5 Ways to Use Auction Insights in Google Ads to Crush Competitors

Key takeaways 

  • Auction insights let you see how your Google Ads stack up against the competition, so you can fix things before they go sideways.
  • Metrics like impression share, overlap rate, and position above rate show how often your ads show up—and how often you’re losing out.
  • Use this data to adjust bids, up your budget, or tweak your ad copy to outrank the competition and get more eyeballs.

Running Google Ads isn’t just about launching campaigns and hoping for clicks. 

You need to know how you stack up against the competition. 

Sure, it’s nice to know how your ads are doing. 

But seeing how they stack up against everyone else? 

That’s where it gets fun.

And that’s where auction insights come in. 

So, how do you dig up those auction insights in Google Ads?

Finding auction insights in Google Ads is dead simple. 

Here’s how to get there:

  • Log in to your Google Ads account
  • Go to the Campaigns tab
  • Select the campaign or ad group for which you want insights
  • Look at the top for the “Auction Insights” option (it’s right next to “Change History”)

Pretty straightforward.

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You can check insights for both Search and Shopping campaigns at the campaign, ad group, or keyword level. 

At the keyword level, you’ll see how you’re doing against others bidding on the same stuff. 

At the campaign level, you’ll get the big picture of how your whole campaign is holding up against others.

Use auction insights early to tweak your strategy consistently.

Save yourself the drama of scrambling to fix bad ads later.

5 ways you can use auction insights in Google Ads

#1 — understand your  impression share to get more eyeballs on your ads

Impression share is one of those metrics you actually need to pay attention to. 

Why?

It tells you how often your ads show up versus how often they could be showing up.

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If your impression share is low, your ads aren’t showing up as much as they should. 

A few things could be causing this:

If it’s low, you’re basically invisible.

So, what can you do?

First off, increase your bids to stay competitive. 

If your budget’s tight, don’t try to cover everything. 

Stick to your best-performing keywords or audiences.

Next, keep an eye on that quality score

Even if you have the budget and bids, a low score can tank your campaigns — and drive up your CPC.

Make sure your ads actually match the keywords you’re going after.

Make sure your landing pages don’t suck. 

The more relevant, the better.

Also, use impression share to scope out the competition. 

If their ads are showing up more than yours, it’s time to adjust your strategy. 

Maybe they’re outbidding you. 

Maybe their ads are better than yours.

Use Google Transparency Center to check out their ads.

Bottom line: low impression share means you’re missing out. 

Fix it — and get your ads in front of the right people. 

#2 — use overlap rate to see who’s always in your way

Next up is overlap rate

This metric shows how often your competitor’s ad pops up in the same auction as yours. 

Basically, it tells you how often you’re going head-to-head with a competing business for the same audience. 

A high overlap rate means you keep running into each other, fighting over the same people.

So, why should you care?

Because it messes with your performance and your budget. 

When your ads and a competitor’s are duking it out in the same auction, your cost per click goes up. 

Plus, you’re splitting impressions.

This means both of you end up with fewer clicks. 

And if their ad ranks higher? 

Congrats, you’re now paying more for less eyeballs and traffic. 

So what can you do? 

First, take a fresh look at your keyword strategy.

If you keep bumping into the same competitor, it might be time to go after less competitive ones. 

Target long-tail or niche keywords where you won’t be stuck fighting the same people in every auction.

Next, bid smarter

A research found that using automated bidding with target ROAS, for example, can have a big impact on your campaign’s ROAS.

No, you don’t have to outbid them on everything. 

Focus on the high-value keywords that actually convert. 

Maybe let go of the ones where overlap is crazy high.

Stop wasting money in battles you can’t win. 

If some keywords are getting lots of clicks but not much return, cut back the spending there.

Instead, focus your budget where it actually counts.

#3 — spot gaps with position above rate

Position above rate tells you how often your competitor’s ad is sitting above yours.

If they have a high position above rate, it means they’re consistently kicking your ad down the page.

Why’s that a problem?

  • Visibilityads at the top get noticed first. If your competitor is hogging that prime real estate, you’re scrambling for whatever’s left.
  • Click volume — higher-ranked ads grab more clicks. If they’re outranking you, they’re raking in more traffic.
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Not the best thing, but it’s a wake-up call.

At least, this way, you get to see who’s beating you and how.

So, study their ads, keywords, and strategy. 

Then, tweak your own. 

Improve your ad relevance, click-through rate (CTR), and landing page experience.

No, you don’t always need to raise bids. 

You can win by being smarter, not just throwing more cash at it.

So yeah, getting outranked sucks. 

But it’s also a cheat sheet on how to beat them, rank higher, and steal those clicks. 

#4 — use top of page rate to know if you’re on top or just floating around

Top of page rate tells you how often your ads land at the top of the search results instead of lurking lower down the page. 

Again, ads at the top of the page get way better click-through rates (CTR) and way more attention. 

