Google Ads offers a comprehensive suite of ad formats designed to capture potential customers at every stage of their journey-from initial discovery to final purchase. As an agency that has spent heavily across Google’s ecosystem for over a decade, we at Sagum have deep, hands-on experience with each format and how to use them together for maximum impact.
Search Ads (Responsive Search Ads & Expanded Text Ads)
The backbone of most Google Ads campaigns, Search Ads appear on Google’s Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs) when users type in specific keywords. These are text-based and include a headline, description, and display URL. We now primarily use Responsive Search Ads (RSAs), which allow you to provide up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. Google’s algorithm then automatically tests different combinations to show the best-performing mix for each search query. This data-driven approach often yields higher click-through rates and conversion volumes compared to older, static expanded text ads.
Display Ads
Display ads appear across a vast network of millions of websites, apps, and Google-owned properties like YouTube and Gmail. They rely heavily on visual creatives-often images, GIFs, or HTML5-and are sold on a cost-per-thousand-impressions (CPM) basis. There are several sub-formats within Display:
Responsive Display Ads
These are the modern workhorse of the Display Network. You upload your headlines, descriptions, images, and logos, and Google automatically generates ad combinations for different ad slot sizes and placements. This format is ideal for scaling reach while maintaining creative flexibility.
Uploaded Image Ads (Static & Animated)
For more control, we often upload fixed-size image ads (e.g., 300×250, 728×90) or animated GIFs. This is useful when brand guidelines require specific creative executions or when testing a particular visual concept that doesn’t work well as a responsive ad.
Gmail Ads
A unique format that appears at the top of the Gmail Promotions and Social tabs. When a user clicks, it expands into a full-size ad within their email. This is a powerful, underutilized format for reaching high-intent audiences in a low-competition environment.
Shopping Ads (Product Listing Ads & Showcase Shopping)
If you sell physical goods, Shopping Ads are non-negotiable. These display a product image, title, price, store name, and promotions directly in the search results-often before text ads. They are powered by your Merchant Center data feed, which includes product identifiers, availability, and pricing.
Product Shopping Ads (PLAs)
These are the most common shopping format, triggered by specific product-related searches. They are highly visual and transactional, making them excellent for driving direct sales.
Showcase Shopping Ads
Designed for broader, category-level searches (e.g., “running shoes” rather than “Nike Air Pegasus”), these ads display a collection of related products from your brand. They are particularly effective for building brand awareness and inspiring consideration among users who are still exploring options.
Video Ads (primarily on YouTube & across the Display Network)
YouTube ads are a core part of our strategy for top-of-funnel awareness and mid-funnel consideration. The key formats are:
Skippable In-Stream Ads
These play before, during, or after other videos. Viewers can skip after 5 seconds. You pay only when a user watches 30 seconds (or the full duration if shorter) or interacts with the ad. This format is excellent for brand storytelling and driving traffic to a website.
Non-Skippable In-Stream Ads
These run for 15 seconds (or less) and cannot be skipped. They guarantee 100% view-through but require a compelling hook and concise message. They’re best used for high-impact brand awareness or announcing time-sensitive offers.
In-Feed Video Ads (formerly Discovery Ads)
These appear in YouTube search results, the “Up Next” sidebar, and the YouTube Home feed. They feature a thumbnail image and a few lines of text. When clicked, they open the full video on the watch page. They’re a strong format for reaching users who are actively searching for content related to your industry.
Bumper Ads
Six-second, non-skippable ads that run before a video. They are designed for very short, memorable brand messages. We often use them as part of a “frequency capping” strategy to reinforce a message from a longer in-stream ad.
Outstream Ads
These video ads play on partner websites and apps within the Google Display Network, not on YouTube. They start with the sound off (on mobile) and play automatically when in view. This format is cost-effective for expanding video reach beyond YouTube’s core audience.
App Campaigns (Universal App Campaigns)
While not a traditional “ad format” in the creative sense, these are a dedicated campaign type that uses your app’s store listing, text, and assets to generate ads across Search, Display, YouTube, and Google Play. The system automatically optimizes for app installs or in-app actions. For any business with a mobile app, this is essential-it leverages Google’s entire ecosystem to find high-intent users.
Discovery Ads
A native-feeling format that appears in three primary places: the YouTube Home feed, the Gmail Promotions tab, and the Google Discover feed on mobile devices. They are visually rich, using high-quality lifestyle imagery and compelling headlines. Discovery ads are exceptional for reaching users with intent when they are browsing content, not actively searching-making them a powerful tool for consideration and lead generation campaigns.
Performance Max Campaigns
The most recent evolution from Google, Performance Max is not a single ad format but an entire campaign type that serves across all of Google’s inventory-Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discovery-from a single campaign. You provide assets (text, images, videos, logos), and Google’s AI dynamically assembles them into the right ad format for each placement. For clients using this, the focus shifts from managing individual ad formats to managing a unified asset pool and audience signals. It’s a powerful format when executed with high-quality, diverse creative.
In our practice at Sagum, the most successful strategies don’t rely on any single format. Instead, we layer Search for intent, Shopping for transactional readiness, Display and Video for awareness and retargeting, and Discovery for in-moment consideration. Understanding each format’s strengths-and how they interact-is where the real leverage lies.
