Main Types of Google Ads: Which Campaign is Right for You?

Google Ads is one of the best tools for getting noticed online. It offers many different types of ads, each designed to target specific audiences or meet certain goals. But with so many options, choosing the right type of ad is critical.

Picking the wrong ad type can mean wasting money on people who aren’t interested or missing the chance to reach your ideal customers. Understanding how the different types of Google Ads work and choosing the right one can help you make the most of your budget and see great results.

This article will explain how to select the right types of Google Ads campaigns and how they can help your business succeed.

 

Why Choose Google Ads to Promote Your Business?

With 90.1% of the global search engine market, Google is the one the best advertising platforms for businesses to promote their brands, products, or services. Google Ads reach 90% of Internet users, which translates to 4.77 billion people. 

A Google Ads account allows businesses to place ads on Google Search, Google Maps, Google Images, Google Video (YouTube), Google Play, and Google’s Display Network, letting them reach their audience on different platforms and devices.

Using multiple types of Google Ads, brands can make sure potential customers see their ads on the Google Search Engine Results Page (SERP) and other Google sites.

This wide reach helps businesses increase brand awareness, boost website visits, and get more conversions. Plus, Google’s advanced targeting features give companies control over who sees their ads, making it easier to reach people who are likely to be interested in what they offer.

Benefits of Google Ads

Google Ads offers several important advantages:

• Precise audience targeting. Businesses can reach users based on keywords, locations, demographics, and browsing habits. With the right types of Google Ads campaigns, advertisers can target audiences at every stage of the buying process, whether in the research or purchase phase. Targeting options also include retargeting ads to engage previous website visitors.
• Flexible budgeting and bidding options. One of the main benefits of PPC is flexibility. Campaigns can be tailored to fit almost any budget. With multiple bidding strategies, advertisers can optimize their campaigns for clicks, impressions, conversions, or a target return on ad spend (ROAS). Flexibility allows businesses to control Google Ads cost and maximize return on investment (ROI).
• Real-time analytics and optimization: Google Ads provides advertisers with detailed metrics to measure campaign performance, including click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), and conversion rates. With this data, advertisers can make informed decisions, conduct a PPC audit, optimize Google Ads, refine strategies, and improve ad performance. 
• Extensive reach across Google’s network: Versatile types of Google Ads allow businesses to display their ads across various Google properties, including Google Search, Maps, Images, Video (YouTube), Play, and the Display Network. This extensive reach enables businesses to connect with a wide audience across multiple platforms and devices.

Plus, a competitive PPC analysis can give businesses valuable insights into what their competitors are doing and help them position better in the market and improve their campaigns.

How Google Ads Can Grow Your Business

Google Ads can drive leads, increase conversion rates, and build brand authority. 

Businesses can reach local and international audiences through search ads on Google SERP, visual ads on Google’s Display Network, or location-based ads on Google Maps for local exposure.

Thanks to Google’s huge reach, various types of Google Ads connect brands with potential customers. They encourage website visits and engagement, which leads to sales and revenue growth. 

Whether you want more website traffic, better brand awareness, or higher conversions, Google Ads can provide the desired results.

List of Google Ads Types

Companies can choose between different types of Google Ads and use the ad formats that best fit their goals and reach the right audiences. By selecting the most effective Google Ads campaign types, businesses can achieve their goals: increase visibility, boost engagement, generate leads, and convert more.

Here’s a breakdown of the main Google Ad types:

Search Ads

Search Ads are one of the most common Google Ads campaign types. When users enter keywords related to your business, these text-based advertisements appear on Google’s SERPs. Ads are labeled with a small “Ad” or “Sponsored” label. They are displayed above or below the organic search results.

💻How Do Search Ads Work?

When a user searches for terms that match your chosen keywords, your ad becomes eligible to appear in the search results. 

The position of your ad is determined by a combination of your bid amount and the ad’s Quality Score, which evaluates the relevance and quality of your ad and landing page. You are charged on a pay-per-click (PPC) basis — you pay only when someone clicks on your ad.

⚙️Key features:

• Allows you to select specific keywords that trigger your ads.
• Enhance your ads with extensions — additional information like phone numbers, site links, or location details.
•  Track CTR, CPC, and conversion rates for real-time insights and optimization.

✅Benefits:

• Search ads reach high-intent users
• You can control ad spend and set budgets and bids that align with your goals.
• Track performance and optimize campaigns in real time.

