Have you ever caught yourself wondering how many different types of Google Ads there actually are? Or is that just us? Maybe that explains why we work in digital marketing.
Here’s a fun stat for you. Around 90% of people say ads influence their purchasing decisions. That is huge. It gets even better. More than half of millennial shoppers admit they have bought something after seeing an online ad.
There are plenty more stats like these, but they all point to the same thing. Advertising works. And if you are going to invest money into it, you want to make sure you are choosing a platform that genuinely benefits your business.
Google sees hundreds of millions of visitors every day and billions of interactions. A large percentage of users have clicked on a Google ad at least once, and the reach is unmatched compared to most other platforms.
Those are some big numbers. And they are exactly why Google Ads continue to perform so well for businesses across almost every industry.
In this guide, we are going to break down the five main types of Google Ads and how you can use each one to your advantage.
So get comfortable. It is a long one. By the end of it, you will know your way around Google Ads like a pro.
What Is Google Ads?
Just two years after Google.com launched, Google Ads came onto the scene. Originally known as Google AdWords before its rebrand in 2018, Google Ads is now one of the most popular advertising platforms in the world. It sits under the pay-per-click (PPC) umbrella, meaning advertisers pay when someone clicks on their ad or, in some cases, when it is shown.
Google Ads has become a go-to channel for businesses of all sizes, and for good reason. It is an effective way to put your business in front of people who are already searching online for products or services like yours. More visibility usually means more website traffic, which can then lead to more enquiries and sales.
One of the biggest advantages of Google Ads is timing. Your website or business can appear in search results right when someone is actively looking for what you offer, using keywords you have chosen in advance.
Over time, Google Ads also gives you valuable insight into how your online presence is performing. You can see what is working, what is not, and make changes to improve your results as you go.
Another big plus is flexibility. Google Ads works around your budget, not the other way around. Whether you are working with a tight monthly spend or a larger budget, you can control how much you invest and scale things up or down as needed.
In short, Google Ads gives your business a chance to reach a wider audience without blowing the budget. And if that is not enough to convince you, here are a few more of our favourite benefits of using Google Ads.
Benefits of Google Ads
Google's reach is massive
As mentioned earlier, very few advertising platforms can match the reach Google has. It dominates the search market, and most people use it multiple times a day. And let’s be honest, if you’re reading this, you probably do too.
Google has become part of everyday life. When someone needs an answer, the default response is almost always “just Google it”. People trust it, rely on it, and use it constantly.
That level of reliance is exactly why Google plays such an important role in how businesses are discovered today.
Helping with different ways of targeting
Having your ads targeted to specific audiences allows for your budget to be as maximized as possible, with the most effective results.Lucky for you, Google Ads offers many different methods of targeting that can help your online campaigns reach the heights you desire.
Google gives you all the control over costs
If you’re looking for ultimate freedom when it comes to your ad spend, then look no further than Google Ads. Google Ads allow you to have complete control over your ad budget, with a minimum and maximum spend that you can set yourself.You are free to choose the amount you want to spend per day or per week and can change around your budget depending on what works and what doesn’t.
You can use Google Ads to manage campaigns
The platform also makes it easy to manage and track your ad campaigns. You can clearly measure how your ads are performing by looking at how people interact with them.
For example, if someone buys a product, fills out a form, or downloads your app, you can track that activity. Over time, this lets you see which ads are pulling their weight and which ones are not.
By understanding what is working and what is not, you can make smarter decisions about where to spend your budget and focus more on the ads that actually generate leads.
Google Ads also gives you access to other useful insights, such as:
- Customer buying behaviour
- How much you are spending overall
- Changes in spending patterns over time
Put simply, Google Ads can become one of your most valuable tools when it comes to promoting your business.
Now it is time to look at thedifferent types of Google Ads and work out which ones make the most sense for you.
Types of Google Ads
Now that you know the benefits and basics of Google Ads, here are the types of Google Ads or campaigns that you should be aware of.Yes, you read that right - there are eight types of Google Ads.
- Search: Standard text ads
- Display: Image ads which appear on Gmail or on Google Searches
- Video: YouTube video ads, playing before a video
- Shopping: Product listings
- App: App promotion
- Smart: Automated ads
- Local: Attracting a customer to a specific physical location
- Discovery: Running of ads on all Google's feeds
The remainder of this article will explore the five primary types of Google ads. These five key types are useful to understand and wrap your head around before shifting to others.Before we get into the thick of it, here are a few key terms that would be useful to know before learning more:
- Bidding - When working on Google Ads, you need to decide the maximum amount of money you are willing to invest in your ad. There are no restrictions on how much money you prefer to spend, but ads with high bids receive better placements.
- CPC (Cost-per-click) - This is the amount any business or marketer pays for every click on a running ad.
- CPM (Cost-per-mile) - This is the amount paid on every 1000 impressions. Impressions refer to the times an ad is shown to the target audience.
- Ad Campaign - A campaign contains a set of different ads represented by a unanimous budget, settings, and criteria for targeting.
- Keywords - These are phrases or words that define a service or product. Best keywords are those that match your target audience and influence the location and frequency of your ad content.
- Conversion - This term defines an action that your customers take as a response to your campaign. It could be anything from making a purchase to signing up.
