• Search Engine Roundtable, Friday, August 24, 2007 3 PM

Two weeks ago Google announced it was changing the method used to determine which AdWords ads would take the top spot above natural search results -- and the change is now in effect. Search Engine Roundtable scoured Webmaster forums and blogs for preliminary responses to the search giant's tactic, with some users already seeing a downward trend in their number of top-ranked ads.

Instead of using a mix of an ad's Quality Score and the average CPC to choose which ad gets top placement, Google now factors the maximum CPC into the equation. Some advertisers questioned whether this was an arbitrary way for Google to increase profit margins, but the company maintains that the change is aimed at delivering better ads to users and giving marketers more placement control. Search Engine Roundtable says its authors will continue to watch the forums, as it's too early to gauge just how much of an impact the change will really have.

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