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Google’s Search Partner Network Placement Reporting: What Changed and How to Act
Google has introduced long‑requested visibility into the Search Partner Network (SPN): site‑level placement reporting for Search, Shopping, and App campaigns. In practical terms, advertisers can finally see which partner sites served their ads and how impressions were distributed. Below, we explain what changed, why it matters for brand safety and performance, and the exact steps MountDigital recommends to turn this new transparency into results.
What changed in Search Partner Network reporting
- Site‑level transparency: Reports list the partner sites where your ads appeared, with impressions at the site level.
- Broader coverage: Applies to Search, Shopping, and App campaigns running on Search Partner Network inventory.
- Familiar format: The view is similar in spirit to existing placement reporting you may know from other Google campaign types.
- Important limitation: Data is impression‑based; you’ll need your own conversions and revenue data to decide which placements truly add value.
Why this matters now
- Brand safety control: You can audit where your ads appeared and exclude misaligned partners.
- Budget precision: Identify sites that over‑index on impressions but under‑deliver on quality.
- Stakeholder clarity: Placement evidence turns “gut feel” into data‑driven decisions.
- Testing confidence: With visibility, Search Partner Network can move from “black box” to structured testing within your risk tolerance.
How to review your Search Partner Network placements (quick start)
- Pull the Search Partner Network placement report for the campaigns you’re evaluating.
- Export the data and group by domain to understand impression concentration.
- Join with your performance source of truth (e.g., conversions, revenue, LTV) to score placements.
- Flag any sites that conflict with brand guidelines before considering performance.
MountDigital’s Search Partner Network optimization playbook
1) Placement audit and triage
- Brand alignment screen: Remove any sites that don’t meet your brand suitability standards.
- Volume screen: Prioritize the top sites by impression share; this is where optimizations pay off fastest.
- Performance screen: Overlay conversions, CPA/ROAS, and post‑click behavior to tier placements (Scale, Watch, Exclude).
2) Guardrails for testing Search Partner Network
- Define success upfront: CPA/ROAS thresholds, conversion quality checks, and minimum sample sizes.
- Budget caps: Ring‑fence a small percentage of spend for Search Partner Network tests with weekly review cadences.
- Bidding checks: Monitor modeled conversions and bid strategy behavior when Search Partner Network share rises.
3) Ongoing governance
- Weekly sweep: New placements can appear; keep a rolling exclusion and allowlist.
- Incident response: If you see an Search Partner Network surge, segment reporting immediately and apply corrective actions.
- Documentation: Keep a changelog of exclusion reasons and test outcomes for auditability.
Practical examples of actions to take
- Exclude obvious mismatches: Any site that contradicts your brand guidelines or regulatory needs.
- Double down on winners: If certain partner sites consistently correlate with quality outcomes, allowlist them for continued testing with tighter bid/target ranges.
- Rethink campaign structure: If Search Partner Network contributes meaningfully in certain categories or geos, consider duplicating campaigns to isolate Search Partner Network tests versus Google Search‑only controls.
- Tie to lifecycle value: Where possible, enrich evaluations with CRM/HubSpot revenue and LTV so impressions translate to business impact, not just click‑level metrics.
Measurement tips to overcome impression‑only reporting
- Use your own analytics: Map placements to downstream conversions, revenue, and lead quality.
- Compare like‑for‑like: Benchmark Search Partner Network placements against Google Search performance on the same keywords, audiences, and geos.
- Watch early signals: Bounce rate, time on site, engaged sessions, and qualified lead rates are helpful filters before you have deep conversion volume.
Common questions
Does Search Partner Network placement reporting include clicks or conversions?
- The native view focuses on impressions. Marry placement data with your conversions and revenue sources to judge value.
Should I opt into Search Partner Network if I previously opted out?
- Treat it as a controlled test. Start small, set guardrails, and keep an exclusion workflow ready.
Can I rely on Smart Bidding to handle Search Partner Network quality?
- Don’t assume it’s perfect. Monitor conversion quality and modeled conversions when Search Partner Network impression share rises.
How MountDigital can help
As a paid media partner focused on performance clarity, MountDigital blends:
- Paid Search expertise
: We set clear guardrails, isolate variables, and move budget only when the data warrants it. - Real‑time reporting: Custom dashboards surface Search Partner Network placement shifts fast, so you can act before they dent ROI.
- Cross‑channel lift: We coordinate Paid Social, SEO, and remarketing to turn qualified Search Partner Network traffic into customers.
