What is Google Display Network and how does it work?
The Google Display Network is a Google-run online advertising platform that allows you to show Display ads (visual banner ads) to targeted audiences throughout their network. It covers Google services including Gmail and YouTube, as well as affiliated websites and mobile apps.
Over 90% of internet users worldwide are exposed to the Google Display Network, with more than two million sites, videos, and apps being part of the network. You can choose to show your ads to prospects or existing customers (or both) through multiple filters, such as demographic, interest, and activity.
Is Google Display Network right for my business?
If you want to reach a user base that amounts to 90% of the internet population, at an affordable rate, then you should definitely consider using the Google Display Network.
Apart from the wide reach and reasonable cost, you also have an impressive array of options to specify your target audience for each campaign you run on the network. The depth of customisation for filtering who you want to reach within a particular campaign makes it so just about any business from any industry can succeed.
How Superb Digital can make the Google Display Network work for you
At Superb Digital, we know the Google Display Network inside out. It’s a powerful medium for delivering ads but that doesn’t make it easy to leverage or get really good ROI from.
We have the tools, the people and the know-how to not only set up your Google Display Network campaign, but tailor your ads so they achieve the maximum click through rate. Not only that, but we’ll manage your ad campaigns on an ongoing basis, analysing relevant metrics, such as impressions and click-through rate and making adjustments accordingly.
This constant management is crucial as it allows us to adapt to market trends, competitor activity, seasonality, as well as push new brand messaging and products / services. We can even create multiple versions and perform A/B testing to find out which one works best with your target audience.
And of course, we pride ourselves in making things transparent and not bamboozling you with technical jargon, which is why you can also count on us to deliver cogent clear reporting every month and regular telephone updates on your campaign performance.
Google Display Network FAQ
What is the difference between Google Display Network and Google Search?
The main differences between Google Search and the Google Display Network is that Google Search uses text-based ads that appear on search engine results pages of Google and its partner websites. These ads reach end users through the keywords they use in their search queries.
The Google Display Network displays ads in various areas of a webpage (e.g. banner or sidebar) with these ads showing up across a vast number of third party sites on Google’s network, as well as Google’s own platforms like Gmail. These ads can contain graphics, images and even animated elements and reach people browsing the network depending on parameters such as demographic, interest, and activity.
What should I bear in mind when creating ads for Google Display Network?
There are three major considerations for Google Display network ad creation:
- Audience — Determine who you are targeting. Are they potential new customers or existing ones? Are they at the beginning, middle, or end of the buyer’s journey?
- Style — There are two types of Display ads you can show: standard image ads and responsive ads. The former is your typical banner ad with set dimensions and static graphics, while the latter uses images and text that are automatically modified to blend into the site where they are displayed.
- Placement — You can let Google choose where to show your ads and also pick specific domains to include and exclude for placement.
How do I know if my Google Display Network campaign is working?
When setting up your GDN campaign, you can choose your goal, whether that be increasing sales, generating leads, growing website traffic, or creating brand awareness. The metrics to measure your conversions would differ depending on your goal. If you want brand awareness, for instance, look at an increase in impressions and clicks. If you want more sales, then look at conversions and cost per conversion.
You can check the performance of your Google Display Network campaigns on the “Ads & extensions” and “Placements” pages with your Google Ads account. You can look at predefined reports that show basic metrics or create custom reports where you choose which data to show with charts and tables.
Can I manage where my Google Display Network ads are displayed?
Yes, absolutely. You can automate where your ads show based on your target audience, and you can specify which sites, devices, and apps to include and exclude for displaying ads.
What type of ads work best on Google Display Network?
You can have both standard image ads and responsive display ads that perform well. Whichever you use, we recommend following these best practises:
- Simple and clean graphics
- High-quality images
- Specific, straightforward, and standalone text
- Ad that matches your CTA