Google Search Ads vs Google Display Ads: Which Is Best For Your Business?

What are the benefits of search ads?

So, why use search ads? Prime visibility on a search engine results page can be a highly effective way to reach your target audience. With excellent copywriting, a search ad can offer the following benefits:

• Targeted search
• Find the people already looking for you. Search ads are highly targeted. By bidding on specific keywords or phrases, you can ensure that your ad appears to people who are actively searching for the products or services you offer. This makes search ads an effective way to reach people who are in the market for what you do.

• Increase traffic and sales
• Search ads can boost traffic and sales. Since the people who see your search ad are actively looking for what you offer, they’ll be more likely to convert. By appearing at the top of the search results page, you can drive more clicks and more traffic to your website. If your website is well-optimised, this increased traffic can translate into more sales and revenue.

• Cost-effective
• Search ads are relatively budget-friendly as far as online advertising goes because you can control advertising costs and are only required to pay when someone clicks on an ad. You can also set a budget for your campaign and adjust bids based on the performance of your ads.

What are the benefits of display ads?

Display ads take a more indirect approach than search ads. Less centred on the immediacy of conversions, display ads can be more beneficial for other advertising goals; consider the following:

• Build brand awareness
• Display ads are often used to build brand awareness. By displaying your ads on websites across the internet, you can reach a large audience and get your brand in front of more people. This can be especially helpful for businesses looking to boost their brand recognition. 

• Targeted search and retargeting
• Display ads also offer targeted search and retargeting options. You can target specific demographics, interests and behaviours to ensure that your ads appear to people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services. You can use retargeting to display your ads to people who have visited your website but did not convert. This can breed familiarity with your brand and bring those people back to your site, which can potentially increase conversions.

• Cost-effective
• Like search ads, display ads are also fairly cost-effective. You only pay for impressions, so you can control your advertising costs. You can set a budget for your ad campaign and adjust your targeting options based on the performance of your ads.

So, which ad type is right for your business?

Well, it depends. What are your advertising goals and budget? If you're looking to reach people who are actively searching for the products or services you offer, search ads may be the best option. These ads are highly targeted and can increase website traffic and sales. However, they tend to be more expensive than display ads, depending on the competition for your keywords.

On the other hand, if you're looking to build brand awareness and reach a wider audience, display ads may be the better choice. These ads can be displayed across a variety of websites and can help boost your brand recognition. Additionally, they can be more cost-effective than search ads, as you only pay for impressions.

However, a well-executed digital marketing strategy will employ both. A combination of both search ads and display ads will cover all your bases and increase your ability to reach your target audience. 

Grow your business with Helium Marketing’s Google advertising service

At Helium Marketing, we have a brilliant team of digital marketing who can demystify your online advertising strategy. We can help implement and manage your Google search ads and display ads to outperform your competitors and get your business in front of your new customers.

Get in touch and let’s get started.