January 20267 min read

Campaign Types

Understand all Google Ads campaign types: Search, Display, Shopping, Video, Performance Max, and more.

Campaign Types Overview

Google Ads offers seven main campaign types in 2025, each designed for specific objectives and placements:

| Campaign Type | Primary Placement | Best For | Intent Level | |---------------|------------------|----------|--------------| | Search | Google SERP | High-intent leads/sales | High | | Shopping | Google SERP, Shopping tab | E-commerce products | High | | Display | 2M+ websites and apps | Brand awareness, remarketing | Low-Medium | | Video | YouTube, video partners | Awareness, consideration | Low-Medium | | Performance Max | All Google properties | Full-funnel automation | Mixed | | Demand Gen | YouTube, Gmail, Discover | Mid-funnel engagement | Medium | | App | Search, Play, YouTube, Display | App installs/engagement | Mixed |

Search Campaigns

Search campaigns display text ads on Google's search engine results page (SERP) when users search for relevant keywords.

When to Use Search

Capturing high-intent users actively searching
Lead generation and direct response
Brand protection (bidding on brand terms)
Competitor conquesting

Ad Format: Responsive Search Ads (RSAs)

RSAs are the standard format for Search campaigns:

code

Headlines: Up to 15 (30 characters each)
Descriptions: Up to 4 (90 characters each)
Display URL: 2 paths (15 characters each)

Google automatically tests combinations to find the best performers.

Search Campaign Best Practices

Keyword Organization: Group tightly themed keywords (10-20 per ad group)
Match Types: Use a mix of exact, phrase, and broad match
Negative Keywords: Actively exclude irrelevant terms
Ad Extensions: Add all relevant assets (sitelinks, callouts, etc.)

| Metric | Benchmark (2025) | |--------|------------------| | Average CTR | 6.66% | | Average CPC | $5.26 | | Conversion Rate | 7.52% | | Average ROAS | 5.17:1 |

Display Campaigns

Display campaigns show visual ads across Google's Display Network—over 2 million websites, apps, and Google-owned properties.

When to Use Display

Building brand awareness
Remarketing to past visitors
Reaching audiences based on interests
Prospecting at scale

Ad Format: Responsive Display Ads

code

Images: Up to 15 (various sizes)
Logos: Square and landscape versions
Headlines: Up to 5 short (30 chars) + 1 long (90 chars)
Descriptions: Up to 5 (90 characters each)
Business Name: Required

Display Best Practices

Start with remarketing before prospecting
Use high-quality images (1200x628, 1200x1200 minimum)
Turn off mobile app placements (often low quality)
Set frequency caps to avoid ad fatigue
Allocate 5-10% of total budget to Display

Tip: Turn off "Optimized Targeting" for remarketing campaigns where you want to reach only specific audiences.

Shopping Campaigns

Shopping campaigns display product listings with images, prices, and merchant information directly in search results.

Requirements

Google Merchant Center account
Product feed with required attributes
Verified website ownership
Compliance with Shopping policies

Product Feed Essentials

| Attribute | Importance | Best Practice | |-----------|------------|---------------| | Title | Critical | Front-load keywords, 150 chars max | | Description | High | Detailed, keyword-rich, 5000 chars | | GTIN/MPN | High | Include for 20% more clicks | | Images | Critical | 1500x1500px minimum, white background | | Price | Critical | Match landing page exactly | | Availability | Critical | Update daily minimum |

Shopping Best Practices

Optimize product titles with search terms
Use high-quality images (1500x1500+ pixels)
Include GTINs for 20% more clicks on average
Update feed daily for accurate pricing/availability
Segment by product margin for different ROAS targets

Video Campaigns

Video campaigns run ads on YouTube and Google video partners.

Video Ad Formats

Skippable In-Stream (TrueView):

Plays before/during/after videos
Skippable after 5 seconds
Pay when viewer watches 30 seconds or interacts
Best for: Consideration, conversions

Non-Skippable In-Stream:

15-20 seconds, cannot be skipped
Pay per impression (CPM)
Best for: Awareness, complete message delivery

Bumper Ads:

6 seconds maximum, non-skippable
Pay per impression (CPM)
Best for: Reinforcement, reach

Shorts Ads:

Appear between YouTube Shorts
Vertical format (9:16)
Swipeable by users
Best for: Mobile-first audiences

Video Best Practices

Hook in first 5 seconds before skip button appears
Include clear CTA both verbally and visually
Use bumpers as bookends with longer TrueView ads
Optimize for mobile (most YouTube viewing)

| Format | Length | Billing | CPV/CPM | |--------|--------|---------|---------| | Skippable | Any (rec: 15-60s) | CPV | $0.10-0.30 | | Non-skippable | 15-20s | CPM | Varies | | Bumper | 6s max | CPM | Lower CPM | | Shorts | Up to 60s | CPV/CPM | Varies |

Performance Max

Performance Max (PMAX) uses AI to serve ads across ALL Google channels from a single campaign: Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover.

