How Many Campaign Types Are in Google Ads? If you’re stepping into the world of online advertising, Google Ads is likely one of the first platforms you’ll encounter. Known for its powerful reach and precise targeting options, Google Ads gives businesses a direct route to appear on Google Search, YouTube, and countless websites and apps across the internet. But here’s the first question every advertiser asks: How many campaign types are in Google Ads?
Table of Contents
As of now, Google Ads offers eight main campaign types, each tailored to different business goals and ad placements. Choosing the right campaign type is essential because it determines where and how your ads will appear. Let’s explore each campaign type and what it brings to the table.
How many campaign types are in Google Ads?
1. Search Campaigns
Search campaigns are the most traditional and widely used. These are the text ads you see when you type something into Google. If someone searches for “best running shoes,” and your ad shows up at the top of the page—that’s a Search ad. This type is perfect for businesses looking to generate leads, drive sales, or capture interest from people who are already searching for your product or service. It’s intent-based, meaning you target users who are actively looking for something you offer.
2. Display Campaigns
Display campaigns use visually appealing banner-style ads that appear across a network of over two million websites and apps. These are great for brand awareness or retargeting users who visited your website but didn’t convert. The visual nature of display ads makes them ideal for grabbing attention and building brand recall.
3. Video Campaigns
Video campaigns are designed to show ads on YouTube and across Google’s video partners. These campaigns are highly engaging and can be used for brand awareness, product promotions, or even lead generation. Whether it’s a skippable in-stream ad or a non-skippable 15-second video, these campaigns allow brands to tell a story in a way that other formats simply can’t.
4. Shopping Campaigns
Shopping campaigns are a go-to for eCommerce businesses. They showcase your products directly in Google Search, complete with images, prices, store name, and more. When someone searches for a product like “wireless earbuds,” they might see a row of product listings at the top of the page—that’s a Shopping ad. These campaigns are powerful for driving product sales and giving potential customers a snapshot of what you offer before they even click.
5. App Campaigns
Got an app to promote? App campaigns help you reach people across Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, Discover, and the Display Network. What’s interesting is that you don’t have to design separate ads. Just provide your app info, some text ideas, images, and a bid, and Google automates the rest using machine learning to find the best-performing combinations. App campaigns are great for both installs and in-app engagement.
6. Local Campaigns (Now merged under Performance Max)
Although Google has moved some of this functionality into Performance Max, it’s worth mentioning that local campaigns were specifically created to drive traffic to physical stores. These ads could show on Maps, Search, YouTube, and Display to people near your location. The goal was simple: drive offline actions like calls, directions, or visits to a brick-and-mortar location.
7. Smart Campaigns
Smart campaigns are ideal for small businesses or those new to digital advertising. They’re largely automated—you tell Google what you want to achieve (like website visits or phone calls), and it creates and optimizes the ads for you. It’s a good option if you want results without diving too deep into campaign management. Think of it as Google Ads on autopilot.
8. Performance Max Campaigns
Performance Max is the newest addition to the lineup and possibly the most powerful. It’s an all-in-one campaign type that allows you to run ads across all Google channels—Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover—with a single campaign. It uses AI and automation to serve the right creative to the right person at the right time. Performance Max is especially useful for advertisers with a variety of goals, from lead generation to eCommerce sales, and who want a hands-off approach with robust performance data.
So, Which One Should You Choose?
The best campaign type depends on your business goals. Want to get more leads from people searching for your service? Go with Search. Want to build brand awareness with visual ads? Try Display or Video. Running an eCommerce store? Shopping and Performance Max might be your best bet. Have an app to promote? Then App campaigns are your go-to.
Understanding each campaign type helps you make informed decisions that align with your goals and budget. Google Ads gives you the flexibility to start small or scale up—whether you’re a one-person startup or a large-scale enterprise.
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