🔝Best for: Businesses that aim to drive website traffic, generate leads, or increase online sales by reaching users with specific search intent.

Display Ads

Display ads are visually engaging banners that appear on various websites within Google’s Display Network (GDN), which includes over 2 million websites, apps, and Google-owned properties like YouTube and Gmail. Unlike text-based search ads, display ads use images, videos, and rich media to capture users’ attention.

💻How Do Display Ads Work?

Display Ads are shown to users based on their interests, demographics, or browsing behavior, even if they’re not actively searching for specific products or services. 

Businesses can choose websites or topics for their ads to appear on or rely on Google’s targeting tools to reach users who match their ideal audience profile. These ads are billed on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis.

⚙️Key features:

• Display ads support images, videos, and interactive content, which makes ads more engaging.
• It allows targeting based on demographics, interests, past browsing behavior, or specific websites.
• GDN reaches around 90% of global internet users.

✅Benefits:

• Display Ads are effective for building brand awareness, especially for products and services that benefit from visual appeal.
• Businesses can engage users across a vast network of websites, which increases the chances of reaching a wider audience.
• Retarget users who have previously visited your website, keeping your brand top-of-mind.

🔝Best for: Brands looking to increase brand awareness and engage users who fit the target demographic, even if they aren’t actively searching for specific products. They’re ideal for visually appealing products or services that benefit from eye-catching imagery or videos.

Video Ads

Video Ads are engaging multimedia advertisements that appear on YouTube and across Google’s video partner sites, reaching users where they consume video content. Video Ads use sight, sound, and motion to capture attention, which makes them a great choice for storytelling or conveying a brand message in a memorable way.

💻How Do Video Ads Work?

Video Ads are shown to users before, during, or after videos on YouTube and Google’s video partner sites. Advertisers can choose from various formats, including skippable in-stream, non-skippable, bumper, and video discovery ads. 

Ads are often billed on a cost-per-view (CPV) or cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis, depending on the format and campaign objective.

⚙️Key Features:

• Uses multimedia storytelling, combining visuals and sound to connect with viewers emotionally.
• Offers multiple formats – skippable and non-skippable options, bumper ads, and discovery ads to suit different objectives.
• Target based on user demographics, interests, or viewing behavior to reach specific audiences.

✅Benefits:

• Video Ads are particularly effective for engaging viewers and improving brand recall through immersive storytelling.
• Allows brands to share deeper narratives and convey complex messages that might be challenging in static ads.
• YouTube alone has over 2 billion users, giving brands an enormous reach across different demographic groups.

🔝Best for: Brands and businesses that aim to create lasting impressions, increase brand recall, or tell a compelling story that captures viewers’ attention.

Shopping Ads

Shopping Ads are tailored for e-commerce businesses. They show product images, titles, prices, and store names directly on SERPs and the Google Shopping tab. These ads provide a visually rich, informative display that helps users browse products quickly and efficiently.

💻How Do Shopping Ads Work?

Shopping Ads appear in response to product-related searches on Google. Advertisers set up their product information through the Google Merchant Center, including details like price, description, and image. 

When a user searches for relevant keywords, Google automatically pulls this data to display relevant products. This allows users to view and compare multiple options before clicking. These ads typically operate on a cost-per-click (CPC) basis.

⚙️Key Features:

• Displays key details like product images, price, title, and brand name, offering a complete product snapshot.
• Allows users to view multiple product options from different brands or stores at a glance.
• Shopping Ads are generated from product feeds submitted through Google’s Merchant Center, which ensures accuracy.

✅Benefits:

• By showing product details directly, Shopping Ads attract users ready to purchase, increasing the likelihood of clicks and conversions.
• Users can easily compare products and prices and have a smooth shopping experience.
• Shopping Ads put e-commerce products at the top of Google’s SERP and boost brand visibility.

🔝Best for: E-commerce businesses that want to showcase their products to users with a clear buying intent.

App Ads

App Ads are specialized campaigns that promote mobile apps across Google’s network, including Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, and other partner sites and apps. They are ideal for businesses to advertise their apps to a broad audience, boost downloads, and increase user engagement.

💻How Do App Ads Work?

App Ads use machine learning to automatically create and display ads. By analyzing the text, images, and videos advertisers provide, these campaigns optimize ad placements to reach users most likely to install or engage with the app. 

Advertisers can set goals, such as increasing app installs or encouraging in-app actions like sign-ups or purchases. App Ads work on a cost-per-install (CPI) or cost-per-action (CPA) basis, depending on the campaign’s focus.

