Understanding All 9 Types of Google Ads: A Complete Guide
By Published On: January 24, 2025Categories: Digital Marketing

Journey with Google Ads

After finishing university, my first marketing role was with a mortgage company. I spent countless hours crafting pay-per-click ads for Google, which gave me a deep understanding of how these ads perform on search engine results pages (SERPs).

This experience also led to a curious habit—I began avoiding SERP ads altogether to save companies from wasting their ad budgets. Even now, when an ad link is precisely what I need, I instinctively scroll down to organic results, much like a picky shopper seeking the perfect option.

If your audience is as particular about the links they click as I am, there’s good news: Google provides a diverse range of advertising options to connect with your market. Here’s how to select the right Google Ads type for your business, audience, and budget.

How Many Types of Google Ads Are There?

Types of Google Ads

Google offers nine distinct ad formats: Search, Display, Shopping, Video, App, Discovery, Local Services, Performance Max, and Smart. While Local Services Ads operate separately from the main Google Ads platform, they are still a Google-specific advertising solution.

These ad types run across various Google properties, including YouTube, Gmail, Google Shopping, the Play Store, and, of course, the SERP. Additionally, most ad formats have options to appear on third-party websites through Google’s partner network.

Below, I’ve detailed how each ad type differs in placement, purpose, features, and typical costs. To make it easier to visualise the costs, I’ve used the following symbols:

  • = Less than €1
  • €€= €1-€2
  • €€€= €3-€4
  • €€€€= More than €4

1. Search Ads

Search Ads

Location: Displayed within Google Search results.
Best for: Promoting web pages tailored to specific keywords.
Cost per lead: €€€

Key Features:

  • Cost-effective.
  • Text-based format.
  • Targets users based on real-time search queries, ensuring ads appear when users are actively seeking related products or services.

Search ads are the cornerstone of Google’s advertising suite, mirroring the significance of its search engine. These text ads blend seamlessly into SERPs, displaying as “sponsored” listings.

What Are Search Ads?

Search ads closely resemble organic links in appearance, featuring elements like a website name, page title, meta description, and even a favicon. For instance, if you search for “photo editing software,” you’ll likely see several Search ads preceding the highest-ranking organic result.

To perform well, Search ads adhere to Google’s Quality Score guidelines, which include:

  • Expected click-through rate (CTR).
  • Relevance to user intent.
  • Landing page quality and relevance.

Advertisers with a higher budget for cost-per-click (CPC) are more likely to secure top spots on the SERP. On the flip side, lower budgets and weaker Quality Scores might result in ads being buried lower down the page, reducing visibility.

How to Create a Search Ad Campaign:

  1. Define your campaign goal: Choose objectives such as website visits, phone calls, or form submissions.
  2. Select your bidding strategy: Focus on conversions, conversion value, or clicks.
  3. Adjust campaign settings: Specify networks (search and/or display), locations, languages, and audience segments.
  4. Choose keywords: Add your own or use Google’s auto-generated keyword suggestions.
  5. Design your ad: Include the URL path, headline, description, business name, and additional elements like logos or callouts.
  6. Set a daily budget: Allocate an average amount to control ad spend.

With these steps, you can build a successful Search ad campaign that aligns with your business objectives.

2. Display Ads

Search Ads

Location: Across millions of websites, apps, and Google-owned platforms within the Display Network.
Best for: Reaching new markets while leveraging visually engaging content.
Cost per lead: €€

Key features:

  • Visually dynamic ad formats.
  • Accessible on over 35 million apps and websites, including Google platforms.
  • Follows user behaviour across various digital touchpoints.

What Are Display Ads?

Have you ever noticed ads appearing for something you recently searched for? That’s the magic of Display ads. These ads are designed to track user behaviour and present visually engaging advertisements across multiple websites, apps, and devices.

Display ads function within the vast Google Display Network, covering millions of apps and websites as well as platforms like YouTube and Gmail. They can appear as banner ads, sidebars, or embedded formats within content, seamlessly blending into users’ browsing experiences.

In the corner of these ads, users will often find an “AdChoices” icon, which provides options to close the ad, offer feedback, or learn why the specific ad was shown. These ads are chosen based on the context of the page, users’ browsing patterns, and how their actions align with the advertiser’s target audience categories.

While these ads may sometimes be perceived as intrusive, they have their advantages. Though click-through rates can be lower compared to other formats, Display ads excel in driving brand awareness. Think of them as digital billboards following users on their online journeys—making impressions, even if they don’t immediately result in clicks.

How to Create a Google Display Ads Campaign

  • Define your campaign goal and specify the desired conversion actions.
  • Configure basic campaign settings, such as target locations, preferred languages, and a display schedule.
  • Set an average daily budget and choose bidding preferences, such as target cost-per-action or bid focus.
  • Use Google’s automatic targeting optimisation or customise your audience targeting based on parameters like keywords, topics, or user segments.
  • Design the ad by adding key assets such as logos, visuals, videos, business names, and compelling ad copy.

