Google Ads: Types of Google Ad campaigns

Google Ads is the No. 1 paid advertising platform on the planet, allowing businesses to reach a vast audience of potential customers.

You’ve seen the standard text ad that shows at the top of the Google results page when you type a query into the search bar. In our industry it’s called “text ads” and it’s the cornerstone of the Google Search Network. They can be very effective and are essential to many businesses’ marketing mix. However, what about all the other ad formats Google offers? What if you’re a retailer marketing your inventory? What  if you’re trying to get customers to download your app?

The Google Display Network (GDN), which comprises more than 2 million websites, videos, and apps, reaches over 90% of all internet users worldwide—and nearly 65% of those users are reached on a daily basis.

Which type of ad is best to maximise your marketing efforts? Let’s find out.

There are 8 different types of ad campaigns with Google:

1. Search : Text ads on Google search results
2. Display: Image ads on websites or on Gmail
3. Video: Video ads on YouTube
4. Shopping: Product listings on Google
5. App: Your app promotion on many channels
6. Smart: Simplified automated ads on Google and across the web
7. Local: Drive customers to a physical location
8. Discovery: Runs ads across Google’s feeds when they’re open

 

Types of Google Ad campaigns & their best practices

Now that you’re familiar with Google Ads basics let’s dive into the five Google ads campaign types and see how you can use them to advertise your business.

1. Google search ads – attract people looking for your products

Google search ads are text ads that you see on Google search engine results pages (SERPs). Your search ads can appear either at the top above the organic search results or at the very bottom of the page.

Best used for: Getting in front of people who are ready to buy.

By targeting keywords with buyer’s intent, you can reach shoppers when they’re searching for the products and services that you offer. For example, if you’re selling dog beds on your Shopify store, target keywords like “dog beds cheap,” and you’ll attract people who are looking to buy a dog bed.

2. Display ads – generate brand awareness 

While search ads are based on text and let you target specific keywords, Display ads are image-based and allow you to target people who are likely to be interested in your products but aren’t looking for them yet.

You can usually see display campaigns when you’re browsing your favorite websites. However, they can also appear on your Gmail account, apps, or videos.

Best used for: Reach your potential clients early in the buying cycle and increase your brand awareness.

3. Video ads – get in front of targeted audience

Since YouTube belongs to Google and also acts like a search engine–only for videos–you can target your potential customers on YouTube based on what they are watching. And with over 2 billion users worldwide, you have quite an audience to target!

Your video ad campaigns are placed before, during, or after YouTube videos and in the search results.

Best used for: getting your product or service in front of a relevant audience.

4. Shopping ads – advertise to shoppers ready to buy

Google Shopping Ads are product-based ads. They’re displayed specifically for product searches on Google.

Unlike regular search ads, Shopping ads show an image of a product along with its product title, price, store name, and reviews. Essentially, they provide shoppers with important product information before they even visit an online store.

Best used for: Boost traffic to your e-commerce store and increase sales.

5. App Ad campaigns – increase your app installs

Have a mobile app for your business? With Google Ads, you can promote it with app campaigns across Google’s largest properties, including Google Play, YouTube, Search, and the Google Display Network.

Best used for: Creating ads to promote your app install or take a specific action within it.

Last Words

For businesses with ambitious growth targets, a profitable Google Ads campaign is often a top priority.

Getting your website to rank at the top of Google for your most important search queries usually takes months, if not years. Google Ads is a fantastic way to position your business at the top of the search results straight away.

Our team are accredited with Google and specialise in Google Ads, Google Shopping, Remarketing, YouTube Ads, and the Google Display Network. Work with us to have your ads campaigns that gain you immediate traffic and ultimately, get you more leads and sales.

We’re here to increase your traffic, grow your revenue and hit your business goals with our Google Ads management services.