When to Use Performance Max

Want to maximize conversions across channels
Have strong conversion tracking in place
Ready to provide diverse creative assets
Budget of $100-150/day minimum

2025 Updates

Campaign-level negative keywords now available
Channel performance reporting shows which platforms drive results
Search themes replace basic audience signals

Performance Max Setup

code

## Asset Requirements

Images:
- 1200x1200 (square) - minimum 3
- 1200x628 (landscape) - minimum 3
- 960x1200 (portrait) - recommended

Logos:
- 1200x1200 (square)
- 1200x300 (landscape)

Text:
- Headlines: 3-5 (30 chars)
- Long headlines: 1-5 (90 chars)
- Descriptions: 2-5 (90 chars)

Video:
- Horizontal, vertical, and square recommended
- Minimum 10 seconds

PMAX Best Practices

Exclude brand terms from generic PMAX campaigns
Add negative keywords for irrelevant searches
Use audience signals to guide AI (remarketing, custom segments)
Set location targeting to "Presence only"
Budget at least 3x your target CPA
Run for minimum 6 weeks before judging performance

| Metric | PMAX Benchmark | |--------|----------------| | Average ROAS | 2.57:1 | | Learning Period | 2-4 weeks | | Minimum Conversions | 30 in 30 days |

Demand Gen Campaigns

Demand Gen (formerly Discovery) shows visually rich ads on YouTube, Gmail, and Google Discover feeds.

Best For

Mid-funnel engagement
Visual storytelling
Reaching users in browsing mindset
Social-style ad creative

Demand Gen vs Performance Max

| Feature | Demand Gen | Performance Max | |---------|------------|-----------------| | Channels | YouTube, Gmail, Discover | All Google channels | | Control | More creative control | More automated | | Bidding | Manual & Smart | Smart only | | Best For | Consideration | Full funnel |

App Campaigns

App campaigns promote mobile apps across Search, Play Store, YouTube, and Display.

Campaign Goals

App Installs: Drive new downloads
App Engagement: Re-engage existing users
App Pre-registration: Build interest before launch

Requirements

App published in Google Play or Apple App Store
Firebase or third-party attribution setup
In-app conversion events defined

Choosing the Right Campaign

code

Start Here: What's your primary goal?

├── Drive immediate sales/leads
│   └── Search Campaigns (high intent)
│
├── Sell physical products online
│   └── Shopping Campaigns (e-commerce)
│
├── Build brand awareness
│   └── Display or Video Campaigns
│
├── Maximize conversions across channels
│   └── Performance Max (requires data)
│
├── Re-engage past visitors
│   └── Display Remarketing or Demand Gen
│
└── Promote mobile app
    └── App Campaigns

Recommendation: Run multiple campaign types together. Search captures high-intent users, Display/Video builds awareness, and Performance Max fills gaps. Most successful accounts use 2-4 campaign types simultaneously.

January 20267 min read

Campaign Types

Understand all Google Ads campaign types: Search, Display, Shopping, Video, Performance Max, and more.

Campaign Types Overview

Google Ads offers seven main campaign types in 2025, each designed for specific objectives and placements:

Search Campaigns

Search campaigns display text ads on Google's search engine results page (SERP) when users search for relevant keywords.

When to Use Search

Capturing high-intent users actively searching
Lead generation and direct response
Brand protection (bidding on brand terms)
Competitor conquesting

Ad Format: Responsive Search Ads (RSAs)

RSAs are the standard format for Search campaigns:

code

Headlines: Up to 15 (30 characters each)
Descriptions: Up to 4 (90 characters each)
Display URL: 2 paths (15 characters each)

Google automatically tests combinations to find the best performers.

Search Campaign Best Practices

Keyword Organization: Group tightly themed keywords (10-20 per ad group)
Match Types: Use a mix of exact, phrase, and broad match
Negative Keywords: Actively exclude irrelevant terms
Ad Extensions: Add all relevant assets (sitelinks, callouts, etc.)

| Metric | Benchmark (2025) | |--------|------------------| | Average CTR | 6.66% | | Average CPC | $5.26 | | Conversion Rate | 7.52% | | Average ROAS | 5.17:1 |

Display Campaigns

Display campaigns show visual ads across Google's Display Network—over 2 million websites, apps, and Google-owned properties.

