A display campaign probably represents the most famous ads on Google Ads. Users come across them frequently, as they are displayed on numerous websites.
This ubiquitous presence makes display campaigns synonymous with online advertising for many people.
At Impulse Analytics, a paid media agency, we leverage display campaigns to optimize customer acquisition.
Whether you’re new to digital marketing or looking to fine-tune your existing strategy, understanding the nuances of display campaigns is crucial. They’re not just an attention-grabber. They’re a powerful vector for connecting and converting.
What is a display campaign?
Definition of a display campaign
In the Google Ads ecosystem, a display campaign uses visual ads to reach users on the Google Display Network (GDN). This network encompasses millions of websites, applications and video platforms, providing a vast canvas to spread your message. These ads can be graphic in nature, such as banners or images, or even include animations and videos. They aim to visually attract users’ attention, often to introduce a product or encourage brand recognition.
The potential of display campaigns lies in their ability to precisely target audience segments. Google Ads allows advertisers to select their audience based on demographic criteria, interests, browsing habits, and even previous purchasing behavior. This targeted approach helps position your ads in front of the users most likely to be interested in your offers. It maximizes the impact of every dollar spent.
Your display campaign may look like one of these examples:
Differentiation from other types of advertising
Google Ads has many different formats, such as Discovery Ads, Performance Max campaigns, etc. Display campaigns differ from other forms of digital advertising in their format and operation. Unlike pay-per-click (PPC) or RSA, DSA and RDSA ads that appear in search results, display ads don’t aspire to capture existing demand, but to create awareness and desire. They are less intrusive than pop-up ads and often more engaging than simple text ads. This is made possible by their visual component.
What’s more, PPC ads are often limited to brief interactions based on specific search intentions. Display campaigns, on the other hand, can accompany users throughout their digital journey. These display ads take the user from awareness to final decision. This action often passes through several sites or sessions. Its ability to “lead” the user back to the brand, combined with a wide variety of creative formats, makes display campaigns an invaluable tool for enriching your marketing mix and reaching your audience where they are most receptive.
What is the Google Display Network?
The Google Display Network (GDN) is a component of online advertising, enabling display campaigns to reach an extended audience across millions of websites. Imagine a network that encompasses more than two million sites, covering around 90% of Internet users worldwide. That’s where your ads can appear. This network includes not only websites, but also mobile applications and videos. It thus offers a multitude of points of contact with users.
The ads you place on the GDN can appear on specific sites that your audience visits. You can deliver display campaigns based on users’ browsing habits. This increases the relevance and effectiveness of your advertising messages. The strength of the Google Display Network lies in its ability to use behavioral and contextual data to display your ads to the right users, at the right time, and in the right context.
Display campaign formats
The diversity of display advertising formats is one of Google Ads’ key assets. This allows advertisers to choose the most appropriate vehicle for their message and target audience. Whether you’re looking to evoke emotion or encourage a specific action, there’s a format for every need.
Display campaign formats available on Google Ads
Google Ads offers a wide range of display ad formats, each with its own peculiarities and advantages. Here are some of the most popular:
- Banners: Classic but effective. You can place these rectangular ads at the top, bottom or sides of web pages.
- Interstitials: These full-screen ads appear at key moments in the user’s navigation, offering maximum visibility.
- Video ads: Used mainly on video platforms like YouTube. They can also be integrated into display content to captivate the audience.
- Rich media ads: Interactive and often animated. They enable deeper engagement through elements such as embedded videos, image carousels, or dynamic calls-to-action.
- Responsive ads: These ads automatically adapt to the size and format of the available ad space. They maximize your reach on different devices and screen orientations.
Each of these formats has the potential to capture attention in a different way, depending on the desired interaction with the user.
How to choose the right format ?
The choice of format for your display ad should be guided by several key factors to ensure the effectiveness of your campaign:
- Campaign objectives: Determine what you want to achieve with your ad. Video ads can be excellent for telling a story or demonstrating a product. Whereas banners are better suited to brand recognition or retargeting.
- Target audience: Consider your audience’s preferences and behaviors. Interactive formats can engage younger or technophile users. While simpler, more direct formats may be preferable for an audience seeking specific information quickly.
- Budget: Some formats, especially rich media or video ads, may require a larger budget, not only for production but also for delivery, due to their larger size or technical complexity.
- Placement and context: Think about where and when the ad will be seen. An interstitial ad could be disruptive if poorly placed. A responsive ad can offer greater flexibility and a better user experience on different devices.
Advantages of a Google Ads display campaign
Increased visibility
Thanks to the Google Display Network, your display ads have the potential to reach a large proportion of the Internet population. This significantly increases your brand’s visibility. Every impression counts, because even a quick glance can leave a lasting impression on consumers. By placing eye-catching visual ads where users spend their time, you increase the chances of brand awareness – essential in the long term for building customer loyalty.
