely depend on how often the label appears and whether users respond to it.
Currently, Google has positioned the test as a way to help users identify relevant information as quickly as possible. The broader question is whether marketers and users end up viewing the term as a related signal, a recommendation, or something in between.
Why Google May Be Testing This Now
Although Google has not yet shared the reasons for the test, the test comes as Search continues to appear more than the usual list of links.
Google already makes relevant decisions every time an auction is held. The difference is that those decisions usually stay behind the scenes.
This test examines what happens when part of that test is visible to users.
Google already makes relevant decisions every time an auction is held. This test checks whether that test should be visible to users.
As with most Search tests, the feature may not go beyond the test. If it does, it could mark another step toward Google making more of its relevance decisions visible within the Search information itself.
What This Means for Marketers
At this point, marketers should view the label as an experiment rather than a new development opportunity.
Google has not introduced controls, reporting, or guidance on how advertisers qualify for nominations.
Currently, the announcement is getting a lot of attention because it introduces a new user-facing signal to Search Ads. Whether that signal influences click-through behavior or campaign performance is unclear until Google provides more information.
We’ll continue to watch the release and update this story if Google shares more details about eligibility criteria, reporting, or wider availability.
Featured image: Kues / Shutterstock, Phone image courtesy of Google
