If you are reading this article, chances are you are a business owner or a marketer who is looking into capitalising on the world of digital marketing on Google. As a search engine platform, Google has more than 2 billion active users on a range of devices. Additionally, statistics have shown that there is one Gmail account for every 5 people in the world. This translates to approximately 1.5 billion active users!

That is a tremendous amount of potential reach for your ad, which makes for a very robust and powerful marketing platform for you to operate your advertising campaigns. When used correctly, Google Ads (both search and display) can bring about numerous benefits for your company at a relatively low cost of investment.

With the Covid pandemic giving rise to the state of a new normal in our daily routines, we will also attempt to delve deeper into the changing patterns of consumer behaviour that you should be aware of the Key Digital Marketing Strategies For Covid-19. Do take note that behavioural changes are happening on a daily basis. Thus, the effects and impacts of this change will continue to evolve as time passes as well. 

However, for this article, our focus will be on getting the basics of paid advertising right, despite the external or macro influences that your industry may be faced with at any point in time. As we share with you the workings of the Google paid advertising platform, we hope to establish a strong foundation and understanding that will help you to determine which advertising channel will work best for you.

Google Ads allows you to create different types of campaigns that should be utilised in congruent to your advertising goals. It comprises of 4 different types of network, with Google Search Network or Google Display Network being the most frequently utilised. Here we share with you the overview of the network types and also the advertising goals that is most commonly ascribed to them:

1. Google Search Network 

About Google Search Network

The very first type of Google Ads Network that you should consider in planning your advertising campaign is the Google Search Network. The way this search network works is that it targets specific keywords that you want to be affiliated with. You will be bidding on these keywords with the sole intention that your search ads can show up first on Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP) when users are conducting their search using the keywords that you have chosen. The main objective of being on the first page of the SERP is to increase your chances of capturing user’s attention with the eventuality of being able to acquire converting traffic.

This is what a Google Search Ad looks like:

Source: Google

When To Use Google Search Network 

Advertising on Google Search Network is the most common option among businesses. In the default setting, your ads will most definitely appear on the Google’s SERP. If you are looking to expand your reach, you may want to check the box “Include Google Search partners” option in the Network setting (shown below). We will discuss the “Include Display Network” option later. The Google Search Network option is a great network to capitalise on as it provides you with the most relevant searcher based on the search history of that particular person.

Source: Google

In the example given below, the user has typed in “sim phone plan”. Both paid ads and also organic ads will be displayed on the SERP. Advertisers may choose to only focus on building organic presence on the SERP, but this usually takes a very long time. It is advisable to also run ads on the search network so that you can boost your online presence whilst simultaneously ensuring that users are able to connect with you quickly and easily.

Source: Google

Generally, Google Ads on the Search Network will drive more conversions than display campaigns due to the nature of the Search Network which actively connects advertisers to people who have indicated interest on the product or service based on their search query. It is a more targeted approach of marketing which leads to better quality leads.

Additionally, advertisers are also able to make full use of the robust settings of the Search Networks ads feature as it allows you to include extensions such as relevant additional links, contact numbers and addresses. In the example provided, “Vivifi” and “Grid Mobile” has made clever use of the extensions feature available:

Source: Google

Considerations For Google Search Network:

1. You have a budget constraints

When you are working with a limited budget, it is best to focus your marketing efforts on the Search Network, as the advertising format is more direct and conversions are relatively easier to acquire. Users acquired via this channel are also usually of higher quality as they have already exhibited interest about a particular product or service that is related to your business. Once you are proficient in working with the Search Network, you may explore the Display Network to increase your brand visibility and increase awareness.

2. You offer an ”emergency” product/service

An “emergency” product or service offering refers to something in which users demand immediate assistance, such as plumbers, locksmiths or garages. In this case, users are usually in some form of anxiety and does not care to conduct detailed searches. As such, you will want to appear first on the SERP, while also providing as much information as possible and displaying trust as much as possible.

