Part 2 : display network
Following on from our article on the search network, here’s part two on the Google Ads display network.
Why choose the Google Ads Display Network ?
The Google Display Network lets you display your ads on millions of Google partner websites, applications and videos. There are many benefits:
- Wide reach: Reach millions of users on a variety of platforms.
- Precise targeting: Use advanced targeting options to reach the right people at the right time.
- Varied formats: Take advantage of different ad formats to capture your audience’s attention.
- Cost-efficiency: Bidding and budget control enable flexible cost management.
If you’re new to display advertising, this article is a step-by-step guide to setting up your first campaign on the Google Ads Display Network.
1. Define your campaign objectives
Before creating your campaign, clearly define your objectives. Do you want to increase brand awareness, generate leads, drive traffic to your website or promote a specific product? Google Ads offers several campaign objectives, so choose the one that best suits your needs.
2. Create a Google Ads account
If you don’t yet have a Google Ads account, start by creating one. Go to Google Ads and click on “Get started”. Follow the instructions to set up your account. A Google account (such as Gmail) is required for registration.
3. Select campaign type: Display Network
For your first campaign, after the search network, there’s a 2nd alternative: the “Display Network”. This type of campaign allows you to display visual ads (banners) on websites, applications and videos that are part of the Google Display Network. This network is made up of a wide variety of sites and applications, which can be categorized as follows :
a. Large-audience content sites
These sites attract large numbers of visitors and cover a wide range of topics. They include :
- News and current affairs sites: e.g. CNN, The New York Times, Le Monde.
- General portals: Yahoo, MSN
b. Blogs and specialized sites
These sites focus on specific niches and attract highly targeted audiences. They include:
- Blogs on fashion, fitness, technology, etc. For example, TechCrunch, FitSugar.
- Online forums and communities: Reddit, Stack Overflow.
c. Entertainment and media sites
These sites focus on entertainment and media content, such as :
- Video sites: YouTube (especially via Google Video Partners).
- Music and streaming sites: Spotify (via video ads), Pandora.
d. E-commerce sites
These sites include online sales platforms and marketplaces:
- Large-scale sites: Amazon, eBay (via Google Display Network).
- Price comparison sites: Google Shopping, PriceGrabber.
e. Mobile applications
Display ads can also appear in various mobile applications, including :
- Game applications: Angry Birds, Candy Crush.
- Utility applications: Weather Channel, Evernote
f. Service sites
These sites offer a variety of services, including
- Financial and banking services: PayPal, Wells Fargo.
- Travel booking sites: Expedia, Booking.com
g. Local news sites and social networks
These sites target specific local communities or social networks:
- Local information sites: Yellow Pages, Yelp
- Social networks: LinkedIn, via the Display Network.
h. Video game sites
Adss may appear on popular video game sites, such as :
- Online gaming sites: Miniclip, Kongregate.
- Game streaming platforms: Twitch (via partnerships)
i. Educational and academic websites
These sites include educational and academic platforms:
- Online course sites: Coursera, Khan Academy.
- Academic resource sites: JSTOR, PubMed.
This means you can reach a wide range of target audiences, whatever your objectives are.
4. Determine your target audience
Targeting is crucial to the success of your display campaign. Google Ads offers several targeting options:
- Demographic: Target by age, gender, parental status or household income.
- Geographic: Target specific regions, countries or cities.
- Interests: Target users according to their interests and browsing habits. For example, if you sell sporting goods, target fitness and sports enthusiasts.
- Purchase intentions: Target users who are actively looking for products or services similar to yours. For example, if you offer travel services, target users looking for vacation destinations.
- Remarketing: Target users who have already visited your website or used your application without following up. Use remarketing lists to reach these users with relevant ads. You can also download a list of existing customers to target similar segments.
- Contextual targeting: Place your ads on relevant web pages based on specific keywords and topics. For example, if you sell gardening equipment, target gardening websites.
5. Create attractive ads
Display ads must be visually appealing and relevant. Be creative! Here are some tips for creating effective ads:
- High-quality visuals: Use high-quality images and graphics. Images with human faces are often more successful. An interior design company can use images of beautifully decorated rooms. Also consider the video format to convey your message in a dynamic way.
- Catchy headlines: Use short, punchy headlines.
- Clear messages: Make sure the message is clear and concise.
- Calls to action (CTAs): Include explicit CTAs such as “Buy now”, “Learn more”, or “Sign up”. Encourage users to act immediately. Example: “Buy now and get 20% off”.
- Adapt ad sizes: Google Ads supports multiple ad sizes. Create versions in different sizes to maximize your chances of display: at least one square format and one landscape format.
If you don’t fill in all the available formats, Google automatically adjusts the size, appearance and format of your ads to fit all the available spaces. But the result may not always be as high quality as you’d like.
