When it comes to Google Ads and Paid Search, there are two networks on which an advertiser can choose to place ads; the Search Network and the Display Network. With the Search Network, text ads are placed within Google's search engine result pages (SERPs.) Alternatively, on the Display Network, image ads are placed on other websites across the internet as well as videos and apps.

My main objective is to cover the basics of display ads and the Display Network. So, grab your caffeinated beverage of choice, scoot in closer to your monitor and prepare to soak up some drops of display advertising knowledge.

Banner ads, display ads, image ads - call them what you will - are much more of a brand play for businesses, in that they provide the advertiser a ton of opportunity to place their brand across over 2 million websites and 650,000 apps. With so many options to choose from, it's refreshing to know that you have the ability to get as focused and targeted as necessary. Some of the things that are taken into account when placing an ad include a user’s geographical location, what types of sites are viewed by the average user of the site, and the industry in which the business operates.

The 4 Main Display Ad Types

Display ads are almost entirely image-based, with over a dozen different ad sizes and 4 main display ad types to choose from, including:

Static Display Ads

By far the most basic and common type of Display Ad. Without getting into dimension specifics, leaderboard, half page, medium rectangle and large rectangle are the top-performers of this type.

Responsive Display Ads

The size, format and look automatically adjust to fit the available ad space. With responsive ads, you still get a headline and description plus an image or video and your company logo.

Animated Display Ads

These are just as it sounds in that they use motion and video to supercharge the attraction to your brand.

Smart Display Ads

Smart Display Ads are fully automated and controlled by Google. You still craft your own headline, description and image but it will adjust to the ad space, similar to responsive ads. The bidding and targeting are also left for Google to manage.

Display Advertising Tips

Tip #1: Lead with Remarketing

Remarketing is unanimously the way to go when it comes to display advertising. You can enable cookies to track past visitors to your site and then follow them on any of the aforementioned 2 million+ websites and apps. Creepy? Maybe. But effective? Yes.

Tip #2: Managed Placements are Your Friends

Managed Placements is a targeting method exclusive to the Display Network and it allows the advertiser to choose specifically which sites their ads are displayed on. You could go the "easy" route by selecting interests or topic targeting and have Google make the decision for you. But it truthfully wouldn't be the wisest of decisions, in my professional opinion.

Tip #3: Use Your Ad Budget as Your Guide

When it comes to your advertising budget, it is usually best to start with an amount you are financially comfortable with. If you do have a great managed placement list in place, then it may seem easy to want to go big. However, you won't know for sure how successful your campaign and traffic relevancy are until you get up and running.

Tip #4: Create Ads of All Available Formats

When putting in the work to get your desired display ads up and running, it is highly recommended to create ads in every format and size. You'll thank me later. Some websites will only support one format. Don't knock yourself out of the game by being negligent or lazy in this regard.

Tip #5: Craft Simple Yet Visual Ads

Design your ads to be simple and visually appealing. 67.5% of display ads are plain text ads. As you will see in the below graphic courtesy of WordSteam, the statistics are not in your favor if you bail out and end up going with just plain text display ads. Set yourself apart by using appealing imagery and attention-grabbing text.


 

Tip #6: Really Care About Your Display Campaigns

Show that you care by continually making adjustments and providing your display ads and campaigns with the same care and attention as you give your search campaigns. It is also a smart choice to exclude any placements that may be deemed irrelevant and less effective. Keep an eye on the impressions and clicks to determine whether or not you are maintaining and/or growing your exposure within your placements. Also, be sure to peruse the conversion paths and assess how your display efforts are assisting other channels.

Tip #7: Reserve Some Ad Budget for Testing Purposes

Due to the size of the Display Network, Display Ad possibilities and options are limitless. It is also good practice to conserve some spend to take advantage of times when Google introduces a new feature or targeting method. This will allow you to avoid getting into the limited by budget (aka budget constrained) realm.

Several More Parting Words of Wisdom

Stay away from the Search Network with Display Select option. This, again, puts more power in the oft-greedy hands of Google because they take this setting as a cue to use the larger portion of your budget on the search network, with the remainder on display. Google has even come forward and recommended you keep the search and display campaigns separate for better bidding, targeting and budget flexibility. Then why have it as an option, Google?!

It's more than easy to be lured into the trap of trying all methods to see what works best. That's fine to do. But be sure to not do that all in the same campaign. As with anything paid search, experiment to your heart's content, but keep your experimentation separate in different campaigns.

Much like how vast and seemingly void of boundaries the Display Network is, so too is your potential. It's comfortable to stay in the groove of the familiar confines of the Search Network. However, aim to grow your brand, exposure and reach by pivoting some of your marketing dollars to Google Display Ads. You'll never discover the prospects waiting, unless you fully take the plunge.

If you would like additional advice, further paid search insight, are interested in having an audit performed on your Pay-Per-Click account or if you have any questions about display advertising, feel free to contact Ecreativeworks any time.