Google’s “Unfair Advantage Policy” is Shifting How Advertisers Compete

July 8, 2025

In April 2025, Google Ads rolled out updates to their Unfair Advantage Policy, aimed at targeting manipulative tactics in the ad auction. The biggest surprise was Google quietly loosened restrictions around double serving, the long-standing rule that barred advertisers from displaying multiple ads for the same search query.

What Changed?

Previously, advertisers couldn’t show more than one ad for the same business, even across multiple accounts. But now, double serving is allowed if:

The ads come from distinct brands or business entities, even under the same parent company
The offerings are meaningfully different in terms of value prop, product, or audience

This opens the door for holding companies, franchise groups, or brands with sub-labels to occupy more SERP real estate legitimately.

Why Does this Matter?

Advertisers managing multiple brands or domains now have an opportunity to revisit multi-account strategies, provided each ad delivers unique value and meets Google’s criteria for distinctiveness. At the same time, the update underscores Google’s continued focus on transparency: attempts to game the system with cloned sites or shell brands still face strict enforcement.

Impact To Your Campaigns

Impression Gains
- Since the April update, we’ve seen a notable increase in impression volume
CTR Declines
- With ads now appearing multiple times for the same query without a matching rise in clicks, expect to see a dip in click-through rates
Impression Share Distortion
- Fluctuations in impression share are emerging, though outcomes may vary by campaign. The effect will depend on how frequently your ads and your competitors’ double serve
Boosted Brand Visibility
- Increased presence on the SERP can help reinforce brand awareness, even if performance metrics shift in the short term

What Can You Do?

Segment by Ad Position (Top vs. Other)
- Break down campaign data by placement to identify where performance is strongest
  - Bid more aggressively for top spots only when the ROI supports the investment
Reassess Impression Share & Auction Insights
- Impression share and Auction Insights may now be distorted by double-serving
  - Establish new performance baselines
  - Use incremental lift and conversion tracking as more reliable performance signals
Re-optimize for Conversion Efficiency
- As more ads appear for the same advertiser, CTRs are likely to decline and it’s critical to maximize value after the click
  - Focus on post-click performance
  - Test landing page speed, content relevance, and clear offers to drive conversions
Monitor CPC Trends
- Increased competition could drive costs up
  - Use bid caps or shift to value-based bidding to protect margins