Precise targeting
One of the greatest advantages of using display campaigns via Google Ads is the ability to specifically target your ads. You can choose to show your ads based on precise demographics, interests, online behaviors, and even specific stages of the customer journey. This means you don’t just spend your advertising budget. You’re also investing it where it’s most likely to generate a return.
Format flexibility
Display campaigns offer a variety of formats and sizes, from traditional banners to media-rich interactive ads. This flexibility allows you to design creative that captivates and engages your target audience in the most effective way. Whether you’re looking to inspire, educate, or inspire action, there’s an ad format that can be configured to meet your objectives.
Real-time measurement and adjustment
Another significant advantage is the ability to measure the effectiveness of your campaigns in real time. Google Ads provides robust tracking and analysis tools that enable you to see not only how many times your ads have been seen or clicked, but also how these interactions are contributing to your business objectives. This transparency in performance allows you to quickly adjust your campaigns, optimize your budget and minimize the cost of acquisition of your Google Ads campaign.
How to run a successful display campaign?
A successful display campaign on Google Ads requires more than simply creating attractive ads. It requires a well thought-out strategy right from the start. From clearly defined objectives to ongoing performance-based optimization, every step counts in turning your efforts into measurable success.
What’s more, a Google Ads agency can be essential in optimizing your display campaign. Call on a team of experts for detailed data and in-depth analysis aimed at improving your performance.
Identify your objective precisely
Before launching a campaign, it’s crucial to define what you want to achieve. Your objective could be to increase brand awareness, generate leads, promote a new product, or incite a specific action such as registrations or sales. A well-defined objective guides not only the creation of your ads, but also your targeting and budget strategy.
Choose your targeting option
Google Ads offers a multitude of targeting options that allow you to customize your campaigns to reach the people most likely to be interested in your offer. You can target users based on demographics, interests, web behavior, and even purchase history. Using these options strategically can dramatically increase the effectiveness of your campaign. This is what can ensure that your ads are seen by the target audience.
Selecting the right keywords and locations
Choosing the right keywords and locations is essential to optimizing your campaign’s reach and responsiveness. Keywords should relate directly to the interests of your target audience. At the same time, locations should be chosen on the basis of site relevance and quality. This increases the chances that your ads will not only be seen, but also by people ready to engage.
Budget and bid management
Effective management of your budget and bids is vital to maximize your return on investment. Google Ads allows you to choose between several bidding strategies, depending on whether you want to maximize clicks, impressions or conversions. Following a strategy that matches your financial and campaign objectives is crucial.
Tracking key performance indicators (KPIs)
Measuring the performance of your campaign is essential to understanding its impact. KPIs such as conversion rate, click-through rate (CTR), cost per acquisition (CPA), and return on advertising spend (ROAS) / marketing ROI are essential metrics to monitor. They will help you assess whether your campaign is achieving its objectives, and where improvements may be needed.
Adjust and optimize
Finally, ongoing optimization is the key to a successful campaign. You need to rely on the analysis of key performance indicators and user feedback. This enables you to make real-time adjustments to improve performance. Whether by refining targeting, adjusting bids or modifying creative, every adjustment can help refine your campaign and boost its effectiveness.
Mistakes to avoid in a display campaign
Launching a display campaign may seem straightforward on the surface, but there are several pitfalls that can jeopardize its success. Here are some common mistakes to avoid to ensure your efforts bear fruit.
- Neglecting precise targeting: One of the most common mistakes is not making full use of the advanced targeting options offered by Google Ads. Targeting too broadly or too vaguely can dilute your messages and unnecessarily increase costs without reaching the right web users.
- Underestimating the importance of design: Display ads rely heavily on their visual appeal to capture attention. A poor design or one not adapted to the platform can reduce the effectiveness of the ad. But it can also damage your brand’s image.
- Ignore A/B testing: Not testing different versions of your ads to see which configurations work best is a missed opportunity. A/B testing can provide valuable data that will help you optimize your ads for better results.
- Avoid continuous optimization: The market and user behavior are constantly changing. A campaign that isn’t regularly reviewed and adjusted runs the risk of quickly becoming obsolete. Continuous optimization is essential to maintain the effectiveness of your ads.
- Failing to adjust budget and bids: A poorly managed budget or bids not adjusted according to performance can drain your financial resources. Proactive monitoring and adjustment are crucial to maximizing ROI.
Conclusion
Display campaigns offer an exceptional opportunity to build brand awareness and reach potential customers in a creative and targeted way. By understanding the nuances of Google Ads and avoiding common mistakes, you can optimize your campaigns so that they are not only effective but also profitable.
Remember that every campaign is a learning experience. Use every interaction to refine your strategies and improve your results. With the right approach, display campaigns can become an invaluable tool in your marketing arsenal, capable of propelling your business to new heights.