3. Shopping Ads

Shopping Ads

Location: Google Shopping, Search Engine Results Pages (SERP), Google Images, Google Maps, and search partner sites.
Best for: Selling physical products listed in Google Merchant Center.
Cost per lead: €

Key features:

  • Includes product images for better visual appeal.
  • Automatically populates ads using Merchant Center data.
  • Displays ads across Google properties and affiliated search partners.

What Are Shopping Ads?

Shopping ads differ from traditional Search ads as they automatically pull product information directly from your Google Merchant Center feed. These ads are specifically tailored for sellers with physical products and are designed to streamline sales by providing users with immediate, actionable product details.

Where Shopping Ads Appear:

  • Google SERP: These ads are triggered by keyword searches, appearing at the top of the results or in a carousel, often accompanied by images.
  • Google Shopping: Featured prominently at the top of the Shopping page, sponsored ads enjoy increased visibility.
  • Google Images: Shopping ads frequently show up as carousels at the top of relevant image search results.
  • Google Maps:Local inventory ads are displayed for product-related searches in Maps, helping drive foot traffic to nearby stores.
  • Search partner sites: Google’s network of partnered websites also hosts Shopping ads, although specific site names are not disclosed.

Google Shopping ads focus on providing quick, essential product information instead of relying on creative ad copy. These ads showcase details like price, discounts, ratings, and product images—making it easier for users to make purchase decisions instantly.

How to Create a Google Shopping Ads Campaign

  • Begin by selecting your campaign objective and linking your Google Merchant Center account. If needed, choose specific feeds to target.
  • Adjust campaign settings, such as inventory filters, localisation preferences, budgets, and bidding types.
  • Name your ad groups and set daily bidding limits for automatically generated ads, which use data from your Merchant profile.

4. Video Ads

Video Ads

Placement: Displayed before, during, and after YouTube videos; within YouTube search results; on the YouTube home page; and across the Google Video Partners network.

Best for: Engaging audiences with dynamic video content or promoting video-based campaigns.

Cost per lead: €

Key features:

  • Allows businesses to promote both products and video content effectively.
  • Offers multiple formats that appear in different locations on YouTube and beyond.
  • Extends visibility through third-party apps, websites, and games.

What are Video Ads?

Video Ads are advertisements that primarily feature on YouTube, although their reach can extend beyond YouTube via the Google Video Partners network. These ads come in various formats designed to engage viewers:

  • Skippable in-stream ads: These ads appear at the start, middle, or end of YouTube videos. Users can skip them after five seconds, though they have no maximum length, allowing advertisers the freedom to tell detailed stories.
  • Non-skippable in-stream ads: Capped at 20 seconds, these ads ensure full viewer engagement by running without a skip option.
  • In-feed ads: These ads are designed to promote videos by featuring them on YouTube’s home feed, search results, or alongside other recommended videos.
  • Bumper ads: Short and impactful, these six-second ads are non-skippable and ideal for concise branding messages.
  • Outstream ads: Displayed on Google’s Video Partners network, these ads autoplay on third-party apps, websites, and games.
  • Masthead ads: Premium ads showcased prominently at the top of YouTube’s homepage feed, capturing high visibility and engagement.

Google ensures that its third-party Video Partners network meets stringent quality standards. This includes careful scrutiny of platforms’ video quality, advertising systems, and monetisation practices. This network is exclusive to Video Ads, covering all formats except in-feed and masthead ads.

How to Create a Google Video Ads Campaign

  1. Configure campaign settings, such as target locations, preferred languages, bidding strategies, and display networks.
  2. Define ad groups, audience targeting, and advanced settings, including keyword optimisation and interest-based targeting.
  3. Upload or select a video from your YouTube channel to use in the campaign.
  4. Input essential ad details, such as the call to action, headline, long headline, description, and the URL you want users to visit.

5. App Ads

App ads

Where They Appear:
App ads can show up in numerous locations, including Google Play Store search results, Play Store suggestions, Google Search, YouTube feeds, Google Discover, and throughout the Google search partner network.

Best For:
They’re an excellent choice for promoting either an existing app or a new app that is yet to be launched (specific to Android devices).

Cost:
App ads fall within the mid-to-high price range (€€€) for cost per lead.

Key Features:

  • Can target both new and returning users.
  • Appear across a diverse range of ad surfaces.
  • Campaign objectives include installs, engagement, and pre-registration (for Android apps).

What Are App Ads?

App ads are designed to streamline the process of promoting mobile applications, whether they’re live or in pre-launch. Instead of manually creating ad visuals and copy, advertisers simply provide key inputs such as text, a budget, and language preferences. Google then utilises the app’s Play Store details to automatically generate and test ad layouts, ensuring optimal performance for relevant searches.

