Google Ads begins with a goal and a campaign.
You'll choose a campaign type based on your marketing goals, brand strategy, and how much time you’re able to invest.
This article helps you select the right campaign type to meet your advertising needs.
| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ### 1. Search campaigns | Text ads on search results |  |Search campaigns let you reach people while they’re searching on Google for the products and services you offer.
It's great for driving sales, leads, or traffic to your website, as you can show your ads to customers actively searching for your products and services.
| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | **Why choose Search?** * Sales and leads: Boost your online sales and signups. Consider using leads if you have a longer sales cycle. * Easy setup: Write text ads and pick keywords. No special files or assets needed. Try Smart campaigns for an even easier setup. * Highly specific targeting: Reach people actively searching for what you offer.  **Read More:** [Create a Search campaign](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9510373#zippy=) ### 2. Display campaigns | Image ads on websites |  |Display campaigns let you reach people with visually engaging ads as they browse across millions of websites and apps. Display is a great way to expand the reach of your Search campaigns to other parts of the web.
Display also allows you to follow up with remarketing ads to new and existing customers.
Note- It's helpful to use an image editing tool to create square and landscape versions of your display ad in the right dimensions and file size.
| | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | **Why choose Display?** * Sales and leads: Use visually engaging call-to-actions to drive sales and signups. * Awareness and consideration: Create memorable ads to make people aware of your brand or consider your product. * Expand your reach: Expand your reach beyond search results to target people browsing websites and apps. * Remarketing: Follow up with people who’ve already seen your ads or visited your site. Types of Display campaigns: Choose from 3 types of Display campaigns - 1. **Smart Display:** \ Simplify your campaign setup to save time and optimize for conversions. 2. **Standard Display:** \ Get more control over targeting, bidding, budgets, and ad creation. 3. **Gmail campaigns:** \ Engage users in the “Promotions” and “Social” tabs of their Gmail inbox.  **Read More:** [Create a Display campaign](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2404190) ### 3. Video campaigns | Video ads on YouTube |  |Video campaigns let you show video ads on YouTube and other websites.
Some Video campaign types can help you boost general awareness of your brand. Others are designed to drive conversions or get people to shop on your website.
Note- You'll first need to create your video ad and upload it to YouTube.
| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | **Why choose Video?** * Awareness and consideration: Use video ads to make people aware of your brand or consider buying your product. * Sales and leads: To set up action-focused video ads, you’ll use the “Drive conversions” campaign subtype. * Expand your reach: Expand your reach beyond search results to target people on YouTube. * Remarketing: Follow up with people who’ve already seen your ads or visited your site. Types of Video campaigns: Choose from 8 types of video campaigns- 1. **Drive conversions:** \ Drive sales and leads with action-focused ads and targeting. 2. **Custom video campaign:** \ Customize your settings with different ad types. 3. **Skippable in-stream:** \ Drive awareness with skippable ads. 4. **Non-skippable in-stream:** \ Drive awareness with 15-second non-skippable ads. 5. **Bumper:** \ Drive awareness with 6-second non-skippable ads. 6. **Outstream:** \ Tailor your video ads to phones and tablets. 7. **Influence consideration:**\ Get people to consider your product with skippable or discovery ads. 8. **Ad sequence:** \ Tell a story with a series of video ads in a sequence.  **Read More:** [Create a Video campaign](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375497) ### 4. Shopping campaigns | Product listings on Google |  |Shopping campaigns are ideal if you’re a retailer looking to sell your product inventory. Shopping ads appear on search results and the Google Shopping tab.
Store owners can also use local inventory ads to promote products available at your physical locations.
Note- To create a Shopping campaign, you'll first need to have a Merchant Center account where you can upload your product inventory.
| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | **Why choose Shopping?** * Retail marketing: Use visually engaging product listings to promote your retail products. * Sales and leads: Get people to buy on your online store or sign up for more. * Boost a nearby storefront: Sell your local store inventory to nearby customers.  **Read More:** [Create a Shopping campaign](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/3455481) ### 5. App campaigns | Promote your app on many channels |  |App campaigns help you find new app users and increase sales within your app.
This campaign type uses info from your app to automatically optimize ads across Search, Play, YouTube, Discover, and over 3 million sites and apps.
| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | **Why choose App?** * App promotion: Drive installs, engagements, and signups for your app on mobile devices. * Multi-channel marketing: One campaign will show your app on Search, Display, Play, and YouTube. * Easy setup and management: Targeting, bidding, and ad creation are all automated for optimal performance. Types of App campaigns: Choose from 2 App campaign subtypes: 1. **App installs:** \ Focus your ads on getting people to download your app. 2. **App engagement:** \ Get existing users to take actions in your app.  **Read More:** [Create an App campaign](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9302396) ### 6. Local campaigns | Promote locations on many channels |  |Local campaigns help you bring people to your physical stores and venues.
Your ads will be automatically optimized to appear across Search, Display, Google Maps, and YouTube.
Note- To access Local campaigns, you’ll need to have active location extensions or affiliate location extensions in your account or have a Google My Business account connected to Google Ads.
| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | **Why choose Local?** * In-person store sales: Use online ads to promote your inventory and bring shoppers into your physical stores. * Promote offers and events: Advertise in-store events and local promotions. * Detailed location info: Help people find your business address and hours. * Multi-channel marketing: One campaign will show your ads on Search, Display, Maps, and YouTube.  **Read More:** [Create an Local campaign](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/9302396) ### 7. Smart campaigns | Automate your campaigns |  |Smart campaigns are the easiest way to get your ads up and running.
Enter your business, create a few ads, and Google finds the best targeting to get you the most for your time and money.
Note- If you recently created a new account, you’ll likely be using the Smart Mode version of Google Ads and all your campaigns will be Smart campaigns.
| | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | **Why choose Smart?** * Sales and leads: Increase sales and sign ups for your products and services. * Easy setup: Enter your business info, create a few ads, and Google will automate your campaign. * Advanced optimization: Google optimizes your ads and targeting for you.  **Read More:** [Create an Smart campaign](https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7459814)