Google Display Network Ads: Tips For Success

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*This post was updated on August 6, 2024.

If you want to expand your advertising beyond Google Search and get your business in front of more potential customers, Google Display Network (GDN) is your ticket.

Since its introduction in 2003, the GDN has allowed advertisers to display their ads across a vast network of partner websites beyond just Google properties.

Rather than exclusively showing text ads on search engine results pages, Google negotiated agreements with website owners to place Display Ads on their sites. In exchange for a share of click revenue, Google can promote ads across many online destinations through these partnerships.

Read on as we unpack some of the critical advantages of using the GDN and share our top tips for success.

Google Display Network Ad Tips & Strategies 

The Google Display Network allows you to reach millions of potential customers online. However, your ads must stand out and catch the eye of the wide array of other advertising. To increase your chances of creating Ads that capture the attention of the users and convert, it’s advisable to utilize the Responsive Search Ads. 

Responsive Display Ads

In 2016, Google introduced Responsive Display Ads, and in 2018, they made it the default. RDAs are a form of advertising whereby Google displays different headlines, descriptions, images and layout of the Ad depending on the context of the user. Google’s strategy was to combine elements of search and display to create an ad that gives enough information with eye-catching imagery.

How Responsive Display Ads Work

Here’s how responsive display ads work: 

• Google Ad creation: Google allows advertisers to input up to 15 images, 5 logos, 5 headlines, 1 long headline and 5 descriptions per Ad setup. Video is recommended but not required.
• Assets combination: Google uses machine learning and historical data to create many versions of the assets provided to pair the right message to the right user. All of that and adjust the format to fit any ad space within the Google Display network. 
• Testing and optimization: Google tests various asset combinations to understand which one performs the best.

The biggest advantage of using responsive display ads is the fact that people’s preferences and trends are always changing. Therefore, having an ad that is versatile and changes to match the changing trends and looks native in the content that the user is engaging with gives your business a competitive edge.

Here are some tips for crafting effective ads on the Display Network:

1. Visual & Design Tips for Uploaded Display Ads (not RDAs)

The first key to successful Google Display Network ads is grabbing attention with your visuals and design. Your ad needs to stand out visually in seconds to your viewers. You can easily do this through the following ways.

Use Your Logo

Your logo is one of your brand’s most recognizable visual aspects. Including your highest-quality, full-color, and most recent logo prominently in your ad header helps users immediately identify the ad as yours. It signals that this is a trusted brand they already know rather than an unknown or suspicious listing. 

Keep The Design Minimal 

In addition to your logo, keep other design elements very minimal. With only a few seconds to catch someone’s eye, your ad should not crowd with too much text or unnecessary images.

Focus on one strong headline, a clean and impactful one—or two-sentence description of your offer, and one related image, if necessary, to represent your product or service. A minimal but targeted design keeps your ad visually appealing.

Keep Image Guidelines in Mind

Always follow Google’s image guidelines to ensure a professional appearance. Use high-resolution images, avoid clutter or distractions, and focus on depicting your offer in the most representative way possible.

These are some Google guidelines on images:

Image Type	Recommended size	Minimum size
Landscape (1.91:1)	1200 x 628	600 x 314
Square (1:1)	1200 x 1200	300 x 300
Portrait (9:16)	900 x 1600	6001067

 

1.  Targeting the Right Audience

Targeting is critical for the Google Display Network (GDN) to identify those most likely interested to see your ads. 

For you to get the right audience with your GDN campaigns, you need to consider the following aspects:

• Demographics and interests: Knowing your ideal customer’s demographics, such as age, gender, location, and common interests, will help you customize your ads. For example, if you are selling toys, you may want to target women ages 25-45 who are interested in parenting.
• Utilizing demographic targeting: Within Google Ads, you can filter placements to only those that meet demographic criteria. Choose locations, languages, genders, and age ranges that align with your business. For example, an outdoor brand may target men ages 18-49 in western USA states.
• Leveraging interest-based targeting: Google categorizes billions of pages into interest topics, such as fashion, fitness, cooking, etc. You can target ads to pages with content related to interests relevant to your product or service. A clothing retailer, for example, may choose to show ads on pages related to shopping, style, and brand names.