Considerations For Search Network With Display Select (SNDS):

This option is Google’s latest hybrid campaign model, which allows advertisers to include their standard search campaigns into the display network. To put simply, this hybrid model allows advertisers with extended opportunities to acquire quality clicks without much additional optimization work. Do note that this campaign selection does come with several limitations.

Advertisements that a running on this type of campaign will also be displayed on similar websites that have been selected by Google based on factors such as keyword selection and predictive conversion models, amongst other factors.

This seems to be a quick-fix method for advertisers to quickly expand their audience reach. However, in selecting this option, you will not have much control over the GDN aspect of this feature. Rather, you will be relinquishing all control to Google’s algorithm in selecting the best websites for your business.

If you are able to spare some time in tending to your marketing campaigns, we would advise to stick to the traditional practise of having separate campaigns for both the Search and Display Networks. This allows you better control on the performance of your campaigns on the respective platforms.

2. Google Display Network 

About Google Display Network (GDN)

The Google Display Network (GDN) advertises your ads into carefully chosen websites. Users will be exposed to your ads when they are browsing on the massive collection of websites that exist on the Google Search engine. Your ads will show up on both Google content sites and also content partner sites, such as blogs, news sites and even Youtube. Google estimates that their display network manages to provide coverage to around 90% of all internet users.

Typically, businesses will use the display ads for re-marketing purposes which aims to bring back site visitors who have not converted. Depending on where your display ads are being featured, this is what your Google Ads on the Display Network may look like:

When To Use Google Display Network 

The Google Display Network is very expansive. It is estimated to have a reach of 2 million sites globally, and is able to connect advertisers to over 90% of internet users. Do take note that users on the GDN may not be actively searching for your product or service. Typically, these users are casually surfing the internet, reading the news, blog sites or even watching video clips. From the very virtue of users on the GDN being less active than that of the Search Network, it should not come as a surprise that the average conversion rate and also the average click through rate of GDN is considerably lower as compared to Search Network.

If you are on GDN, your ads must be able to attract the passive audiences’ attention and draw them to click to your site to find out more about your business. It is not easy to attract users’ attention away from their usual internet behaviour. Additionally, as users are not actively searching for an immediate solution for their concerns, there is little incentive to pay much attention to the ads that are displayed.

However, this should not put you off from GDN. The greatest merit of engaging in GDN is that it gives you the opportunity to focus on the top of the funnel strategy in which your main objective is to promote brand awareness and increase the business’s visibility. This will then produce a ripple effect to the Search Network where ideally, there will be an increase in brand-specific searches.

Additionally, clicks generated on GDN are generally cheaper than on the Search Network. Thus, you may want to implement a strategy for your campaign such that you are able to expand your reach and increase your brand awareness for relatively less money. This strategy can be effective if is implemented in conjunction with your marketing efforts from other platforms.

Considerations For Google Display Network:

1. You want to create brand awareness

GDN offers many chances for the advertisers to connect with their customers. Similar to the Search Network, you will also be able to control the setting options. This allows you to control your advertising placements and only appear on websites that resonate with your business offerings, which would ultimately increase your chances of connecting with audiences whom have expressed similar interests, yet have not been exposed to your brand.

2. Your sales process is circuitous

For most businesses, the customer journey can be quite meandering and  lengthy. Online customers are less likely to make immediate purchase even after being in contact with your brand. However, you should still put in some effort to remain on the minds of these prospective customers. With GDN, you will be able to engage in re-marketing strategy to regularly connect with the most pertinent audience to you.

By adopting this strategy, you will be able to show your ads to users who have visited your site before, allowing your to re-engage with people who have already shown an interest in the product or service that you are offering. This will increase the likelihood of converting that once passive visitor into your paying customer.

3. Your product is visually captivating

Unlike the Search Network, GDN is a platform that allows advertisers to display image ads. As such, the more visually appealing your ad is, the higher the likelihood of your ad being able to attract the attention of the user, and invite the user to click on your ad.

