Ever wonder where all those ads you see online actually come from? Most people think of Google Ads as just the sponsored links at the top of a search page. But the reality is, Google’s advertising network is a vast, sophisticated ecosystem that reaches billions of people every day across the web.
Our infographic, “Where Do Google Ads Actually Show Up?”, breaks down this complex landscape into a simple, easy-to-digest visual guide. It’s designed to help you understand the core concepts behind Google Ads, from the two main networks to the all-important ad auction.
Table of Contents
- The Two Core Networks
- The New Engine: Performance Max
- The Secret to Success: The Ad Auction
- Putting It All Together: A Simple Example
- Choosing Your Strategy: Campaign Types
- The Future is AI: The Expert’s New Role
- Final Thoughts
- The Two Sides of Google Ads
- 🔍 The Search Network
- 🖼️ The Display Network
- Capturing Active Intent: The Search Network
- Primary Search Network Placements
- Google Search Results
- Google Search Partners
- Ads in AI Overviews
- Building Awareness: The Display Network
- Display Network Composition
- Key YouTube Ad Formats
- The Engine Room: How the Ad Auction Works
- The Ad Rank Formula
- Choosing Your Strategy: Campaign Types
- Campaign Goals Comparison
- The Future is AI: The Expert's New Role
- 🎯 Strategic Planning
- 🎨 Creative Excellence
- 📊 Data Interpretation
The Two Core Networks
The world of Google Ads is split into two powerful halves: the Search Network and the Display Network.
- The Search Network is about capturing intent. When someone types a query like “best hiking boots” into Google, they are actively looking for something. The ads that appear are designed to meet that immediate need. Our infographic shows you the key places these ads pop up, including on search partners and even within AI-generated search results.
- The Display Network is about building awareness. This is the much wider network of over two million websites, apps, and platforms (including YouTube and Gmail) where ads appear while you are browsing or watching content. It’s all about getting your brand in front of people who might not be actively looking for your product yet but fit your target audience.
The New Engine: Performance Max
While the Search and Display networks are the foundation, the new version of Google Ads is all about AI and automation. The centerpiece of this shift is the Performance Max (PMax) campaign.
PMax is an AI-powered campaign that runs your ads across all of Google’s channels—Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, and more—from a single campaign. Instead of manually managing different campaign types, you provide the AI with your business goals and high-quality creative assets (images, videos, headlines, descriptions). The AI then automatically finds your most valuable customers and serves the right ad at the right time. This is a game-changer, as it allows even beginners to reach a wide audience with minimal manual effort.
The Secret to Success: The Ad Auction
Behind every ad placement is a lightning-fast auction. But this isn’t just about who pays the most. As our infographic illustrates, your Ad Rank is determined by a simple but crucial formula: your bid multiplied by your Quality Score. A high Quality Score—based on things like ad relevance and a good landing page—can actually help you beat a competitor who is bidding more. It’s how Google ensures that the ads users see are high-quality and relevant.
Putting It All Together: A Simple Example
To make these concepts real, let’s imagine you own Fresh Baked Goods, a local bakery.
- Capturing Intent: To get sales from people who are ready to buy, you would use a Search Campaign. When someone searches for “wedding cake near me” or “bakery open late,” your text ad appears at the top of the results. This customer is actively looking for what you offer.
- Building Awareness: To reach people who don’t know about you, you would use a Display Campaign. You could run an image ad showing your beautiful pastries on local food blogs and news sites. This reminds people of your brand even when they aren’t actively looking for a bakery.
- The Modern Approach: To simplify and scale your efforts, you could set up a Performance Max Campaign. You’d provide it with all your best photos of cakes and pastries, your business address, and your goal to drive store visits. The AI would then automatically serve a map ad to a person nearby or show a YouTube ad featuring your latest cake to someone who watched a cooking video.