There are three primary campaign types for App ads:

  1. App Installs: Designed to encourage new users to download your app.
  2. App Engagement: Targets existing users, encouraging specific in-app actions or re-engagement.
  3. App Pre-Registration: Focused on promoting pre-launch apps, particularly games, allowing Android users to sign up for early access via the Play Store.

These ads are visible across a wide array of platforms, from mobile and desktop Google Search to YouTube and the Play Store, providing excellent reach for app marketers.

Steps to Create a Google App Ad Campaign

  1. Search for your app in Google Ads and select your preferred campaign goal: installs, engagement, or pre-registration (Android only). Choose between Android and iOS as the target platform.
  2. Configure campaign settings, including ad placement, language, and scheduling.
  3. Set your daily budget and bidding strategy to control costs effectively.
  4. Add creative elements, including headlines, call-to-action text, and URLs, to complete your campaign setup.

6. Discovery Ads

Discovery ads

Location: Google Discover feed, YouTube homepage, Watch Next feeds, and Gmail Promotion and Social tabs
Best for: Reaching users ready to purchase with visually engaging, automated ads
Cost per lead: Variable

Key Features:

  • Leverages AI and machine learning to optimise ads automatically.
  • Displays across Google Discover, YouTube, and Gmail.
  • Allows inclusion of multiple images for enhanced visual appeal.

What Are Discovery Ads?

Discovery ads are a versatile advertising format that appears on platforms like Google Discover, YouTube, and Gmail, ensuring broad visibility. For Android and iOS users familiar with the Google Discover feed, these ads are seamlessly integrated into their browsing experience.

Using advanced machine learning and customer intent signals, Discovery ads dynamically adapt to suit user preferences. Advertisers provide creative assets such as headlines, descriptions, images, and logos. Google’s AI then tailors these into ads that target specific intent-based audiences.

These ads are particularly effective as they appear in spaces where users are already engaging with content. This browsing behaviour positions them closer to making purchase decisions, driving higher conversion rates.

How to Create a Discovery Ad Campaign

  1. Set general campaign parameters, including location, language, budget, and bidding type.
  2. Define audience segments to ensure precise targeting.
  3. Upload creative assets such as images, logos, up to five headlines, and five descriptions. Add a call-to-action (CTA) and a landing page URL.

7. Local Services Ads

Local service ads

Location: Google Search Results Page (SERP) and Google Maps
Best for: Promoting region-specific services to local audiences
Cost per lead: Higher (€€€)

Key Features:

  • Connects businesses directly with potential customers.
  • Appears in local search results.
  • Focuses on highly qualified and location-based leads.

What Are Local Services Ads?

Local Services Ads (LSAs) are designed for businesses that cater to specific geographic areas. These ads aren’t managed via the primary Google Ads interface but through a dedicated Local Services Ads hub. Businesses must meet Google’s requirements for licensing, insurance, and background checks to participate.

These ads offer Google badges that signify trustworthiness, such as:

  • Google Screened: Indicates completed background and licence checks.
  • Google Guaranteed: Includes a €2,000 service guarantee.
  • Licence Verified by Google: Confirms professional credentials, often for healthcare providers.
  • Pre-Badge: Available to businesses that have started Google’s verification process.

LSAs prioritise local businesses in search results and Google Maps, making them prominent for users seeking immediate services. With direct contact options like calls and messages, these ads ensure businesses attract ready-to-convert leads. However, maintaining high response rates and user ratings is crucial for optimal ad placement.

How to Create a Local Services Ad Campaign

  1. Check eligibility by completing Google’s application form and creating a business profile.
  2. Submit business details, such as name, registration, contact information, and address.
  3. Specify service areas, types of services offered, and operational hours.

8. Performance Max Ads

Location: All Google advertising channels
Best for: Automatically optimising ads across all Google platforms, focusing on audience-specific targeting.
Cost per lead: €€€€

Key features:

  • Employs advanced machine learning and artificial intelligence to enhance ad performance.
  • Ads are displayed across every Google advertising channel seamlessly.
  • Discovers untapped audience segments by analysing objectives and user behaviours.

What Are Performance Max Ads?

Launched in late 2021, Performance Max campaigns have quickly become a cornerstone of Google’s advertising ecosystem. The platform’s versatility lies in its ability to streamline ad creation and delivery across all Google channels, removing the need for single-channel campaigns.

In 2023, Google continued its shift towards Performance Max by consolidating certain campaign types, such as Smart Shopping, into this more comprehensive format. The approach centres on combining advertiser goals and creative assets with Google’s AI and machine learning to generate highly optimised campaigns.

