A digital search ad is primarily a text-based advertisement that appears in search engine results pages (SERPs) on platforms like Google and Bing. It consists of a headline, description, and display URL.
The display of a search ads can also include asset-based extensions that provide additional information to the user. This includes call extensions with phone number, store locations, a special promotions and more. Extensions are optional but should always be included because—if displayed on a SERP (Search Engine Results Page)—the ad will take up more real estate and would more likely to be selected.
Search ads are commonly referred to as Google search ads, because Google is the most common and highly used search engine in the world. Search ads are also commonly referred to as PPC (pay-per-click) because the most common pricing model includes payment only for ads that get clicked on during a search.
Search advertising is simply advertising that displays on a search engine results page.
Google’s search engine market share is 93%, making them the go-to platform for search advertising.
Shopping and video are other popular forms of search advertising but text is by far the most popular on search engines like Google.
Search ad targeting
Search ads target users who perform a search for specific keyword phrases provided by the advertiser.
In addition to keyword targeting, digital search ads can target geographic location, which helps with testing and budget management for some businesses. geographic targeting also works well for businesses with localized services and physical locations in that area.
Cost of digital search ads
Search engine platforms typically charge placement fees on a PPC model, where advertisers only pay when a user clicks on their ad.
Advertisers bid on filling positions available on the SERP when specified keyword phrases are used in a query. Popular keyword phrases are more competitive and, as such, are more expensive.
In addition to the bid amount set by the advertiser, or by their placement service, search ads compete for ad rank based on factors like bid amount, quality score, and expected click-through rate (CTR). The quality score is a metric that search engines use to evaluate the quality and relevance of ads.
Search ads that meet the bid requirements and are placed on a SERP, will include a slug above the result that states “Sponsored,” or “Ad.” All other results on the SERP come from SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Check out our post What is SEO? for more information.
What makes for good search ad content?
Google documentation states the core approach to their search is to “deliver the most relevant and reliable information available. If the ads are not relevant, search engine algorithms will stop delivering that ad for the specific search.
As such, the ad copy and keywords in digital search ads should be crafted to align with the user’s search intent and should include a compelling call-to-action (CTA) that encourages a user to click and engage with the ad.
When the user clicks on the CTA, they should be taken to a landing page that is also relevant, in that the page should quickly provide the users with exactly what they expected to find.
Throughout the duration of the campaign, advertisers can continuously measure and track each ads performance and refine ad copy at any time.
Measurement and tracking
With digital search ads, advertisers can track metrics such as impressions, clicks, click-through rates (CTR), conversions, and more. The data helps advertisers optimize and modify their campaigns to increase performance.
Ad Placement Partners is a US-based business offering a white label digital advertising placement solution for agencies. For more information on our services, contact us now or schedule a no-obligation video meeting with one of our account executives. We love sharing our digital advertising expertise.