The Five Key Types of Google Ads
It’s time for what you’ve been waiting for. The five key types of Google Ads, and how you can leverage them to use for sale.Each ad type can help you maximize your advertising efforts – it all comes down to implementing them in the right way.
Google Search Standard Text Ads, or Google Search Ads
Search ads are the classic Google Ads format. These appear at the top and bottom of Google search results when someone searches for a keyword you are targeting.
They work best when someone is already looking for what you offer. High intent searches, people ready to buy, enquire, or take action.
To get the most out of search ads, keyword intent matters more than anything. You want to target searches that signal action, not just curiosity.
Search ad visibility depends on more than just how much you bid. Your quality score, relevance, landing page experience, and ad copy all play a role. Paying more does not automatically mean you win.
Best practices for Search Ads
Write strong ad copy
You are working with limited space, so every word matters. Focus on benefits, not features. Tell people why they should choose you, not just what you do.
Avoid generic phrases. Use clear calls to action so users know exactly what to do next.
Target competitor brand terms
This is more common than people realise. Users searching for your competitors are often comparing options. If your offer stacks up, this can be a strong opportunity.
Use Dynamic Search Ads selectively
Dynamic Search Ads automatically pull content from your website to match searches you may not be targeting manually.
They work best for well-structured websites with clear content. They are less effective on messy sites, gated content, or pages that change constantly.
Display Image Ads
Display ads show across websites, apps, Gmail, and YouTube placements via the Google Display Network.
They are best used for:
- Brand awareness
- Remarketing
- Supporting longer buying cycles
Display clicks are cheaper, but conversion intent is usually lower than search.
Best practices for Display
Use responsive display ads
Responsive display ads automatically adjust size, layout, and format. They have the widest reach and require far less manual work.
Use display mainly for remarketing
Display works best when reminding users who already know you. Use it to stay top of mind, not to introduce cold audiences to complex offers.
Keep visuals simple and clear
Strong branding, clean messaging, and one clear takeaway per ad. Over-designed ads usually underperform.
YouTube Video Ads
YouTube is a core part of Google Ads and one of the most effective ways to build awareness and trust.
Video ads can appear:
- Before videos
- During videos
- After videos
- In Shorts placements
YouTube ads are powerful because they allow demographic, interest, and intent-based targeting.
Best practices for YouTube
Hook fast
You have around five seconds before most users can skip. Make those seconds count.
Keep it short and direct
Clear message, simple language, obvious call to action.
Control frequency and timing
Avoid ad fatigue by limiting how often users see your ad. Test days and times your audience responds best.
Shopping Ads Product Listings
Shopping ads are essential for ecommerce.
They show product images, prices, store names, and reviews directly in search results, often before text ads.
In 2026, most Shopping campaigns run through Performance Max, but the fundamentals remain the same.
Types of Shopping ads
- Standard Shopping (via Merchant Center feeds)
- Showcase Shopping (grouped product browsing)
- Local Inventory Ads (for physical stores)
Best practices for Shopping
Optimise product titles and descriptions
Google relies heavily on your feed data. Poor titles mean poor visibility.
Keep pricing and availability accurate
Outdated data kills performance and can lead to disapprovals.
Use high-quality images
Clean, modern images with neutral backgrounds perform best.
Performance Max (PMax)
Performance Max is now one of the most important campaign types in Google Ads.
It allows Google to serve your ads across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and Maps using a single campaign.
You provide assets (headlines, descriptions, images, videos), set your goals, and Google’s AI handles placement and optimisation.
PMax works best when:
- Conversion tracking is solid
- You have strong creative assets
- You are optimising for revenue or leads, not clicks
It is powerful, but not hands-off. You still need to monitor search term insights, asset performance, and conversion quality.
Bonus: App Campaigns (now App Ads)
App ads are designed to drive installs and in-app actions.
You provide:
- Text
- Assets
- Budget
- Target markets
Google automatically creates and serves ads across Search, YouTube, Display, and Play Store placements.
Best results come from:
- Uploading multiple image and video assets
- Letting campaigns run long enough to learn
- Not overreacting to early performance
Set your first Google Ads
You made it. You are officially ready to set up your first Google Ad.
The good news is that Google makes the setup process fairly straightforward. The platform walks you through each step and gives examples along the way, so you are not flying blind.
Once you are on the Google Ads website, click Start now and Google will guide you through the setup. If you already have your ad copy, images, and landing page ready, the whole process can take less than ten minutes.
After your ad is submitted for review, there are a few important things you should do straight away to make sure you can properly track performance:
- Link Google Analytics so you can see how users behave once they land on your site
- Set up conversion tracking to measure leads, purchases, or other key actions
- Connect your CRM (if you use one) so you can see which campaigns are actually driving real customers and revenue
Getting this tracking right from day one makes a huge difference. It allows you to see what is working, what is not, and where to invest more budget as your campaigns start to grow.
So, now what?
You now know the different types of Google Ads, you have spoken with your team, chosen the formats that make the most sense for your business, and even launched your first campaign.
Now comes the important part. Tracking.
Keep a close eye on performance and pay attention to what is working and what is not. One of the biggest advantages of Google Ads is how flexible it is. You can adjust budgets, targeting, creatives, and bids as you go to improve results over time.
And if you want an extra edge, we are here to help.
Get a free proposal today and see the Local Digital difference.