Advertisers set specific objectives, whether that’s driving sales, collecting leads, or increasing website visits. Then, they provide assets like visuals, videos, and copy. Google processes these inputs to create customised ads tailored to meet the defined goals, using machine learning to refine performance over time.

Performance Max eliminates the need to design separate campaigns for each channel, making it easier to focus on conversions. Its data-driven approach ensures ads reach the most relevant audiences based on real-time behaviour and intent.

How to Create a Google Performance Max Ads Campaign

  1. Select a campaign objective, such as conversions or website traffic.
  2. Choose a bidding strategy and set preferences for targeting new customers or both new and existing ones.
  3. Configure general settings like target locations, languages, and whether Google can auto-generate creative assets.
  4. Upload assets, including images, videos, headlines, descriptions, logos, and audience signals.
  5. Set an average daily budget and let Google optimise the campaign.

9. Smart Ads

Location: Google SERP, Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and search partner sites
Best for: Goal-focused campaigns that prioritise results over specific advertising channels.
Cost per lead: €€€

Key features:

  • Integrates multiple advertising platforms into a single campaign.
  • Emphasises overarching campaign objectives rather than individual ad performance.
  • Targets keyword themes instead of exact keywords for broader reach.

What Are Smart Ads?

Smart ads offer a more guided advertising experience compared to Performance Max campaigns. While they retain automation benefits, they require advertisers to provide more input upfront.

Advertisers supply initial elements such as ad copy, visuals, audience preferences, and keyword themes. Google then automates the ad delivery across its ecosystem, including platforms like Maps, YouTube, Gmail, and partner sites.

These campaigns are ideal for advertisers looking to achieve specific outcomes—such as driving website visits, increasing video views, or generating local leads—without needing to create separate campaigns for each platform.

How to Create a Google Smart Ads Campaign

  1. Enter your domain and link relevant Google accounts.
  2. Define campaign goals, such as lead generation or video views.
  3. Review and customise auto-generated headlines and descriptions.
  4. Select keyword themes relevant to your campaign objectives.
  5. Choose the geographic regions to target.
  6. Set a daily budget to manage campaign spend.

Choosing the Right Google Ads Options

Selecting the most suitable Google Ads option depends on a few key factors:

  • Preferred channels: Determine whether you want to advertise on video platforms, search engines, or display networks. Match the ad type to the channel that aligns with your strategy.
  • Location-specific targeting: If your service or product is limited to a particular region, Local Services Ads may be the ideal choice.
  • Goal-driven campaigns: For those focused on achieving specific objectives rather than sticking to a single channel, Performance Max or Smart Campaigns offer a comprehensive approach by unifying multiple ad formats into one streamlined effort.

Automating Your Google Ads Campaigns

After choosing the appropriate ad type, you can elevate your campaigns by using Ads4Seo‘s Google Ads tools. These solutions help optimise ROI by automating lead collection, monitoring offline conversions, and building bespoke audience lists. Explore how to connect Google Ads with countless other applications, or get started with ready-made templates designed to simplify your campaign management.

Different Types of Google Ads FAQ

What are the three levels of Google Ads?

Google Ads operates on three main levels: account, campaign, and ad group. The account level provides an overarching view, campaigns focus on specific advertising objectives, and ad groups allow advertisers to manage and optimise keywords and audience targeting in finer detail.

What type of advertising is Google Ads?

Formerly known as Google AdWords, Google Ads is now a comprehensive platform for creating Pay-Per-Click (PPC) campaigns. It extends beyond search engine ads, offering opportunities to advertise across Google’s ecosystem, including YouTube, partner sites, and Google Maps.

What are the different types of Google Ads?

Google Ads includes eight core types: Search, Display, Shopping, Video, App, Discovery, Performance Max, and Smart ads. Additionally, there’s Local Services Ads, a distinct offering managed through a separate interface, tailored for location-based businesses.

Is Google Ads considered a part of SEO?

Google Ads and SEO serve different purposes in digital marketing. SEO focuses on attracting customers organically by optimizing content to appear in search engine results when users search for relevant keywords. In contrast, Google Ads is a form of outbound marketing that uses paid placements to actively promote products or services to potential customers.

Is Google AdWords classified as SEO or SEM?

Google Ads falls under the SEM (Search Engine Marketing) category, specifically paid SEM. PPC ads, such as those on Google and Bing, are examples of paid advertising where advertisers bid in real-time to display their ads to targeted audiences.

What does PPC mean in Google Ads?

PPC, or pay-per-click, in Google Ads is an advertising model where businesses bid on keywords to display their ads in search results. Advertisers are charged only when someone clicks on their ad, directing traffic to their website or initiating a call to the business.

What is the new name for Google AdWords?

Google AdWords, now called Google Ads, was rebranded after over 18 years. Along with this change, DoubleClick advertiser products and Google Analytics 360 were combined to create the Google Marketing Platform, simplifying Google’s advertising and analytics tools.