The 5 Google Ads Placements
This article gives a broad overview of Google ad placements. Since PMax, Google has stopped telling advertisers exactly where their ads appear — even the display position can only be inferred from performance data. This is a beginner's map of where Google can show your ads, to inform your campaign choices.
Table of contents
Google ads placements
Google ads run across the whole Google ecosystem — and it's a big one: not just Chrome and Gmail, but YouTube and millions of partner sites. Beginners often don't grasp how placement affects their ads, pick the wrong campaign type for their product, and waste budget. Understanding where ads show is essential.
1. Search Network
Ads on Google search results pages. The most common placement and the most important one for e-commerce: when users search keywords related to your product or service, your ad appears at the top or bottom of the results.
2. Google Shopping
Product-based ads shown in Google Search and Google Shopping results. Upload your products to Google Merchant Center (now folding into Google Retail) and run campaigns showing image, price and details. Highly effective for driving online sales.
3. YouTube video ads
YouTube is one of the largest video platforms on earth, with hundreds of millions of daily viewers. Video ads there buy your brand exposure and attention; e-commerce sellers run product videos to pull viewers into learning about and buying the product.
Note: YouTube ads aren't only video. Responsive and search ads take a big share — and the display placement there converts remarkably well; it's Google's favorite child.
In the screenshot, the middle section is a video ad; the right side is a display ad
4. Display Network
Ads across millions of websites. Show your ads on sites relevant to your target audience to reach more potential customers.
Every site enrolled in Google AdSense participates in display advertising and shares the revenue.
5. Gmail ads
Ads inside promotional emails in Gmail inboxes. Effective for certain offers — deals, coupons, new product launches.
