Google Ads Tests Scrolling Marquee & Underlined Domains for Local Biz

Summary: Google is trialing two new ad formats—a scrolling marquee that showcases ratings, reviews and visit counts, and an animated underline for the domain chip. The experiments appear in roughly 5% of searches, and they could reshape how local businesses capture attention in AI‑driven search results.

What Happened

On October 23, 2026, Google Ads began testing two eye‑catching display tweaks on a subset of sponsored search results. The first test adds a scrolling marquee beneath the ad headline that cycles through the business’s star rating, number of reviews, total site visits, and a direct "Visit site" call‑to‑action. The second test simply underlines the domain name in the ad snippet, giving it a visual cue that resembles a hyperlink.

The experiments were first spotted by SEO analyst Alex Greenland, who posted short videos on X (formerly Twitter). He noted that the marquee and underline appear in about 5 % of his searches, suggesting a controlled rollout rather than a full‑scale launch.

Key Details

• Marquee Content: Star rating (e.g., ★4.5), review count, total visits, and a clickable "Visit site" link scroll horizontally.
• Underline Effect: The domain chip—normally a plain text label—receives a subtle animated underline that fades in on hover.
• Geographic Reach: Early reports indicate the test is limited to English‑language queries in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia.
• Ad Types Affected: Both text‑only ads and ads that already display extensions (sitelinks, callouts) are eligible for the marquee.
• Duration: Google has not disclosed a timeline; the test could run for weeks or months before a decision is made.

What It Means For Your Business

1. Visibility Boost in a Crowded SERP

The marquee draws the eye much like a news ticker, giving your ad a dynamic visual advantage over static competitors. In a world where AI tools such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews pull data directly from search snippets, a moving element can increase click‑through rates (CTR) and improve the likelihood that your business is cited as a trusted source.

2. Social Proof Becomes Front‑And‑Center

Ratings and review counts are now front‑line data rather than buried in an extension. For local businesses, this can translate into instant credibility—especially for AI‑driven answer boxes that surface the highest‑rated local options.

3. Underlined Domains Signal Authority

Underlining the domain chip mimics the classic hyperlink cue, subtly reinforcing that the ad is a trusted gateway to your site. This could improve user confidence and reduce bounce rates, both of which are signals that AI models weigh when ranking content.

4. New Optimization Opportunities

Marketers will need to audit their Google Business Profile and ensure ratings are up‑to‑date, because any negative review will now be visible in the marquee. Additionally, the domain text should be concise and brand‑focused, as the underline will highlight it even more.

How to Prepare

• Refresh Your Google Business Profile: Verify that your star rating, review count, and business hours are accurate. Encourage satisfied customers to leave fresh reviews.
• Optimize Ad Copy for the Domain Chip: Keep the domain short and memorable; consider using a branded sub‑domain (e.g., shop.yourbrand.com) that aligns with your brand voice.
• Monitor Performance Metrics: Set up custom reports in Google Ads to track CTR, conversion rate, and cost‑per‑click for ads that receive the marquee versus those that don’t.
• Leverage Structured Data: Ensure your website uses schema markup for reviews and ratings so that Google can pull the most reliable numbers for the marquee.
• Test Landing Page Relevance: Since the marquee promises a "Visit site" CTA, the landing page must deliver the promised experience quickly—think fast load times and clear value propositions.

Future Outlook

Google’s experiments reflect a broader trend: search is becoming more visual and interactive, even in the text‑only environment of SERPs. As AI assistants increasingly synthesize information from search results, the way ads present data will influence not only human clicks but also machine citations. If the marquee proves successful, we may see it become a permanent feature, potentially expanding to include price ranges, opening hours, or even short video loops.

For local businesses that rely on AI‑driven discovery, staying ahead of these format changes is crucial. The marquee could become a new ranking factor for AI answer generation, while the underlined domain may help your brand stand out in AI‑curated lists of recommended services.

Bottom line: Treat these tests as an early warning sign. Optimize your reviews, sharpen your domain branding, and keep a close eye on performance data. The businesses that adapt quickly will reap the benefits of higher visibility, stronger trust signals, and more AI‑generated citations.

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Quick Action Checklist

• ✅ Verify and update Google Business Profile ratings.
• ✅ Ensure schema markup for reviews is present.
• ✅ Shorten and brand‑focus your display URL.
• ✅ Set up Google Ads custom reports for marquee performance.
• ✅ Review landing page speed and relevance.

By following this checklist, you’ll be ready whether Google rolls out the marquee permanently or moves on to the next visual experiment.

Why It Matters: For businesses that depend on AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, or Google AI Overviews to be discovered, the way information is presented in search results directly influences whether an AI model selects your brand as a source. The marquee puts social proof—ratings and review counts—front and center, giving AI algorithms a clear signal of credibility. This can increase the chances that your business appears in AI‑generated answer boxes, local packs, and voice‑assistant responses.

Additionally, the underlined domain chip reinforces brand authority in a visual way that humans and machines alike interpret as a trustworthy link. As AI continues to prioritize authoritative, well‑structured data, these ad format experiments represent a new frontier where advertising meets structured data. Local marketers who proactively optimize their reviews, schema markup, and domain branding will be better positioned to capture both human clicks and machine citations, driving more foot traffic, phone calls, and online conversions.

FAQs: [{"question":"Will the marquee appear for all my Google Ads?","answer":"No. Google is currently testing the marquee on a small sample—about 5% of searches—so only a fraction of your ads will show the new format during the experiment."},{"question":"Do I need to do anything to enable the marquee?","answer":"The marquee pulls data automatically from your Google Business Profile and existing review extensions. However, you should ensure your ratings, review count, and visit metrics are accurate and up‑to‑date."},{"question":"How can I measure the impact of the marquee on my campaigns?","answer":"Create a custom segment in Google Ads that isolates ads with the marquee (identified by a new \"Marquee\" label in the UI). Track CTR, conversion rate, and cost‑per‑click compared to a control group without the marquee."}]