Understanding Google Display Ads: The Pros & Cons

Have you ever browsed through a website, and left it, only to see an advertisement from that brand on Youtube, Google, a mobile app, or another website a few hours later? Or, have you ever seen random square and rectangle-shaped "digital billboards" promoting brands as you browse online? For most of us, the answer is yes. Those ads are called Google Display Ads and they appear across millions of websites and apps. 

Although Google Display Ads pale in comparison to Google search ads in terms of CTR, they are excellent at creating initial interest, building brand awareness, and retargeting already engaged customers. Below, we will dive deeper into the pros and cons of Google Display Advertising and see if they could be the perfect addition to your marketing strategy.

PROS:

• Widespread exposure
  Google Display Ads appear on the Google Display Network (GDN) which is a group of more than two million websites, videos, and apps. Because of this, Google Display Ads are able to reach more than 90% of all internet users. In a digitally-run world reaching this many potential customers can be huge for your business whether it’s big or small. 
  
  
• Visually engaging
  If done right, Google Display Ads are highly visual. And this is important because humans are highly visual creatures and significantly more likely to remember images we see as opposed to words. So, if you are able to capitalize on this by including eye-catching graphics and a bold logo on your display ad potential customers will be able to familiarize themselves with your brand and its identity – and remember it later. 
  
  
• Highly targetability
  We’ve been over the fact that Google Display Ads reach nearly all internet users, but what if your brand is small, niche, and/or local and doesn’t need to reach the entire internet? Luckily for you, display ads allow you to target your desired audience. With display ads, you have the option to customize your audience based on location, gender, interest, income, and so much more. So, even if you are a small business with a very specific audience don’t count display ads out of your marketing strategy. You don’t have to use display ads to reach all 6 billion people on the internet if you don’t want to.
  
  
• Powerful RETARGETING:
  As previously mentioned, arguably the best thing about Google Display Ads is their ability to retarget consumers who previously interacted with or showed interest in your brand. In fact, a website visitor who’s been retargeted with a display ad is 70% more likely to convert and more than three times more likely to click on your Ad than people who haven't interacted with your business before. 
  
  
• Cost-effective
  Lastly, Google Display Ads are also an incredibly cost-effective method for reaching prospective customers or leads, with the average company making $2 in revenue for every $1 they spend on Google Display Ads. A major reason for this high ROI is that you can choose to pay per click (you only pay when a consumer clicks on your ad) or pay per conversion (you only pay when consumers convert and a sale is made). Additionally, Google display ads are flexible allowing you to adjust or stop your bids how you see fit. 

CONS:

• Inorganic
  One of the biggest challenges of display ads is that they are easily recognizable as advertisements. Unlike Instagram, TikTok ads, or other platforms that use in-feed ads, display ads do not blend in with native content. 
  
  
• Lack of space
  There’s not much space to get your brand's identity out in a Google Display Ad. Most display ads are small rectangles or squares located at the top, bottom, or side of a site. Aside from the lack of space, no one wants to read a lengthy description of your business when they are just trying to watch a Youtube video. This can make it hard to get your brand's message across to consumers, but it can be done if you focus on high-quality visuals and short, catchy slogans.
  
  
• Invasive
  If you are an internet user, it’s probably no secret that Google Display Ads can be annoying, distracting, and sometimes feel invasive. You go to Google to ask a simple question or watch a quick YouTube video, but are bombarded with distracting advertisements. Additionally, to some consumers, retargeting display ads can sometimes feel like an invasion of privacy as ads seem to be “following” them. But, that doesn’t stop them from working.
  
  
• Low click rate
  While Google Display Ads, especially retargeted ones, typically deliver a positive ROI for most investors, they have a relatively low click rate. Overall, only 0.06% of people click on display ads. However, while this is incredibly low, the traffic on the GDN sites is incredibly high. So, if a display ad is on a website with 1 million viewers that’s still 60,000 people clicking on your ad (at a 0.06% click rate). And don’t forget that this lower click rate is what gives Google Display Ads one of their biggest pros: affordability. 

While these cons are definitely important to consider before investing in Google Display Ads, they shouldn’t deter you from them. Yes, they can be considered “annoying” to some consumers, but people are still clicking on them and they are still generating a positive ROI. You can test your own Google Display ads campaign online in minutes.