Display ads and search ads are two of the most important forms of digital marketing, but which is right for you?
Our Orange County digital marketing agency explores the differences and benefits below.
What are Display Ads?
Display ads are a visual way to market your business online, combining images, text, animations, and even videos to grab your attention. They may appear at the top or side of a page on a site, whether advertising a new product, service, or anything else.
Display ads are a fantastic way to build brand awareness and encourage users to click through to your site. You can use multiple types of display ads, including:
- Banner ads
- Expanding ads
- GIF ads
- Video ads
- Interactive ads
Display ads have various targeting options, including geographic, contextual, interests, topics, and lifestyle.
What are the Benefits of Display Ads?
Here are the main benefits of display ads:
- Show off products in a visual way to generate interest
- Build brand awareness by adding your logo and slogans to ads
- Experiment with different display ad formats
- Use various targeting options to reach customers
What are Search Ads?
Paid search ads appear on search engine result pages (SERPs) above organic results. They’re based on user queries, and feature three main elements: headline, URL, and description text.
As with display ads, search ads are designed to capture user interest and persuade them to click through to the website. However, search ads are only shown when you look for related products or services, unlike display ads.
What are the Benefits of Search Ads?
Search ads offer the following benefits:
- Promote products and services to users in a non-intrusive way
- Suitable for different budgets with a wide range of bidding options
- Prospects are likely to be interested in ads as they’re related to their search
- Get access to comprehensive user data to help you improve campaigns
What Should You Use in Your PPC Marketing Strategy?
Various factors can determine whether display ads or search ads are best for you.
Display ads are helpful if you:
- Specialize in products or services that can be shown off visually (e.g. technology, clothes, adventure vacations)
- Have a longer sales cycle and prospects usually don’t buy immediately
- Want to increase brand awareness
But search ads may be best if you:
- Want to generate high-quality leads
- Have a short sales cycle
- Want to reach local customers
- Intend to make a small budget go far
Ultimately, though, you can use display ads and search ads together. Display ads can help make prospects more aware of your business, so they’re more likely to click on your search ads. Using both ad types simultaneously is also helpful for retargeting campaigns (bringing users back to your site).
Our Orange County digital marketing agency is ready to help you with bespoke display ads and search ads. We’ll build a unique PPC marketing strategy to suit your budget, audience, and goals. To get started, contact our digital marketing experts now!