⚙️Key Features:

• Google’s machine learning automatically assembles and places ads across Google’s properties.
• Campaigns can be optimized for downloads and specific in-app actions, like purchases or sign-ups.
• App Ads are displayed on Google Search, the Play Store, YouTube, and Google’s Display Network, maximizing exposure.

✅Benefits:

• App Ads are optimized to drive downloads, which makes them effective for increasing the app’s user base.
• Businesses can target in-app actions and encourage users to interact with the app beyond the initial download.
• With automated ad creation and optimization, App Ads require minimal setup and maintenance, which makes them time-efficient.

🔝Best for: Businesses with a mobile app looking to grow their app user base and encourage in-app activity.

Discovery Ads

Discovery Ads are visually appealing, immersive ads designed to engage users across YouTube’s homepage, Gmail, and the Google Discover feed. These ads use eye-catching images or videos to draw users’ attention in a non-intrusive, organic browsing context.

💻How Do Discovery Ads Work?

Discovery Ads reach users based on their interests, recent activity, and demographic profiles. They allow businesses to connect with audiences who may not be actively searching but are likely interested in their offerings. 

By showing up in popular feeds like Google Discover and YouTube’s homepage, Discovery Ads blend into users’ browsing experiences, making them feel more natural and engaging. Based on campaign goals, they operate on a cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) model.

⚙️Key Features:

• Uses images or video thumbnails to stand out in visually rich feeds.
• Ads are shown to users based on interests and demographics, allowing for precise audience targeting.
• Appears on high-engagement platforms: Google Discover, YouTube’s homepage, and Gmail.

✅Benefits:

• Help brands capture attention in a less intrusive way.
• Boost brand visibility and awareness among users who explore new content.
• Discovery Ads help attract audiences likely to engage with the brand by targeting users based on interests and behavior.

🔝Best for: Brands that aim to increase awareness and engage audiences in a natural browsing context. 

Smart Campaigns

Smart Campaigns are a simplified type of Google Ads for small businesses or advertisers new to digital advertising. These campaigns automate a big part of the ad creation and management, allowing businesses to start advertising even without extensive experience in digital marketing.

💻How Do Smart Campaigns Work?

Smart Campaigns use Google’s ML to automatically manage ad targeting, placement, and bidding. Advertisers simply set their goals (such as calls, websites, or in-store visits), and Google takes care of the rest. 

Google’s system learns from user interactions and optimizes ad placements over time to reach relevant audiences on Google Search, Maps, and across the Display Network.

⚙️Key Features:

• Automated targeting, bidding, and ad placement that require minimal input.
• Advertisers select a specific goal (e.g., more calls or visits), and the campaign is optimized for that outcome.
• Smart Campaigns offer simple metrics to track key performance indicators, like clicks and calls.

✅Benefits:

• Ideal for businesses without dedicated ad managers, as it requires minimal setup and maintenance.
• Automation saves time and reduces the need for daily adjustments.
• Smart Campaigns can target local customers, which makes them perfect for businesses that want to attract nearby customers.

🔝Best for: Small businesses that are just starting with Google Ads, as they provide an easy, low-maintenance way to advertise online. 

Local Campaigns

Local Campaigns are a type of Google Ad designed to drive foot traffic to physical locations, such as retail stores, restaurants, or service-based businesses. These ads make it easy for companies to reach potential customers nearby and encourage in-person visits.

💻How Do Local Campaigns Work?

Local Campaigns use Google’s ML to automatically distribute ads across Google Business Profile, Google Maps, Google Search, YouTube, and the Google Display Network. Advertisers provide basic information, like location details, budget, and ad assets (such as images and text), and Google optimizes placements to maximize store visits. 

Local Services Ads (LSA) appear in locations relevant to the user’s proximity to the business, helping to reach customers actively looking for nearby options.

⚙️Key Features:

• PPC ads are shown on Google Maps, Search, YouTube, and Display, ensuring visibility across Google’s high-traffic channels.
• Targets users close to the business, which makes them ideal for physical stores.
• Google optimizes the ad campaign to increase in-person visits by showing ads to users most likely to visit.

✅Benefits:

• Local Campaigns are highly effective for local businesses, as they drive real, in-store visits.
• These ads appear when customers search for nearby options, such as Google Maps and Search.
• With Google handling optimization, businesses can focus on running their stores rather than managing complex ads.