6. Define your budget and bids
Before defining a budget, you need to clarify your campaign objectives. Each objective can influence the amount you’re willing to invest. For example, a brand awareness campaign may require a higher budget to reach a large audience, while a lead generation campaign may focus on specific niches with a smaller budget.
Next, define a monthly or daily budget for your campaign. This will determine how much you’re prepared to spend each day.
Next, choose a bidding strategy. For beginners, we recommend choosing the automatic bidding option, where Google optimizes your bids to maximize clicks or conversions according to your objective.
For the more experienced, there are several options to choose from :
a. Understanding types of bidding strategies
Google Ads offers several bidding strategies, each adapted to specific objectives:
- CPC (Cost per Click): Pay only when someone clicks on your ad. Ideal for driving traffic to your site.Example: You set a maximum bid of €0.50 per click.
- CPM (Cost per Thousand Impressions): Pay for 1,000 impressions of your ad. Ideal for increasing brand awareness. Example: You set a maximum bid of €2 per 1,000 impressions.
- CPA (Cost per Acquisition): Pay when a specific action (conversion) is achieved, such as a sale or registration. Ideal for conversion-driven campaigns.Example: You set a target bid of €10 per conversion.
- ROAS (Return on Ad Spend): Bid according to your target return on advertising spend.Example: You set a target ROAS of 300%, which means that for every €1 spent, you expect a €3 return.
b. Select a strategy based on your objectives
- Brand awareness: Opt for a CPM strategy to maximize impressions.Example: An energy drink company looking to increase its visibility can use a CPM auction to reach a large audience.
- Lead generation: Use a CPC strategy to attract qualified traffic to your site.Example: A SaaS software company can choose CPC to attract prospects interested in a free demo.
- Increase sales: Use a CPA strategy to optimize conversions.Example: An e-commerce site can set a CPA bid to maximize online purchases.
c. Configure bidding strategies in Google Ads
Go to the “Bidding strategies” section when configuring your campaign and select the option that corresponds to your objectives. Here’s how to set up an auction strategy:
- Access your campaign and click on “Settings”.
- Select “Bidding strategy”.
- Choose your strategy (CPC, CPM, CPA, etc.) according to your objectives.
- Set your maximum or target bids.
d. Configuration example
- Brand awareness campaign :
- Bidding strategy: CPM
- Maximum bid: €3 per 1,000 impressions
- Lead generation campaign :
- Bidding strategy: CPC
- Maximum bid: €1 per click
- Campaign to increase sales :
- Bidding strategy: CPA
- Target bid: €15 per conversion
7. Configure ad extensions
Ad extensions can add value by providing additional information such as links to specific pages on your site, your phone number, or your address. Although less used on the display network than on the search network, they can be beneficial if they are relevant.
Google Ads offers several types of ad extensions, each with its own advantages. The main extensions available for the Display Network include:
- Location extensions: display your company’s address, a map, and the distance to your location.
- Call extensions: allow users to call your company directly at the click of a button.
- Price extensions: display prices for your products or services.
- Teaser extensions: add additional descriptive text to your ads.
- Promotion extensions: highlight special offers or current promotions.
To add an extension :
- Click on the “ads and extensions” tab
- Select “extensions”.
- Click on the blue “+” button and select the type of extension you wish to add.
- Enter the extension information
- Save changes
8. Launch your campaign
Once everything is set up, it’s time to launch your campaign. Review all the information to make sure it’s correct, then click on “Launch campaign”. Google Ads will start showing your ads on the display network.
9. Performance monitoring and analysis
We recommend that you define your performance indicators (KPIs) before launching your campaign, based on your objectives (sales, conversions, traffic, etc.).
Use the Google Ads dashboard to track the performance of your campaign. Key metrics include click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC), conversion rate and return on investment (ROI). Analyzing this data will enable you to identify what’s working and what needs to be improved. This will optimize your campaign.
Don’t hesitate to adjust your bids and budget according to observed performance. If a campaign generates good results, you can increase the budget to maximize earnings. On the contrary, if a campaign is not performing well, reduce the budget or adjust the bids.
Example: If a lead generation campaign with a CPC bid performs well, you can increase the maximum bid to €1.50 to attract even more qualified traffic.
10. Test and optimize
Success with Google Ads requires continuous optimization. Test different variations of your ads, adjust your targeting parameters and modify your bids to see what generates the best results. Use A/B testing to compare different versions of your ads and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Example: Test different ads with different CPA bids to see which ones generate the most conversions at optimum cost.
To create and deliver an effective campaign on the display network, clearly define your objectives, precisely target your audience, create attractive ads, and constantly monitor performance to optimize your results. If you follow each of these 10 steps, you can master Google Ads and achieve the advertising goals you’ve set for yourself to boost your company’s profile.