3.     Budgeting and Bidding Strategies

While Display Network allows you to reach a large audience, it also requires some strategy to maximize your budget. Consider these things to ensure a positive Return on Investment (ROI) on your ad campaign:

• Focus on Cost-Effective Advertising: Focus on cost-per-acquisition bidding strategies like target cost-per-action (CPA) or return on ad spend (ROAS) to ensure you are optimizing for successful actions like purchases or conversions. You can also optimize toward lower-funnel events by setting a target value like target revenue.
• Understanding bidding options: Google offers different bidding options to suit different goals. With manual cost-per-click (CPC), you only set the bid and pay when users click. With automated bidding like target CPA, the system optimizes your bids based on your target cost. Explore the options like target ROAS to determine the best fit for your objectives.
• Maximizing ROI with smart budget allocation: Analyze performance across placements and days/periods to reallocate the budget where it drives the most valuable outcomes. Increase spending on top-performing formats/sites and reduce waste on underperformers. Stay within budgets through caps and speed up spending when campaigns are most effective.

4. Focus on Dynamic Remarketing

Dynamic remarketing allows you to show personalized ads to site visitors who previously viewed products or pages on your website but did not complete a purchase. It is a powerful way to re-engage abandoned shoppers and encourage them to finish what they started.

Install Google’s remarketing tag on your website pages to set up dynamic remarketing. Then, create ad groups containing dynamic remarketing lists for things like “Abandoned Cart” and “Viewed Product XYZ.”

You can dynamically populate these ad groups with parameters like the product name, image, price, and other details pulled directly from the shopping sessions Google tracks. This action gives each ad high contextual relevance to the individual viewer.

1. Show a Clear Value Proposition

Since Display ads have seconds to convey why a viewer should click, your offer’s value or unique selling point must be immediately evident and compelling.

Start by defining the key benefits that make your product or service worth consideration over competitors.

Are you the most affordable option? Do you offer a unique feature? Convey this in your headline or images in a simple, direct statement.

You can also quantify specific values, like “Save 35% on home insurance” or “Free 2-day shipping on all orders.” Numerical proofs instantly communicate how customers will directly benefit from learning more.

1. Choose a Strong CTA

Your call-to-action button guides users to take the following action, which must be optimally tempting and clear. You should consider testing buttons like:

• “Learn More” (for awareness/consideration stage)
• “Add to Cart” (for cart/purchase stage)
• “Get a Quote” (for leads/signups)

You can also try more urgency-inducing buttons like “Shop Now” or “Order Yours Today” when timely promotions apply.

Ensure the CTA lands users on a well-optimized destination page that continues engaging them through the funnel. Use landing page analytics to find which Creative/CTA combos drive the highest conversion rates.

7.     Create Urgency 

Creating urgency means informing your audience that your offer is available for a limited time only, thus prompting them to act quickly. Use the scarcity principle to your advantage by ensuring your deals feel exclusive and time-sensitive.

According to the scarcity principle, humans value items more when they perceive them as limited.

Using language that emphasizes time constraints, such as “For the next 48 hours only!” or “Last chance!” can increase perceptions of an offer’s value and motivation to purchase.

Clearly stating a deadline gives your viewers a sense of pressure not to miss out.

Recent research even found that when tasks are characterized by “mere urgency” through an illusion of expiration, people are likelier to choose unimportant tasks over more important ones due to the urgency effect.

This demonstrates why creating a false display of scarcity can remarkably drive conversions higher.

When applying urgency, focus on genuineness over exaggeration. An offer available for just 24 hours due to material constraints will feel more authentic than one with an unpredictable deadline.

8. A/B Test With Your Landing Pages 

One powerful combination is to A/B test your Google Display Network ads and the landing pages people arrive at after clicking.

While optimizing the ad itself is crucial, the actual page content and design someone engages with directly impacts your conversions.

Some specific areas you can test include page layouts, additional product options to upsell, different value props or pitches, font sizes and colors, different navigation, and alternative CTAs. You may find a new element you add outperforms others as people continue interacting with your brand.

Conclusion 

The Google Display Network offers a powerful way to reach new audiences at scale. However, it also presents new challenges in ensuring the right customers see your ads. By implementing the tips we have discussed, you can help your ads stand out among the millions served daily. Remember to check your analytics and adjust your strategy based on what’s working best. 

At Vizion Interactive, we have the expertise, experience, and enthusiasm to get results and keep clients happy! Learn more about how our status as a Google Partner, along with our PPC Management, Google Shopping Ads, Social Media Advertising, Amazon Advertising, and other Paid Media services can increase sales and boost your ROI. But don’t just take our word for it, check out what our clients have to say, along with our case studies.