Google used to label the Find Related Products & Services search ads with a larger sponsored label. It seems Google has removed that label and is now adding a smaller font disclaimer below the section to say these are from advertisers.
The disclaimer says, "These searches were selected to connect you with relevant products and services from advertisers." But the "Sponsored" label at the top is no longer there.
This was spotted by SERP Alert and posted on X and on his site - here is his screenshot:
You see the disclaimer at the bottom?
Here is what it looked like before, with the large Sponsored label at the top:
I have not yet heard from Google on why they removed the sponsored label from the top.
Forum discussion at X.
Update: Ginny Marvin, the Google Ads Liaison, responded the next day and wrote:
Hi Barry, This is a unit placed by Google that provides commercial search suggestions related to your search terms. The searches in this unit are not biddable and advertisers do not pay for clicks on these links. We are testing various label treatments on this particular unit to offer greater clarity, based on feedback we’ve received from users and advertisers.
