Search ads and display ads are the two most common advertisement styles on Google Ads, Google’s popular advertising service. Both search and display ads are effective at reaching new customers and helping businesses showcase their products and services, but both ad formats function very differently. And if you don’t understand the differences between the two before running an ad campaign, your ads won’t be nearly as effective as they could be.

So here, we’ll look closer at what Google’s search and display ads are, talk about their similarities and differences, and ultimately help you decide which one is right for you.

1. What Are Search Ads?

Google search results for “new sofa,” with the first two listings being Google Search Ads.

Google’s Search Ads are text-based advertisements that appear on relevant Google searches. If you’ve ever looked for a product or service online and noticed that the first few results have the word “ad” or “sponsored” next to them, you’ve already seen Google Search Ads in action!

Search ads are effective digital marketing tools because they only show up when they’re relevant to what the consumer wants. Whenever someone looks for something on Google, the search engine returns thousands of results based on what it thinks is most relevant to the search inquiry. And oftentimes, search ads are among the first results displayed, so long as the advertiser fills them with the right information.

For example, if a restaurant owner wanted to use a search ad to reach new customers in their area, they could utilize keywords in their advertisements like their location and the type of food they serve. That way, when a potential customer looks for something like “Thai restaurant in Eugene,” a search ad with that description will rank as one of the first search results.

Search ads are most effective for businesses with products and services that people might need immediately. Think about it like looking for a place to eat and shopping for a new couch. It can take weeks of comparing prices and products to commit to a new piece of furniture, but when comparing restaurants, most people will want to come to a solution within a few minutes. Search ads put relevant business pages at the top of related search inquiries, making them ideal when you want to be one of the first candidates on a quick decision.

2. Where You Might Find Search Ads

Another example of a Google Search Ad, with a Google Shopping Ad also listed above it.

Google Search Ads frequently show up at the top of Google search pages when the search engine determines they’re relevant to what a person is looking for. If you search something on Google with enough of the same key phrases as a search ad, that ad will probably be one of the first results you see. And the best part is that search ads look almost identical to any regular Google return, so people are likely to click on them as if they were a regular, unadvertised search result.

You might also see search ads on Google Maps results when someone looks for something vague like “restaurants near me,” on Google’s shopping tab, or any of Google’s other tools.

3. What Are Display Ads?

A banner Google Display Ad listed on a blog.

Google Display Ads are image-based advertisements that show up on websites rather than on Google’s search results page. Sometimes display ads have photos of a company’s products and services, and sometimes they just display an enticing graphic. Sometimes display ads look like thin banners on the top or side of a web page, and sometimes they’re much bigger. Either way, display ads are unique because they utilize images in ways search ads cannot.

Google Ads will only display on websites partnered with the Google Display Network (GDN). While this limits the locations where your ads will pop up, it also means the sites where your display ads do appear will be credible and optimized to show off your advertising perfectly. Plus, the GDN has over two million websites, so you won’t face much shortage of advertising opportunities.

Display ads are one of the best ways to passively advertise a product. For example, if you manage a jewelry store, most of your target audience probably doesn’t need new jewelry as quickly as possible. But if you create an effective display ad that shows up while a potential customer is surfing the web, they’ll remember your business the next time they’re in the market for a necklace or bracelet.

4. Where You Might Find Display Ads

Multiple Google Search Ads on a popular entertainment website.

Display ads can appear on any type of website. However, you will primarily see them on leisure and entertainment pages like social media, where people are more likely to get distracted by an eye-catching ad.

Display ads might also appear on web pages related to the ad’s product or service. For example, if you’re reading about DIY tips on fixing a broken pipe, you might see a display ad for a plumber in your area somewhere on the page.

5. Similarities and Differences

Another Google Search Ad, this one for sponsored hotels in Eugene, Oregon.

Search ads and display ads are at two opposite ends of the marketing spectrum, search ads being a direct advertising method and display ads being more passive. For example, search ads most commonly show up to users actively searching for a specific product or service that matches the ad’s keywords. On the other hand, display ads can appear anywhere, regardless of a person’s Google search, and use engaging visuals to entice someone toward a product more subtly. Additionally, you don’t have to rely on a website partnering with GDN for your search ads to reach someone like you do with display ads.

But just because search and display ads are starkly different marketing tools doesn’t mean they aren’t similar in some ways. For example, though we’ve only talked about keywords concerning search ads, you can also use them with display ads to target potentially interested shoppers based on their previous searches and cookies.

And, of course, you use both to attract more potential customers to your business!

6. When You Should Use Each

Hopefully, you now know that there are plenty of differences between Google display ads and search ads, specifically with where and how they appear. Because of those differences, you will be better suited to emphasize one type of ad over the other when you start marketing your business… but how do you know which one to use?

7. Display Ads

Display ads work well for products and services that are more appealing when people can see a picture of them. For example, display ads would be more effective than search ads for someone advertising a piece of furniture because the display lets people see the furniture for themselves rather than just reading about it. On the other hand, someone like a personal injury lawyer likely wouldn’t benefit much from a display ad since their service doesn’t have much of a visual component.

Display ads are also more effective than search ads for passively advertising a business. While search ads directly answer people’s needs, a good-looking display ad can create a need for a product or service that people didn’t even realize they wanted until they saw your ad.

8. Search Ads

Google Search Ads for emergency vets in the area.

Search ads are most effective when you use them to market to people who need a product or service and need it now. Emergency doctors that take patients without an appointment and 24/7 plumbers are classic examples, but you don’t have to work in a ‘life or death’ industry to use search ads. For example, running a limited-time sale is the perfect time to run a search ad since there’s urgency in people wanting to get discounted prices while they can.

You can also use search ads to boost short-term traffic to your website. Of course, well-maintained Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a better long-term solution for generating traffic since you don’t have to pay for it as you do with search ads. Still, if you need quick help reaching interested customers, search ads are an effective tool.

9. Other Common Google Ad Campaigns

Google Shopping Ads for sponsored hiking boot sales.

Though Google’s search and display ads are the most commonly used tools on the search engine’s marketing platform, they’re far from the only available ad types. Below are a few other popular but lesser-used types of Google Ads:

Video Ads: These ads are similar to display ads but use videos rather than still images. Video ads are most common and effective on video-sharing websites like YouTube. Most people won’t bother watching a random video advertisement as they’re scrolling through social media or news pages, but they’re likelier to pay attention if the ad is built into a video someone was already preparing to watch.

App Ads: You can use app ads to advertise your mobile application on the Google Play store. App ads are similar to display ads in that most of them lean heavily into visuals to market to interested users.

Shopping Ads: These show up as listings on relevant Google Shopping results. Shopping ads are excellent direct marketing tools if you sell a physical product in a crowded market and need to stand out.

Important Takeaways

Search ads are not inherently better than display ads and vice versa. Though you’ll use both to increase business, display ads and search ads reach that goal in different ways.
Search ads are more direct and help larger businesses in crowded markets stand out. Meanwhile, display ads are a more passive advertising method for companies with visually engaging products and services. If you understand their differences enough to use both effectively, your ad campaigns will be worth the investment.
If you have the budget, it might be worth your time to invest in both search and display ads evenly as you first start advertising. At the very least, you can monitor each advertisement’s performance through Google Ads to see which is more effective and adjust your strategy accordingly.