Most of us think of Google Ads as those text results that pop up when you search something. And yes, search ads are powerful. They reach people who already have a clear intent. But here’s the thing: not everyone starts with a search. People discover brands while reading an article, watching YouTube, or even checking their Gmail. That’s where Display and Discovery campaigns come in.
These campaigns help you show up earlier in the customer journey. Instead of waiting for someone to search your product, you can put your brand in front of them while they’re still browsing around. If you’re serious about growing your brand, you really don’t want to ignore this part of the platform.
What Exactly Is the Display Network?
The Google Display Network (GDN) is basically a massive web of websites, apps, and videos where your ads can appear. Think news portals, blogs, mobile games, YouTube videos — it’s huge.
If you run an e-commerce store, imagine showing a banner ad for your best-selling product on a popular lifestyle blog. Or if you’re a service brand, your ad could show up in a relevant mobile app. You’re not interrupting someone’s day, you’re just quietly staying visible. That kind of subtle visibility builds awareness over time.
A lot of smaller businesses skip Display because they think it’s only for big budgets. But even a modest campaign, if well-targeted, can make a difference.
What Makes Discovery Ads Different?
Discovery campaigns are a bit different. Instead of placing your ad across random sites, Google shows it inside its own properties — the YouTube home feed, Gmail promotions tab, and the Discover feed on mobile devices.
These are places where people are scrolling, exploring, and usually open to seeing new stuff. Discovery Ads are more visual too. You get image carousels, bold headlines, and they look more like content than a traditional ad.
If you’ve ever seen a product recommendation in your Gmail or a video ad in your YouTube feed and clicked it out of curiosity, you’ve already experienced Discovery in action.
Smarter Targeting With Audience Signals
One of the best parts about these campaigns is how specific you can get with targeting. Google lets you build audiences based on interests, habits, and even intent signals. You can also retarget people who visited your site but didn’t convert.
Say you’re a digital marketing agency running Google Ads in Kerala. You could target users who read about SEO, visited your pricing page, or engaged with your Instagram. That’s way more precise than just picking random keywords.
Creative Strategy That Drives Engagement
Because these ads are more visual, the creative really matters. Discovery especially depends on strong images and catchy headlines. You don’t need to overcomplicate it, but you do need to look like you belong on the platform.
Good visuals plus a clear value proposition usually beat anything too flashy or pushy. For example, instead of “Sign up now!” you could try something like “Learn how local brands scale with smart ads.” It feels more helpful, less salesy.
Don’t Judge It by Last-Click Conversions Alone
A common mistake is expecting Display and Discovery to convert like Search. They won’t. Not right away, at least. These campaigns work earlier in the funnel.
They help people remember your brand, compare you to others, and eventually search for you when they’re ready. So track assisted conversions, brand search lift, and other upper-funnel signals. Over time, you’ll notice that people who first saw a Discovery ad might later click your search ad and convert.
Balancing Budget Across Campaign Types
If your budget is tight, you might feel nervous about testing new campaign types. That’s fair. But you don’t have to go all-in right away. Start small. Split your budget between search and a basic Display or Discovery campaign.
For example, a startup might use search ads to catch high-intent users while running a small Display campaign to build brand awareness among a wider audience. You can scale up when you see traction.
Wrapping It Up
Google Ads is more than just search. Display and Discovery campaigns give you new ways to reach people who aren’t actively searching yet but might become customers soon.
They help build awareness, trust, and familiarity. And when done well, they support your search campaigns too. It’s not about replacing one with the other, it’s about layering them together.
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