To change your network settings in Google Ads, you need to access the campaign-level settings for the specific campaign you wish to update. This allows you to control where your ads appear, whether on the Google Search Network, Google Display Network, YouTube, or other Google properties.
How to Change Your Network Settings in Google Ads
Adjusting your campaign's network settings is a straightforward process within the Google Ads platform. Follow these steps to modify where your ads are shown:
- Sign In to Google Ads: Log in to your Google Ads account.
- Navigate to Campaigns: From the left-side menu, click on "Campaigns" to view all your active and paused campaigns.
- Select Your Campaign: Click the name of the specific campaign you'd like to update the network settings for. This will take you to the overview page for that campaign.
- Access Settings: In the left-side menu of the campaign overview, click on Settings.
- Expand Networks Section: On the Settings page, scroll down and click to expand the "Networks" section.
- Choose Your Settings: Here, you will see options to include or exclude different networks. Make your desired selections by checking or unchecking the relevant boxes.
- Save Changes: After making your choices, click Save at the bottom of the page to apply the updates.
Understanding Google Ads Networks
Google Ads offers various networks for your campaigns, each designed for different advertising goals and audience reach. Understanding these networks is crucial for effective campaign management.
1. Google Search Network
This network includes Google Search results pages, other Google sites like Maps and Shopping, and search sites that partner with Google (Search Partners). Ads appear primarily as text ads alongside organic search results.
- Key Characteristics:
- Intent-based: Reaches users actively searching for specific keywords.
- High conversion potential: Users are often close to making a purchase or taking an action.
- Campaign Types: Primarily for Search campaigns.
2. Google Display Network (GDN)
The GDN is a vast collection of websites, apps, and video content where your ads can appear. It allows you to reach users while they are browsing content related to your business, watching YouTube videos, or using mobile apps.
- Key Characteristics:
- Reach: Billions of impressions across millions of websites and apps.
- Visual impact: Utilizes image, rich media, and video ads.
- Targeting: Offers diverse targeting options like audiences (affinity, in-market), topics, placements, and keywords.
- Campaign Types: Primarily for Display campaigns.
3. YouTube Videos
While technically part of the Google Display Network, YouTube is often considered separately due to its immense size and specific video ad formats. Your ads can appear before, during, or after videos, as well as on YouTube search results and homepage.
- Key Characteristics:
- Video-centric: Engages users with highly visual and audible content.
- Brand awareness: Excellent for building brand recognition and storytelling.
- Targeting: Leverages YouTube's vast user data for precise audience targeting.
- Campaign Types: Primarily for Video campaigns.
4. Discovery Network
Discovery campaigns help you reach audiences across Google's most popular platforms through visually rich, personalized ad experiences. These ads appear in Google's feed environments, such as the YouTube Home and Watch Next feeds, Google Discover feed, and Gmail Promotion and Social tabs.
- Key Characteristics:
- Personalized feeds: Ads are tailored to user interests based on their Google activity.
- Visual storytelling: Uses attractive image and carousel ads.
- Broad reach: Engages users during moments of discovery and inspiration.
- Campaign Types: Exclusively for Discovery campaigns.
Practical Insights & Best Practices
| Network Type | Primary Goal | Typical Ad Formats | When to Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search Network | Capture intent, drive conversions | Text ads | Users actively searching for your products/services. |
| Display Network | Brand awareness, remarketing | Image, rich media, video, text ads | Reaching broad audiences, visual campaigns, remarketing to past website visitors. |
| YouTube Videos | Brand awareness, video views | Skippable/non-skippable in-stream, bumper, outstream ads | Engaging users with video content, storytelling, product demonstrations. |
| Discovery Network | Drive engagement, conversions | Image, carousel ads | Reaching users in personalized feeds, generating interest and demand. |
- Start Focused: For new campaigns, especially Search campaigns, it's often recommended to initially deselect the Google Display Network to ensure your budget is entirely focused on high-intent search queries. You can always add it later if performance goals change.
- Monitor Performance: Regularly review the performance of each network. Google Ads provides reporting that shows how your ads are performing on the Search Network versus Search Partners, and on the Display Network.
- Separate Campaigns: For more granular control and budget allocation, consider running separate campaigns for Search and Display networks. This allows for tailored bidding strategies, ad creatives, and targeting specific to each network's behavior.
- Leverage Search Partners: Including Google Search Partners can extend your reach to other search sites beyond Google, potentially capturing additional relevant traffic at a lower cost, but always monitor their performance.
- Review Regularly: Market conditions, audience behavior, and your business goals can change. Make it a habit to review your network settings periodically (e.g., monthly or quarterly) to ensure they align with your current strategy.
By carefully managing your network settings, you can optimize your Google Ads campaigns to reach the right audience at the right time, maximizing your return on investment.
