Key takeaways
- Auction Insights shows how often your ads appear compared with other advertisers in the same auctions.
- Key metrics are impression share, overlap rate, position above rate, top of page rate, absolute top of page rate and outranking share.
- Use it to understand competition for searches such as "accountant near me", not to copy competitors.
- Low impression share is caused by either budget or ad rank; the fix differs for each.
- Check it monthly and around seasonal peaks such as January.
When you run Google Ads for your accounting firm, you are competing in an auction every time someone searches. The Auction Insights report shows how your ads perform against other advertisers in those same auctions. It is one of the most useful reports for understanding a local, competitive market.
Where to find it
In Google Ads, open a Search campaign, ad group or keyword and look for Auction insights under the insights or reports section. You can choose a date range and compare periods. It is mainly used with Search campaigns; availability for other campaign types has varied as Google has changed its products.
The metrics explained
| Metric | What it means |
|---|---|
| Impression share | The percentage of auctions you were eligible for in which your ad was shown |
| Overlap rate | How often another advertiser’s ad was shown when yours was |
| Position above rate | When both ads showed, how often the other advertiser’s ad was above yours |
| Top of page rate | How often an ad appeared above the organic results |
| Absolute top of page rate | How often an ad appeared as the very first ad |
| Outranking share | How often your ad ranked higher than another’s, or showed when theirs did not |
The report lists other advertisers by domain, such as other local practices, online accountancy firms and directories.
Reading the report for an accounting firm
Who are you competing with?
You may find you compete less with other local practices than with national online accountants, comparison sites or lead generation companies. That affects strategy: national competitors may have larger budgets, but your local presence, reviews and specialist offer can be stronger.
Are you losing impressions to budget or rank?
In your campaign’s competitive metrics, two columns explain lost impression share:
- Search lost IS (budget): your daily budget ran out. Options: increase budget, narrow keywords or locations, or focus on the best hours.
- Search lost IS (rank): your ad rank was too low. Options: improve ad relevance and landing pages, raise bids on valuable keywords, use relevant assets, and improve Quality Score. See Quality Score.
Seasonal changes
Competition for Self Assessment searches rises sharply in December and January. Comparing Auction Insights across months shows when competitors increase activity, helping you plan budgets. See how much to spend on Google Ads.
What to do with the insights
- Do not chase every competitor. Focus on searches that bring profitable clients.
- Differentiate your ads. If you appear alongside national online firms, emphasise local service, named accountants and reviews. See writing Google Ads copy.
- Sharpen targeting. If directories and lead sellers dominate broad terms, use more specific keywords and negative keywords. See negative keywords.
- Improve landing pages, which influence Quality Score and conversion rate.
- Watch for new entrants and changes in overlap, which may explain changes in your costs.
Common mistakes
- treating high impression share as success when the searches are not profitable
- raising bids to outrank a competitor without checking cost per enquiry
- ignoring the effect of location and ad schedule settings
- reviewing the report once and never again
Frequently asked questions
What does impression share mean in Google Ads?
The percentage of eligible auctions in which your ad was actually shown.
Can I see competitors’ budgets in Auction Insights?
No. It shows relative performance in shared auctions, not competitors’ budgets, bids or results.
Why is my impression share low?
Either your budget runs out (lost to budget) or your ad rank is too low (lost to rank), shown in the campaign’s competitive metrics.
How often should I check Auction Insights?
Monthly, and before and during seasonal peaks such as the Self Assessment period.
Sources
Facts and rules in this guide were checked against the sources below in October 2026. Platforms, prices and regulations change, so check the current position before acting. This guide is general information, not legal or professional advice.