🔝Best for: Brick-and-mortar businesses, franchises, or any company with a physical location like retail stores, restaurants, and service providers.

Performance Max

Performance Max is Google’s most advanced, goal-oriented campaign type that uses artificial intelligence (AI) and automation to optimize ad performance across all Google channels. 

With Performance Max, ads appear on Google Search, Display Network, YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Maps, allowing advertisers to reach their target audience on multiple fronts through a single, streamlined campaign.

💻How Do Performance Max Campaigns Work?

Performance Max automatically adjusts targeting, bidding, and placements based on the advertiser’s goals, such as generating leads, increasing conversions, or driving online sales. Advertisers can improve performance by providing inputs like audience signals (e.g., customer data) and high-quality text, images, and videos, and Google’s AI handles the rest. 

⚙️Key Features:

• Ads appear across all major Google platforms, including Search, YouTube, Discover, Maps, and more.
• Using AI-powered targeting, campaigns are optimized to meet specific goals, such as conversions or lead generation.
• Google’s machine learning adjusts bids, placements, and combinations of ad assets for maximum performance.

✅Benefits:

• Performance Max provides maximum visibility by covering all Google channels in one campaign.
• Performance Max is designed to drive better business results by optimizing for conversions or other goals.
• With automation handling most of the work, businesses can save time while achieving more efficient ad performance.

🔝Best for: Businesses with varied goals, such as increasing online sales or generating leads, and for advertisers who want to leverage Google’s full range of ad formats in one campaign.

How to Choose the Right Google Ad Type for Your Business

The right Google Ad type for your business depends on your goals, budget, and target audience. Each ad type serves different objectives, so understanding your business needs and customer behavior will help you select the ideal campaign type. 

Here’s a guide to help you decide:

• Define your business goals: Start by identifying what you want to achieve with your campaign. Are you looking to build brand awareness, increase traffic to your website, generate leads, or drive immediate sales? For example:
  • Display and Discovery Ads effectively build visibility and awareness and reach a large audience.
  • Search Ads and Performance Max campaigns are ideal for capturing high-intent users.
  • Shopping Ads work well for e-commerce businesses, while Local Campaigns help local companies attract nearby customers.
• Consider customer intent: Understanding where your audience is in the buying journey can help you choose the right Google Ad types. Search Ads may be the best fit if potential customers actively search for your product or service since they reach users with high buying intent. Display and Discovery Ads can help increase interest and brand familiarity for customers more likely to browse or explore.
• Evaluate the visual appeal of your product: Some products and services benefit more from visuals than others. If your product is highly visual (like fashion, travel, or food), Display, Shopping, and Video Ads can showcase it effectively and capture attention. Text-based ads, like Search Ads, work well for products that don’t necessarily need imagery to convey value.
• Assess your budget: Your budget will influence the type and scope of campaigns you can run. Smart Campaigns are excellent for small businesses or advertisers with limited budgets, as they are automated and easy to manage. Performance Max campaigns are efficient for those with a flexible budget who want broad coverage across all Google channels without managing multiple individual campaigns.
• Determine if you need local or global reach: Businesses with physical locations or local services can use Local Campaigns to drive foot traffic and reach nearby customers through Google Maps, Search, and other local channels. If you’re targeting a broader, global audience, Performance Max or Video Ads on platforms like YouTube can help expand reach.
• Match ad types to marketing goals: Aligning the types of Google Ads with your marketing objectives will maximize your campaign’s success. Here’s a quick summary:
  • • For awareness: Display, Discovery, and Video Ads are best for reaching broad audiences.
    • For engagement: Discovery and Video Ads engage users through compelling visuals and storytelling.
    • For conversions: Search, Shopping Ads and Performance Max drive actions like sales or sign-ups.

Don’t Waste Your Budget – Let Us Set Up Targeted Google Ads for You!

To manage a campaign, you need expertise in ad setup, targeting, and Google Ads optimization to get the best results without overspending. Without proper knowledge, you could waste your ad budget on unqualified clicks or broad targeting that doesn’t convert.

With the professional guidance of a Google Ads agency, your campaigns can reach the right audience at the right time, maximizing your ROI and driving high-quality leads.

Our team at NinjaPromo can help you create compelling, targeted Google Ads that align with your business goals. Contact us today to learn how we can develop and manage a custom strategy to boost your visibility, generate conversions, and make every ad dollar count.