Google blending ads - Is position 1 still that?

I have just been looking at my search engine placings, on the first page of Google and noticed that the Adsense/Adwords ads seem to have been more closely blended into the search results.

I am sure the backgorunds of the ads used to be blue, they are now a pale salmon colour which is very difficult to see at first glance.

Does this now mean that position #1 is no longer that? It could be position 3 or 4!

Your thoughts please.

 

They're yellow and this change has been in place for a few weeks now.

http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/012813.html

&

http://www.seroundtable.com/archives/013114.html

 

I noticed that myself. Maybe it's to make the ads look more like results than sponsored links? Not sure really.

 

How would changing from blue to yellow do that? Organic results aren't yellow.

 

I've seen the salmon pink ones too, maybe they are still trying out different colours in different regions. I think it does make the distinction between sponsored and organic links a little less obvious, the yellow & pink give a paler impression than the blue, and although they are still marked out as different, it's subtler.

 

The salmon colour sounds like more testing, I know of others who have seen this colour too.

For the moment, they are *officially* yellow...

 

I understand the concept, but to me, its making the adverts stand out more rather than being more subtle.

The rest of the colour 'theme' in a SERP is blue - the background lines, the dividers, the navigation, the organic and sponsored listings...

So the older 'pale blue' was very natural and felt right. The pink and yellow are SO distinctly different to everything else on the page. Sure, it draws the eye, but does it mean it will get a click more often?

I am not suprised at all that CTR has fallen in some cases.

 

Ok when I take a screenshot the salmon pink shows up well,



however, unless I have my laptop set at the optimum angle, the salmon pink almost is non-existent.

That's what I mean about blending.

The sponsors spot really does take on the number 1 spot.

 

That looks yellow to me.

 

That is definitely yellow.

 

I guess we must have different colour settings on our computers because it is without a doubta pale salmon pink on mine.

 

salmon pink... lol

FF + Adblock ftw.

But when i take it off.... its got an orange hue to it.

 

Yahoo! + FF + Adblock Plus ftw

 

Did you all notice the other change to the top sponsored ads? They are no longer clickable anywhere on the ad. Now, you can only click on the ad headline. For me, it looks to be a positive change, however I'm curious if others have noticed significant changes. My traffic seems to have dipped slightly, but my ROAS has improved.

 

You'll find this interesting:

Impact of Yellow Google Ads & Click Through Change on CTR & Sales

Yes, our settings would correct and yours would be the opposite of that