Types of Google Ads campaigns: where to buy impressions for your business

Published: August 2, 2026 · 8 min read · Author: Septminor

“Running ads on Google Ads” isn't really one action — it's a choice between several fundamentally different formats that buy impressions in different places: search results, third-party sites, YouTube, Gmail. Which campaign type you choose matters more than your budget size. Let's break down exactly where each format shows up and which businesses it fits.

Search Ads — impressions in Google's search results

The most “direct” form of advertising: your ad shows above and below Google's organic results when someone types in a query themselves — say, “book a wedding videographer” or “dentist Kyiv.” Impressions are bought against specific keywords, meaning against demand the person has already articulated. This is the best format for businesses with a clear search query behind buying intent: services, local business, B2B.

Google Display Network — banners on millions of sites

Image banners and responsive ads that show up across millions of Google's partner sites and mobile apps — from news portals to weather apps. Impressions here are cheaper than Search, but buying intent is weaker too — this is more of a format for brand awareness, remarketing (bringing back people who already visited your site), or reaching a broad audience at a low cost per contact.

Shopping ads — product cards right in search

For online stores: a product with a photo, price, and store name shows up directly in Google search results and on the Google Shopping tab, without a click-through to a separate comparison site. Impressions are built from a product feed uploaded via Google Merchant Center. This is the core format for e-commerce — competing not for a click on an ad, but directly for a click on a specific product with the price already visible.

YouTube video ads (Video campaigns)

Impressions run before, during, or between videos on YouTube, as well as in the recommendations feed. This format works well for awareness and trust — you can show a product or service “in action” and tell a brand story, rather than just running a text ad. It's often cheaper for reach than Search or Display, and works well as a booster for other channels rather than a replacement.

Performance Max — impressions across all of Google's placements at once

A single campaign type that automatically distributes impressions across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Google Maps, and Discover based on Google's own algorithms — with no manual channel split. Performance Max's effectiveness depends directly on the quality of the conversion data the system receives from analytics: if GA4 doesn't have key events tagged (see our breakdown of what a lead really costs without GA4), the algorithm optimizes blind.

Demand Gen — ads in Gmail, YouTube Shorts, and Discover feeds

Visually rich, feed-style ads — in Gmail's promotions tab, YouTube Shorts, and the Discover feed on mobile. Works well for “warm” remarketing and building demand among audiences similar to your existing customers, when pure search demand alone isn't enough.

Local campaigns — impressions aimed at driving offline visits

If the goal isn't a click on your website but a visit to a physical store, salon, or showroom, Local campaigns show ads across Search, Maps, Display, and YouTube at once, focused on address, directions, and calls. Fits businesses with offline locations where the key metric isn't a website lead, but a visit or a call.

How to choose a campaign type for your business

• Online store — Shopping ads and Performance Max as the foundation.
• Services with clear demand (repairs, lawyers, clinics) — Search ads plus Display remarketing.
• Local business with a physical location — Local campaigns plus geo-targeted Search.
• Building a brand and trust — YouTube and Demand Gen to reach a warm audience.

In most cases, it's not a single format but a combination of 2–3 campaign types, tailored to your business's specific funnel — and it only works with accurate analytics in place, otherwise even the best-chosen campaign optimizes for random signals. Once your Google Ads campaign structure is clear and proven, that same strategy is almost always worth testing in a neighboring channel with much lower competition — see why test Bing Ads.

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