When to Use Display

Building brand awareness
Remarketing to past visitors
Reaching audiences based on interests
Prospecting at scale

Ad Format: Responsive Display Ads

code

Images: Up to 15 (various sizes)
Logos: Square and landscape versions
Headlines: Up to 5 short (30 chars) + 1 long (90 chars)
Descriptions: Up to 5 (90 characters each)
Business Name: Required

Display Best Practices

Start with remarketing before prospecting
Use high-quality images (1200x628, 1200x1200 minimum)
Turn off mobile app placements (often low quality)
Set frequency caps to avoid ad fatigue
Allocate 5-10% of total budget to Display

Tip: Turn off "Optimized Targeting" for remarketing campaigns where you want to reach only specific audiences.

Shopping Campaigns

Shopping campaigns display product listings with images, prices, and merchant information directly in search results.

Requirements

Google Merchant Center account
Product feed with required attributes
Verified website ownership
Compliance with Shopping policies

Product Feed Essentials

Shopping Best Practices

Optimize product titles with search terms
Use high-quality images (1500x1500+ pixels)
Include GTINs for 20% more clicks on average
Update feed daily for accurate pricing/availability
Segment by product margin for different ROAS targets

Video Campaigns

Video campaigns run ads on YouTube and Google video partners.

Video Ad Formats

Skippable In-Stream (TrueView):

Plays before/during/after videos
Skippable after 5 seconds
Pay when viewer watches 30 seconds or interacts
Best for: Consideration, conversions

Non-Skippable In-Stream:

15-20 seconds, cannot be skipped
Pay per impression (CPM)
Best for: Awareness, complete message delivery

Bumper Ads:

6 seconds maximum, non-skippable
Pay per impression (CPM)
Best for: Reinforcement, reach

Shorts Ads:

Appear between YouTube Shorts
Vertical format (9:16)
Swipeable by users
Best for: Mobile-first audiences

Video Best Practices

Hook in first 5 seconds before skip button appears
Include clear CTA both verbally and visually
Use bumpers as bookends with longer TrueView ads
Optimize for mobile (most YouTube viewing)

Performance Max

Performance Max (PMAX) uses AI to serve ads across ALL Google channels from a single campaign: Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover.

When to Use Performance Max

Want to maximize conversions across channels
Have strong conversion tracking in place
Ready to provide diverse creative assets
Budget of $100-150/day minimum

2025 Updates

Campaign-level negative keywords now available
Channel performance reporting shows which platforms drive results
Search themes replace basic audience signals

Performance Max Setup

code

## Asset Requirements

Images:
- 1200x1200 (square) - minimum 3
- 1200x628 (landscape) - minimum 3
- 960x1200 (portrait) - recommended

Logos:
- 1200x1200 (square)
- 1200x300 (landscape)

Text:
- Headlines: 3-5 (30 chars)
- Long headlines: 1-5 (90 chars)
- Descriptions: 2-5 (90 chars)

Video:
- Horizontal, vertical, and square recommended
- Minimum 10 seconds

PMAX Best Practices

Exclude brand terms from generic PMAX campaigns
Add negative keywords for irrelevant searches
Use audience signals to guide AI (remarketing, custom segments)
Set location targeting to "Presence only"
Budget at least 3x your target CPA
Run for minimum 6 weeks before judging performance

| Metric | PMAX Benchmark | |--------|----------------| | Average ROAS | 2.57:1 | | Learning Period | 2-4 weeks | | Minimum Conversions | 30 in 30 days |

Demand Gen Campaigns

Demand Gen (formerly Discovery) shows visually rich ads on YouTube, Gmail, and Google Discover feeds.

Best For

Mid-funnel engagement
Visual storytelling
Reaching users in browsing mindset
Social-style ad creative

Demand Gen vs Performance Max

App Campaigns

App campaigns promote mobile apps across Search, Play Store, YouTube, and Display.

Campaign Goals

App Installs: Drive new downloads
App Engagement: Re-engage existing users
App Pre-registration: Build interest before launch

Requirements

App published in Google Play or Apple App Store
Firebase or third-party attribution setup
In-app conversion events defined

Choosing the Right Campaign

code

Start Here: What's your primary goal?

├── Drive immediate sales/leads
│   └── Search Campaigns (high intent)
│
├── Sell physical products online
│   └── Shopping Campaigns (e-commerce)
│
├── Build brand awareness
│   └── Display or Video Campaigns
│
├── Maximize conversions across channels
│   └── Performance Max (requires data)
│
├── Re-engage past visitors
│   └── Display Remarketing or Demand Gen
│
└── Promote mobile app
    └── App Campaigns

Recommendation: Run multiple campaign types together. Search captures high-intent users, Display/Video builds awareness, and Performance Max fills gaps. Most successful accounts use 2-4 campaign types simultaneously.