Choosing Your Strategy: Campaign Types
Google offers different campaign types, each tailored to specific business goals. Choosing the right one is the first step to success. Here’s a comparison of the most common types and their primary goals.
| Campaign Type | Primary Goal | When to Use It |
| Search | Drive sales/leads from high-intent users | When people are actively searching for your products or services. |
| Display | Build brand awareness and retarget visitors | When you want to get your brand in front of a wide audience or show ads to people who have visited your site. |
| Performance Max | Maximize results across all Google channels with AI | When you want an automated campaign to find customers across Search, Display, YouTube, and more. Ideal for most businesses today. |
| Video | Engage viewers and build brand recognition on YouTube | When you have a compelling video asset and want to reach a large audience based on their interests. |
The Future is AI: The Expert’s New Role
AI is automating the technical tasks of ad management, like bidding and keyword targeting. The modern Google Ads expert is no longer a technician but a strategist. Their value lies in guiding the AI with strong creative assets, setting clear business goals, and interpreting data to understand the “why” behind performance.
Final Thoughts
This guide provides a clear overview of the Google Ads universe. But the best way to master it is to start exploring. Whether you’re a business owner or a marketing student, the best way to learn the ropes is to dive in. Use this guide to help you choose your first campaign type and begin building a strategy that connects you with your customers.
Where Do Google Ads Actually Show Up?
A visual guide to the vast Google Ads ecosystem, from capturing active search intent to building widespread brand awareness.
The Two Sides of Google Ads
Google’s advertising power is split between two major networks: the Search Network, which captures users actively looking for solutions, and the Display Network, which reaches users while they browse content across the web.
🔍 The Search Network
Capturing Intent (“Pull”)
Ads appear when users are actively searching for your products or services. This is about meeting existing demand at the moment of need.
🖼️ The Display Network
Building Awareness (“Push”)
Ads are shown to users while they browse websites, watch videos, or use apps. This is about creating new demand and building brand recognition.
Capturing Active Intent: The Search Network
The Search Network is where you connect with high-intent users. Placements are designed to be highly relevant to a user’s direct query, including the exciting new frontier of AI-powered search.
Primary Search Network Placements
This chart breaks down the key areas within the Search Network where your ads can appear. While Google Search is the core, Search Partners and AI Overviews significantly expand your reach.
Google Search Results
The most common placement. Your text ads appear at the top or bottom of the search results page, marked with a “Sponsored” label.
Google Search Partners
Extends your reach to hundreds of non-Google websites, plus other Google properties like Maps, Shopping, and Images that use Google’s search technology.
Ads in AI Overviews
A new frontier where your ads are integrated directly into AI-generated summaries at the top of search results, placing your brand within the answer itself.
Building Awareness: The Display Network
The Display Network is a massive collection of over 2 million sites, videos, and apps. It’s the perfect place to build brand recognition and reach a broad audience based on their interests and browsing habits.
Display Network Composition
The GDN is incredibly diverse. This visualization shows the major components where your visual ads can be placed, with YouTube being a dominant force for video content.
Key YouTube Ad Formats
- In-stream Ads: Play before, during, or after videos (skippable or non-skippable).
- In-feed Ads: Appear in search results and next to related videos.
- Bumper Ads: Short, 6-second, non-skippable ads for a quick message.
- Masthead Ads: Premium placement at the top of the YouTube homepage.
The Engine Room: How the Ad Auction Works
Every time an ad can be shown, Google runs a lightning-fast auction. Your ad’s position isn’t just about money; it’s a balance between your bid and the quality of your ad.
The Ad Rank Formula
A higher Ad Rank gets you a better position. A great Quality Score can mean you pay less for a higher spot than a competitor with a higher bid but a lower score!
These three factors make up your Quality Score. Improving them is the key to a more efficient and successful campaign.
Choosing Your Strategy: Campaign Types
Google offers different campaign types, each tailored to specific business goals. Choosing the right one is the first step to success. Here’s a comparison of the most common types and their primary goals.
Campaign Goals Comparison
The Future is AI: The Expert’s New Role
AI is automating the technical tasks of ad management, like bidding and keyword targeting. The modern Google Ads expert is no longer a technician but a strategist. Their value lies in guiding the AI with strong creative assets, setting clear business goals, and interpreting data to understand the “why” behind performance.
🎯 Strategic Planning
🎨 Creative Excellence
📊 Data Interpretation
Anup Ain
Hey, my name is Anup Ain. I am a blogger and a digital marketing intern. I enjoy sharing my knowledge and experiences with others.