This could mean more conversions.

Then ones stuck at the bottom are basically wallpaper.

Keeping tabs on your top of page rate helps you figure out if you need to work on your campaigns. 

The bottom line? If your ads aren’t up top, they’re not getting seen. 

So, aim higher — literally.

Here’s what you can do:

  • Increase your bids — if you’re constantly getting outbid, your ads are slipping lower. Try raising your bids for high-performing keywords. You can also use Enhanced CPC or Target CPA to make sure you’re bidding smarter.
  • Boost your quality score — Google loves showing relevant, high-quality ads. A better quality score means better ad rank. Write better copy and make sure your ads match the keywords you’re targeting. Also make sure your landing page matches the ad, loads fast, and gives users a good experience.
  • Focus on ad relevance — match what people are actually searching for. Your keywords should line up with your ad copy. You can even use Dynamic Keyword Insertion (DKI) to automatically drop the search term into your ad text, making it feel even more on point.
  • Use ad extensions — make your ads pop. Add extra links with sitelinks, show off key features with callouts, or toss in more details with structured snippets.

If your top of page rate is low, it’s time to step it up.

Because if your ads aren’t showing up where they matter, you’re basically burning cash.

#5 — use outranking share to steal the top spot

Outranking share shows how often your ad ranks higher than a competitor’s. 

It’s a direct measure of how often you’re beating them in the auction. 

This is different from top of page rate, which focuses on how often your ad shows up at the top of the search results — no matter who you’re competing with. 

Outranking share focuses on how you’re going against specific competitors. 

Top of page rate is about general visibility in top positions.

If you’re losing to a specific competitor regularly, you’ll notice it in your outranking share. 

That’s your signal to step it up.

Do a quick Google Ads audit

And depending on what you find, boost your outranking share beyond the usual tweaks:

  • Segment by device — if your competitor is killing it on mobile and you’re doing better on desktop, it’s time to shift gears. Make sure your ads are ready for mobile users. Look at your performance by device so you can zero in on where they’re winning.
  • Target audience segments — Don’t just stick to keywords and bids. Hone in on the exact people your competitor’s chasing. If they’re going broad, build custom audience lists based on interests or habits that fit your product better. This helps you reach a more engaged crowd and gives you a better shot at outranking them.
  • Check out competitor ads — check out what ads your competitors are running. Use that info to tweak your ad copy or highlight what sets you apart. If they’re pushing prices, for example, focus on your better service or higher quality to stand out.

On the flip side, if you’re regularly outranking a competitor, you’re in a good spot. 

But don’t relax just yet. 

Keep an eye on your performance to make sure you stay on top. 

After all, they won’t just sit back and let you win.

You’ve got the stats, now put them to work

auction insights in google ads summary

Now that you’ve got the numbers down, it’s time to actually use them. 

Auction insights are useless if you’re just sitting on them. 

Here’s how to make them actually do something:

  • Raise your bids — if you’re losing impression share or position, it’s probably time to throw some extra cash into the mix
  • Boost your budget — not showing up enough? You might need to spend a bit more to snag more impressions.
  • Fix your ad copy — if your competitor keeps outranking you, your copy might be dull. Spice it up. Make it more interesting.
  • Find new keywords — if your overlap rate’s high, stop fighting the same battles. Go after less competitive keywords and dodge the crowd.

And remember, auction insights aren’t a “set it and forget it” thing. 

Check in regularly to catch trends

Maybe a competitor’s gone wild with their budget. 

Maybe a new one just showed up. 

Watch these shifts and keep on reworking your strategy.

When to tune out auction insights and focus on what counts

Auction insights are useful — but they’re not the whole story. 

Sometimes, metrics like overlap rate don’t really matter that much. 

For example, if a competitor’s ad keeps popping up next to yours but you’re still getting solid results, there’s no need to stress.

Here’s when you can probably let things slide: 

  • High overlap rate, strong results — If your CTR and conversion rates are solid, who cares about overlap? Focus on what’s already working.
  • Impression share vs. conversions — Chasing more impression share can drain your budget without boosting conversions. If your conversions are good, stick with that instead of trying to be seen more.
  • Outranking share — Sure, it’s nice to outrank competitors. But if you’re getting the results you want, why sweat it? Winning auctions isn’t the goal. Getting the right clicks is.

The bottom line? 

Auction insights are just one part of the equation. 

If your core metrics — CTR, conversion rates, and ROI — are strong, don’t let auction data distract you. 

Instead, tweak your ads and targeting to get the results rolling.
And if you can’t do it yourself, definitely reach out to an ads consultant who can.

Em’s been wrangling campaigns for over a decade, from local shops to global brands. Now, as Head of Operations at JRR Marketing, she’s in the trenches making sure projects don’t go off the rails and jumping in to help create content (usually sneaking in a cat meme or two along the way).

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