Google Display Network

How to Run Profitable Campaigns

What to Expect

This isn’t the definitive guide to the Google Display

Network.

The examples and advice given are based on what’s

worked for us.

Test these campaign strategies on your own. Discover

what works for your site.

What Matters Most

1. Creatives

2. Targeting

3. Optimization

Creatives

Images

Text

Best Practices for Image Ads

Avoid borders – Ad should

flow with the content

Ugly vs. Pretty (Branding vs.

Results)

Use text in your image ads.

Include a call to action

(button or link text).

Best Practices for Text Ads

Text in ads should closely

match keywords and/or

landing page

Make a specific offer.

Avoid general offers.

Use eye-catching symbols -

$ and/or %

Targeting

Keywords

Placements

Keyword Targeting

5-25 specific keywords per

ad group. Should be

focused on a product or

category within your site.

All keywords are

considered broad

match…. so

Negative keywords are

critical.

Placement Targeting

Best to identify placements after you’ve run a more

general keyword/topic display campaign

Run the placements report to determine site(s) with best

ROI

Create managed placements with targeted ads and

landing pages once you find what placements convert

Optimization

Bids

Click-Through Rate

Fine Tuning

Bids

Know your metrics – Average order value + Lifetime

customer value

Start with breaking-point bids to get your ads in the

rotation

Once your ads are running, lower bids aggressively to

match your ROI goals

Click-Through Rate

Always be testing

Keep creatives fresh to

avoid blindness

Ugly and/or weird images

get noticed

Fine Tuning

Review automatic placements and referring URLs in

analytics for negative keywords and placements.

Set conversion goals in Google AdWords to identify

quality sites.

Create more specialized image ads for high performing

placements.

Thank you

Twitter: @jeremypalmer

LinkedIn: /jeremypalmer