You’ve learned how to bring traffic to your website using SEO.
But what if you want faster results?
Or you want to appear at the top of Google instantly?
That’s where Google Ads comes in.
Google Ads is one of the most powerful digital marketing platforms — and when used right, it can give you high-quality traffic, leads, and sales.
In this lesson, we’ll break down the 3 main types of Google Ads:
- Search Ads
- Display Ads
- Video Ads
Let’s keep it simple and practical. 👇
💡 What is Google Ads?
Google Ads is Google’s paid advertising platform where businesses can pay to show ads across:
- Google Search results
- YouTube
- Gmail
- Google Display Network (millions of websites and apps)
You only pay when someone:
✅ Clicks your ad
✅ Watches your video
✅ Takes an action (like filling out a form)
This is called PPC – Pay Per Click.
🔍 1. Google Search Ads
These are text-based ads that show up on top of Google search results.
🧠 Example:
You search “best running shoes”
The first few results you see say “Sponsored” — those are Search Ads.
✅ Why use Search Ads?
- Appear instantly for important keywords
- Target people actively looking for what you offer
- Great for service-based businesses and eCommerce
🔑 Key Features:
- Text-only
- Based on keywords
- You bid for top position
- High intent = better chances of conversion
🖼️ 2. Google Display Ads
Display Ads are image-based and appear on websites, mobile apps, and YouTube.
🧠 Example:
You read a blog about fitness, and see a banner ad for protein shakes on the side — that’s a Display Ad.
✅ Why use Display Ads?
- Increase brand awareness
- Great for visual products like fashion, gadgets, or food
- Target people by interest, age, location, or past behavior (retargeting)
🔑 Key Features:
- Banner/image ads
- Show across the Google Display Network
- Lower cost than search ads
- Ideal for brand visibility
🎥 3. Google Video Ads (YouTube Ads)
Video ads appear before, during, or after YouTube videos.
🧠 Example:
You watch a cooking video, and a 5-second skincare ad pops up before the video starts — that’s a YouTube Ad (Video Ad).
✅ Why use Video Ads?
- Perfect for storytelling and demonstrations
- Huge reach (YouTube = 2nd largest search engine)
- Better engagement and recall
- Can be skippable or non-skippable
🔑 Key Features:
- Uses video format
- Target by demographics, behavior, or interest
- Call-to-action buttons (e.g., “Shop Now,” “Visit Website”)
📊 Which Type Should You Use?
| Ad Type | Best For |
| Search Ads | Capturing high-intent search traffic |
| Display Ads | Boosting awareness and visual promotion |
| Video Ads | Telling your brand story & building trust |
You can use one or combine all three depending on your goal.
✅ Task for Today
- Go to ads.google.com and explore the dashboard (you don’t need to run a campaign yet)
- Pick one product or service you’d promote
- Decide:
- Would you use Search, Display, or Video ads?
- Why?
Write it down. This is how real digital marketers plan campaigns. ✍️