I recently noticed that Google is now adding merchant ratings to Google AdWords listings. The link within the ad leads directly to the Google products seller rating page.

I have seen a few ads in the “premium slots” that have contained a ratings link as well. The ads with rating information stand out significantly. I have not seen one with the Google checkout icon and the rating link yet, but if those are in existence, the CTR of those ads could be huge.

One ad I found with a rating link was for a company that did not list any items within a shopping feed, so this could enable service companies, restaurants, etc. to have their rating links added to AdWords ads.

According to the Google AdWords Blog, the ratings will show up if:

• You have 30 reviews or more
• You average 4 stars or better

With more and more information being placed on a search page (maps, product listings, social features, etc.) and AdWords ads becoming larger, the organic results keep being minimized. How long before Google gets rid of them on some searches?