Google AdWords: The Difference Between Search & Retargeting Campaigns

Using Google AdWords to increase your website traffic and awareness can be an excellent strategy, as the platform offers a variety of different types of campaigns. But before Google AdWords can prove to be effective for you, it’s best to understand the differences in types of campaigns available. This blog will go over the differences between search audience campaigns and retargeting, and how to determine what campaign is best to use based on your goals.

What is the search network?
The search network is exactly how it sounds, a collective network of individuals using Google to search for solutions or answers to their questions. Generally when people search, they are at the very beginning stage of “hunting” or informative stage of the buying process. They are simply doing research to find the best solutions to their problem.

During this stage, basic text ads will be best for reaching those searching for your solution. These ads are delivered above your normal organic (or unpaid) search results.

What is retargeting?
Retargeting happens when you have already captured someone’s attention, but they are still in that evaluation, or shopping around stage of their buying process. Retargeting allows you to create a list of individual IP addresses that have viewed your website, or a specific page on your website. Then you create ads that are delivered to those IP addresses based on the content they viewed on your website.

During this stage, we have to assume leads are weighing their options between your company and a competitor. So the goal here is all about positioning and enhancing touchpoints. Staying in the forefront of your lead’s mind, even while they explore other options.

We’ve all been there, shopping on Amazon, back and forth between one item or another. We save the items, and we walk away to think, or maybe research some more. Then as we go about our normal online routine (checking Facebook, news, weather, etc) you continue to see that item following you around in the corner of whatever website you happen to find yourself on. That’s retargeting.

Retargeting ads must have a visual design to them, they cannot just be your standard text ads the way your search network ads are. Search network delivers all results in text, so a text ad makes sense. But when viewing a 3rd party website that displays ads on the side or banner space of their website, a visual ad adheres to the context in which it’s delivered.

If you’re interested in learning more about how Google AdWords can help improve your marketing strategy, contact the team at Stellar Blue today! Or register for our upcoming workshop all about Google AdWords.