In a critical branding decision, you want to supercharge your marketing efforts but worry about putting all your eggs in one basket.
That’s a reasonable fear. But it may surprise you that the Google Display Network offers the perfect solution for beefing up awareness of your brand while providing a vast network of websites for exposure and sales.
In the age where digital marketing dominates all sales efforts, there’s every reason to go with the largest internet marketing group. Google’s the leader for many reasons.
In this article, we’ll explain exactly:
What is Google Display Network?
Believe it or not, Google does more internet surfing than your employees do. Their robotic spiders crawl the web constantly, and their index contains hundreds of billions of web pages and totals more than 1,000,000 gigabytes in size.
With all that information, Google knows which sites are fresh and new. They know their backlink heritage and where they send visitors. They know traffic patterns, content, and value.
The Google Display Network is a group of 2 million fully vetted and verified websites that are a valuable marketing medium for you and the GDN’s (Google Display Network) other advertisers, reaching 94% of global internet users.
The network includes Google Finance, YouTube, mobile websites, and many other applications. It’s a monster.
And, your company can market through the GDN to a targeted audience via display ads you produce with text, photos, and animations – whatever floats your boat and fills your coffers with cash.
Why Should You Use It?
There are several reasons why you should use the Google Display Network, starting with a reasonable price. And it’s rational because it works.
Unlike paying a specific website to host your display advertisement and hoping they have just the right market for your product, GDN reaches audiences in multiple places.
So, if you imagine a single website as a highway billboard at mile marker one and GDN as a highway sign traveling with a browser to more than 2 million websites, which would work better for your branding?
Plus, your display ads are targeted. They get website impressions based on your target group, budget, and browser history. Optimized targeting finds viewer segments with the highest likelihood of interacting with your ads.
Even when those browsers don’t act on your ad, they may notice it – strengthening your reach and brand – for free. You only pay when they click.
Google is incentivized to use AI to show suitable ads in the right places, and Google’s smart bidding system uses machine learning to help your ads optimize conversions. All while displaying ads on the best search engine optimized pages.
Google Search vs. Display Network
Google Search is designed for both paid and organic popularity to rise to the top of each search page. Still, the paid search results come first, allowing advertisers willing to pay the most a chance to be seen first.
The search engine is part of Google Ads and allows advertisers to capture browsers looking for specific keywords and phrases. Search ads can appear on Google search partner sites, Google Play, Images, Maps, and the Maps app.
Types of Search Network Ads
Compared to the Google Display Network, Google Search Ads may be limited in size and scope of display but include:
- Text Ads
- Dynamic Search Ads
- Response Search Ads
- Call-Only Ads
- Shopping Ads
- Image and Video Ads
The Google Display Network allows users to take advantage of the best aspects of computer-guided display marketing. Responsive display ads automatically morph into whatever size is optimal or available on a website.
Appearance, size, and format adjust to improve the ad and website’s speed and performance.
Unlike search ads, network display ads can attract customers that didn’t know they needed your product. While seen in the background of the viewer’s fundamental interest, the ads are indirect but seductively dynamic.
Also, unlike search advertising, where a keyword or phrase drives all the traffic, GDN advertising can drive website traffic or build awareness – albeit in a slower, more gradual timeframe. So, if remarketing is your goal, display tops search.
The Benefits of Advertising on the Google Display Network (GDN)
Artistic marketers like the GDN because it allows them to unleash their latent artistic abilities through creative and effective display ads. Viewers are much more likely to be affected by colors and intrigue than a few words in a tiny text ad.
The Google Display Network allows a much more focused and targeted campaign, regardless of the desired outcome. As alluded to above, a business focused on remarketing to a known brand will enjoy the benefits of driving leads and sales at a lower cost than straight search engine results. If you prefer to generate awareness, that’s good too.
The GDN’s vast reach stretches worldwide to millions of websites and apps plus Google-owned properties. Still, unlike a newspaper advertisement seen by all subscribers, your display ads are targeted; first by Google and then by you. Each campaign includes machine learning to return the best results.
Smart bidding also uses machine learning for conversion value in each auction. Remember, you place a maximum bid for each advertisement, but the system continually gets you the best price for every placement.
Automated targeting allows Google to find which audience segments drive the best results, while brilliant display campaigns combine your targeting and bidding for overall effectiveness.
How the Google Display Network Works
The Google Display Network works by allowing your business to show creative display advertisements across a broad spectrum of high-traffic, well-managed and engaging websites plus Google-branded sites and apps.
The Google system of responsive ads automatically adjusts your ads to the optimal size for each site and can be shown on over 2 million websites. That reach allows good results at reasonable costs.
To begin, you create an ad for your first campaign, set a daily or over-time budget, and decide whether to let Google choose your ad placements or pick your own.
Not targeting is like paying for radio ads. Everyone listening hears the ad – and your dollar spent on your desired audience is enormous.
Targeting allows you to choose personal interests, demographics, location, and more. The better you designate your spending, the lower your acquisition cost will be.
Managed placements allow you to choose specific spots: games, videos, mobile sites, and websites for your ads to appear. This is the way to go if you know exactly where your audience is.
If you start by allowing Google to choose your placements, you must choose keywords and topics related to your audience and your ad.
From there, Google AI goes to work and can narrow down your targeting to an affinity audience of surfers looking for similar products to yours.
And, if you want to remarket, that’s good too. Have you ever searched for a product and seen ads pop up later with that product? That’s Google remarketing – giving advertisers another shot at capturing their audience.
Finally, Google offers a massive library of images you can use at no cost. Then, their responsive ads will automatically blend into a website’s look and feel by adjusting the size and font. It’s pretty incredible.
Google Display Ad Examples
Now that the Google Display Network looks more promising than intimidating, here are some great display ads that capture interest and clicks.
Here’s a small, unobtrusive banner ad that still packs a wallop:
Why it works
First, it could be a reminder – remarket – brand advertisement for people who already shop at Party City. Or it can be a direct hit for buyers looking for a graduation celebration and party items.
While most of the display is black and white, it benefits from how the letters stand out on the left side. On the right is a blast of color signaling how you can celebrate in style. The call to action is prominent on a white background without being insistent.
Here’s a more detailed display ad with multiple messages
Why it works
The ad itself is compelling because the food and the Visa card stand out – and Amazon doesn’t need to toot its horn too much, so the size is perfect. Plus, it presents three separate messages.
First, there’s Whole Foods Market purchases’ 5% back aspect – plus those at Amazon. And then there’s the slight push to get or use a Prime membership, which is slightly subtle, lending to the FOMO instinct.
Here’s a more prominent display advertisement that stands out
Why it works
This ad has a lot going for it. The text stands out, so the overall message is easy to digest. The product solves a problem, so results should be excellent when targeted.
And the gummies themselves look innocent enough, maybe even yummy. In addition, the #1 rating conveys a safe and trusted product.
The Wrap Up
The Google Display Network offers web-wide display advertising with robust targeting tools. We’re sure we’ve given you a more comprehensive understanding of the program’s benefits and why it matters for building a brand, obtaining leads, and making sales.
Although Google’s advertising program demands oversight to focus on budgeting and placement, your ads also need to capture interest. A little puffery in advertising is good and can convey a quick, definitive message. Get your story straight, tell it well, and you’ll succeed.
