Ad for Business in Business's Own Knowledge Panel

[KymM]

Have you seen this before? It's an ad for the business (not a competitor) in the knowledge panel for the business, for a branded search. What's the point of this? I'm already looking at the business's listing. It seems like it's just wasting ad money but maybe I'm missing something?

 

[Conor Treacy]

I've not seen it on other places, but it's definitely showing up for that business, even for me and I'm in Omaha, Nebraska.

I'm guessing there's something not setup with the ads themselves. Certainly, it should be restricted to only show within their service area rather than someone in Nebraska. I also assume they're targeting their own business name, but we do that here and it doesn't show on our name.

Could this be part of Google Services Ad rather than a Google Ads Ad?

 

[Joey Abna]

Yes, I have seen ads like the one you shared. I'm not sure all the reasons they may show up. There is a setting in Google Ads where if selected your ads will show to people physically outside your area but have shown interest in your area. As an SAB you probably wouldn't want to choose that setting. As a restaurant, local attraction etc. you might want that exposure.

 

[KymM]

Yes, I have seen ads like the one you shared. I'm not sure all the reasons they may show up. There is a setting in Google Ads where if selected your ads will show to people physically outside your area but have shown interest in your area. As an SAB you probably wouldn't want to choose that setting. As a restaurant, local attraction etc. you might want that exposure.

That's interesting, thanks for the insight. It still doesn't quite explain why there is an ad on the listing itself, given that you are already viewing their listing.

 

[Phil Rozek]

@KymM, did you select the "include search partners" option in your campaign settings? If so, that's likely what pulled your ad into the KP. I'd disable search partners and see whether that ad still shows up.

For belt and suspenders, you may also want to add a couple of phrase-match negatives, like "chem dry yonkers" and "chemdry yonkers."

 

[Conor Treacy]

For belt and suspenders

That's a new phrase for me. Adding it into my collection!
I did some quick checking on the phrase; first used in 1958.
Never heard or seen it before, but I will find a way to use that in a blog post this week

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Conor Treacy, yeah, it's definitely from the days of smoking on airplanes.

 

[Tony Wang]

I didn't know Phil was alive in 1958

 

[Phil Rozek]

@Tony Wang, indeed, I was not. Just have an old soul

 

[JeffClevelandTN]

Have you seen this before? It's an ad for the business (not a competitor) in the knowledge panel for the business, for a branded search. What's the point of this? I'm already looking at the business's listing. It seems like it's just wasting ad money but maybe I'm missing something?

Hi @KymM, I have a feeling it is probably the franchise that is running Ads on behalf of the franchisee. Check out this link: About affiliate location extensions - Google Ads Help

Basically, almost any advertiser that has the placeid of the GMB profile can show ads on that profile. That is how Grubhub, Doordash, etc show Ads on affiliated restaurants GMB profiles. Another possibility that has occurred for one of our clients, is when we misconfigured a Google Local Ads Campaign.

 

[dgrunited]

Have you seen this before? It's an ad for the business (not a competitor) in the knowledge panel for the business, for a branded search. What's the point of this? I'm already looking at the business's listing. It seems like it's just wasting ad money but maybe I'm missing something?

Such ads are governed by Google's Smart Campaign. It is very 'smart' in getting people to click on your ad. In the process, you will spend your budget quickly.

There is nothing you can do about this apart from NOT running Smart Campaigns. There is no option to edit placements in a Smart Campaign.

Unfortunately, you cannot not run a Smart Campaign for GMB / GBP ads because this is the only option available in GMB / GBP.

I must say that it's a smart way for Google to make money quickly.