3. YouTube Video Network 

Next to Google Search and Google Display Networks, you may also want to make use of video-based ads on the YouTube platform. You may use consider video ads for the purposes of re-marketing or even for awareness campaigns. For video ads, you will need to have an existing YouTube account, and have the video uploaded into the account before you can run any video campaigns.

This is what YouTube ad looks like, showing a short video about a product:

Source: YouTube

When To Use YouTube Video Network 

Similar to Google Display Network, the YouTube Video Network is also very expansive. If you are on YouTube, your ads must be able to attract the passive audiences’ attention and draw them to click to your site to find out more about your business. It is not easy to attract users’ attention away from their usual internet behaviour. Additionally, as users are not actively searching for an immediate solution for their concerns, there is little incentive to pay much attention to the ads that are displayed.

However, this should not put you off from video ads. The greatest merit of engaging in video ads is that it gives you the opportunity to focus on the top of the funnel strategy in which your main objective is to promote brand awareness and increase the business’s visibility. This will then produce a ripple effect to the Search Network where ideally, there will be an increase in brand-specific searches.

Additionally, similar to GDN, clicks generated on YouTube are generally cheaper than on the Search Network. Thus, you may want to implement a strategy for your campaign such that you are able to expand your reach and increase your brand awareness for relatively less money. This strategy can be effective if is implemented in conjunction with your marketing efforts from other platforms.

Considerations For YouTube Video Network:

1. You want to create brand awareness

YouTube offers many chances for the advertisers to connect with their customers. Similar to the Search Network and Google Display Network, you will also be able to control the setting options. This allows you to control your advertising placements and only appear on websites that resonate with your business offerings, which would ultimately increase your chances of connecting with audiences whom have expressed similar interests, yet have not been exposed to your brand.

2. Your sales process is circuitous

For most businesses, the customer journey can be quite meandering and lengthy. Online customers are less likely to make immediate purchase even after being in contact with your brand. However, you should still put in some effort to remain on the minds of these prospective customers. With YouTube, you will be able to engage in re-marketing strategy to regularly connect with the most pertinent audience to you.

By adopting this strategy, you will be able to show your ads to users who have visited your site before, allowing your to re-engage with people who have already shown an interest in the product or service that you are offering. This will increase the likelihood of converting that once passive visitor into your paying customer.

3. Your video asset is fascinating to watch

An attractive video asset will also help to increase you ad engagement, increase your brand awareness and contribute to the conversion process of the customer journey. Generally, people are more likely to engage with a video content as compared to a static image or text ad. Thus, when used correctly, the advertising potential for video ads is rather exponential.

Pro Tip : A quick additional note that advertisers should be aware of is Google’s TrueView option. Selecting this option means that advertisers will only be charged when users watch at least 30s of the video or interacts with your video, whichever happens first.

4. Google Shopping Network 

About Google Shopping Network

The latest addition to the suite of advertising services offered by Google that you may also want to try out is Google Shopping. This is especially useful if you are running an e-commerce business. This type of ads would allow you to advertise your products directly on the Google SERP and can lead interested visitors directly to the product page.

The Google Shopping Network is a wonderful way for retailers to showcase their products and store in front of potential customers.This option is Google’s latest hybrid campaign model, which allows advertisers to include their standard search campaigns into the display network.

This is what a Google Shopping ad looks like, showing images of the related products:

Source :  Google

Conclusion

All of Google’s advertising networks have their merits and demerits. However, there is little doubt that your business will definitely benefit from utilising both the Search and Display Network platforms for your advertising needs, as a start. Our running advice is to have separate campaigns that are dedicated to each particular network.

This strategy will allow you to customise your advertising content and copywriting from the viewpoints of the different types of audiences. One benefit is that this segregation helps to allocate separate budgets for the respective platforms. Additionally, keeping the data separate help to study and identify the user behaviour on each network, and thus guide you into making more impactful insights on your campaign.

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