What are the different types of Google Ads campaigns and formats?
You wanted to launch your first Google Ads campaign and you got lost between the different types of campaigns and ad formats offered? Don’t panic! We are going to present you all that is proposed by Google Ads and the functioning of each campaign to see more clearly. All types of ads are of interest for your SEA strategy. You will then have to define the one that suits you according to your activity, your budget, the competition and above all, your objectives. Whether you want to run your ads to get immediate visibility, acquire new customers, generate traffic or increase sales and conversions, web ads will be a great ally.
Search campaigns, on the search network
Text ads
Text ads in Google Ads are ads that are displayed on the search network. These are sponsored links consisting of a title, a URL and a description, which appear in the first positions of the Google search results, just before the links of the natural SEO called “natural results”. This Google Ads format is very well known and widespread. This type of ad campaign is positioned on a list of defined keywords and according to the quality level of the ads and the relevance of the landing page to your website. Text ads appear as soon as a search corresponding to them is performed on Google. They are designed to meet an immediate need of the user and will therefore be perfect for generating clicks, increasing visits and getting more sales and conversions.
Responsive ads
By choosing to create responsive ads, you will write several different titles and descriptions on your Google Ads account instead of just one. This allows Google to determine, based on a query, which title best matches a description, in order to encourage the user to click on your ad! These dynamic ads will save you time in creating your campaign and will adapt to the search terms and keyword used by the Google user. The Google search engine will be able to test several combinations and define which ones get the most clicks and a relevant result. These responsive ads have the ability to significantly increase the performance of your ATS campaign!
Display campaigns
Responsive display ads
Google display ads are ads composed of a visual. They are real awareness campaigns and are perfectly effective in increasing your visibility across many websites. With a display campaign with responsive ads, it is also a question of saving time, efficiency and performance. By inserting an image with a title and description, your display ad can be adapted to all available display formats, from the smallest spaces on mobile to the largest banners. This way, you can be sure that your ads are displayed on as many display ad spaces as possible! It’s the ideal way to quickly increase your impression rate and gain notoriety.
Illustrated ads
A classic display campaign will only show the visuals that you have imported. No text will be associated with them. If your visuals do not fit all existing display formats, it is possible that your ad campaign cannot be displayed everywhere. However, it is you who chooses how your visuals will appear. More easily customisable, you can create effective ads that will make an impression with a strong visual identity. Responsive or not, what choice should you make? A specialised SEA agency will be able to help you define which campaign will be the most relevant to your SEO strategy.
Gmail ads
Quick and efficient, creating a Discovery campaign will allow you to display a single ad on Youtube and Gmail. With an optimized targeting, you will be able to encourage users to take action and click on your ad. This Google Adwords campaign can be very effective in getting a high number of clicks and conversions on a landing page.
Video ads
The video ad type of campaign is a real powerhouse for any business that wants to gain brand awareness. Memorable and impactful, it is impossible to miss this type of ad broadcasting! These campaigns are broadcast on Youtube and on all the sites offering slots for video advertising, so that your brand’s message gets noticed very quickly. It is a powerful format to get your brand in front of relevant audiences if your Google Ads campaign is well set up. Don’t hesitate to test several levers of the video format in order to create engagement, increase your click-through rate (CTR) and track your data with an expert SEO agency to optimise your overall campaigns.
Video campaigns
InStream ads
Instream ads are paid video ads that appear for a maximum of 15 seconds before, during or after the medium viewed by the Internet user. Two options are available for these video advertising campaigns: the deactivatable or non-deactivatable option. The deactivatable option will allow you to cut off the viewing of your ad after five seconds by clicking on “ignore ad”. Conversely, the user will not be able to stop your video ad with the non-deactivatable option, which leaves you the possibility of playing it in its entirety.
OutStream ads
Outstream ads allow you to extend the reach of your ads and deliver your video campaigns exclusively on mobile. Not available on Youtube, they will appear on all Google video partner sites and applications. These video ad campaigns are often used to gain exposure at a lower cost, as the bids are lower on this ad format. In addition, you only pay once a user has viewed at least 2 seconds of your video.
Bumper ads
With the Bumper format, which is shorter and more impactful, you offer ads of up to 6 seconds that will be shown to a larger number of people! People will not be able to ignore the ad, so the bumper video will be viewed in its entirety by every person who comes across your ad.
In-feed ads
With in-feed ads, you are sure to reach an audience interested in your product or service! Here, your ad will look like a classic video on the Youtube search results. As with paid search advertising on the search network, your video will appear according to the user’s query, but also according to their interests. Here you only pay on a cost per click (CPC) basis once the thumbnail of your video ad is clicked.
Shopping campaigns
Ads for a product
Do you have an e-commerce site and want to increase your sales? Google shopping campaigns are designed for this purpose. They provide an excellent conversion rate and a good return on investment if the campaign is well set up. How does it work? By matching a query to your product on Google shopping, the product will appear visually on the Google results page. This type of ad consists of an image of your product, the title, a description and the price. It is impossible to miss on the results page! This is why product ads are powerful and profitable. By clicking on them, the user will be automatically redirected to the product landing page of your website.
In-store product ads
You don’t have an e-commerce site? Google has thought of you! You can set up a shopping campaign on a showcase website hosted on Google, made up of images of your products sold in the shop. This is an effective way to sell and gain visibility on the web even without an e-commerce site!
Application campaigns
Ads for installation
The creation of a campaign seems unavoidable to face the competition in the mobile application field. Google offers you the possibility to broadcast ads for downloading your application on many relevant channels: the search network, the display network, Youtube, Discover and of course Google Play. The goal is simple: to get more downloads and potential customers on your app!
Engagement ads
Engagement ads will be visible on the same channels but will offer you different results. Here, the goal is to firstly engage your users by directing them to a specific page of your app. It is also an excellent format to gain awareness, especially before the official release of your game or application!
Local campaigns
Launching a local campaign will allow you to drive qualified traffic directly to your shop. Indeed, everything is set up to facilitate the arrival of your prospects in your shop. Your local ads can be displayed on several channels: the search network, the display network, Youtube and especially Google Maps. Ad extensions will be integrated in order to provide all the necessary information to your visitors: phone number, address and opening hours. For your local campaign to be profitable, remember to work on its targeting with a Google Ads expert. Indeed, it is essential to target only people close to your shop and to exclude those who are not located in your geographical area so that your campaign is as effective as possible.
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