Search engine advertising (also called pay-per-click, PPC or SEA) offers a direct path to website visitors, but is it the right choice for you? This guide breaks down what beginners need to know before investing in search ads.
Google alone offers several types of search advertising options:
- Search Campaigns: Text ads on Google Search.
- Shopping Campaigns: Product ads on Google Shopping, dedicated for e-commerce.
- Video Campaigns: Video ads on YouTube.
- Performance Max Campaigns: Automated campaigns across all of Google’s networks, including Google Maps, Discover and Gmail.
- Local Services Ads: Connect local service providers directly with potential customers searching for their services on Google.
Ads can also look slightly different depending on the search engine. Here’s a keyword that triggers two types of ads on Google: regular text ads and shopping ads showing products directly from advertisers’ merchant center.
And here’s the same search term on Bing.
| Platform | Best For |
|---|---|
| Google Ads | All-purpose reach; global or local businesses; B2C and B2B markets. |
| YouTube Ads | Brand awareness, younger consumers, visual storytelling. |
| Microsoft Ads (Bing) | Cost-effective additional reach; older, higher-income demographics; U.S. market. |
| Yahoo Ads | Supplemental reach within Bing campaigns; reaching users of Yahoo’s news and finance portals. |
| DuckDuckGo Ads | Privacy-conscious, tech-savvy niche audiences; low competition. |
| Amazon Ads | E-commerce and direct-to-consumer product sales. |
| Baidu Ads | China market. |
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