Breaking Down Google Display Ads

Display Ads, PPC

When it comes to utilising paid advertising for your business, there are numerous ad sizes that are best for different spaces. We know you don’t have the time or energy to memorize all the ad sizes, so we’re here to help! In this blog, we are going to cover Google display ads and sizes and give you some tips when it comes to Google display ads.

First, let’s define what display ads are and the purpose behind them. Display ads are ads that appear when consumers are visiting their favorite websites, checking their Gmail account or using apps on their phone. These targeted ads allow you to reach relevant audiences where they are searching.

Targeted Google display ads are flexible to your needs, which makes them extremely valuable to businesses of all types. While the flexibility is nice, there are some best practices you should follow when it comes to displaying ads. Here are some of the most common Google display ad sizes that you should consider using for desktop:

250×250 – Square
200×200 – Small square
468×60 – Banner
728×90 – Leaderboard
300×250 – Inline rectangle
336×280 – Large rectangle
120×600 – Skyscraper
160×600 – Wide skyscraper
300×600 – Half-Page ad
970×90 – Large leaderboard

Mobile, on the other hand, offers a few different sizes to make it optimal for mobile users. 300×50, 320×50 and 320×100 are the most common sizes you should be using. If you are not utilising different sizes for mobile vs. desktop, your users may be experiencing issues with your Google display ads. Mobile use is growing more and more, so be sure you implement mobile-focused advertising into your marketing strategy.

Please note that all the ad sizes listed above are pixels. In terms of file size, display ads should not be larger than 150 KB.

Another important thing to know is that not all file formats are accepted for ads. Once you have your display ads designed, make sure to save them as either a JPEG, PNG or GIF. If file size is an issue, try using the JPEG file format. Most times, JPEGs are easier to compress compared to the other two options.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, let’s dive a little deeper into Google display ads.

Static vs. Responsive Ads

When it comes to display ads, you have the option of featuring the same ad over and over again to your audience. Or you can utilise responsive ads, which change based on Google’s machine learning choosing the best ad to show your audience. Static ads are still great options if you have to follow strict advertising guidelines.

Responsive Google display ads require you to upload multiple assets, which will allow Google to test which ad performs the best with your audience. Assets can include images, headlines, descriptions and logos. Unlike static ads, Google recommends that you submit five to ten images in one of two ratio aspects: square (1:1) and landscape (1.91:1).

When it comes to responsive Google display ads sizes for mobile, here are the common sizes you should be using:

330×200
300×50
300×100
250×250
200×200

As mentioned earlier, desktop offers more sizes compared to mobile, but many users are opting for mobile search instead. However, you still need to use optimal responsive display ad sizes for desktop. Here’s that list:

300 X 250
250 X 250
336 X 280
200 X 200
300 X 600
160 X 600
970 X 90
728 X 90
468 X 60

One thing business owners get confused about is that the sizes listed above are for the Google display ads as a whole, not the image. There are multiple aspects to responsive Google display ads, such as headlines, descriptions and logos. All of those components make up the ad. Be sure that your image is smaller than the size of the ad.

If your business can embrace responsive ads, we recommend that you add it to your marketing strategy. In fact, advertisers typically see a ten percent higher conversion rate with responsive ads vs. static ads, according to Google.

What Are the Best Google Display Ad Sizes?

We mentioned a lot of display ad sizes already in this blog. While these are some of the common sizes that advertisers use, there are a few top performing ad sizes that we want to highlight. If you’re looking to get the most out of your Google display ads, keep reading!

1. Mobile Banner (320×100)

If you want to run display ads on mobile devices, a 320×100 is the best size you can use. Remember, mobile sizes are only displayed on mobile devices.

2. Leaderboard (728×90)

We’re sure you’ve seen this type of display ad before. This ad size appears at the very top of pages before the main content begins. You also see this ad size on forum pages.

3. Medium Rectangle (300×250)

This is an extremely common and well-loved ad size because it can be used for mobile, text and display ads. With these Google display ads, they typically appear at the end of the content or within the article.

4. Large Rectangle (336×280)

The main difference between the medium and large rectangle for display ads is that the large cannot be featured on mobile devices. While it does perform similarly to the medium rectangle, most advertisers will still opt for the medium over the large. This ad most commonly appears at the end of articles or within the text.

5. Half Page (300×600)

If you want to catch your audience’s attention, the half-page ad is a great way to do this! 300×600-sized ads allow you more space to communicate your message, which can ultimately make it more impactful on your audience.

Tips for Successful Display Ads

If you’re just getting into the world of advertising, we know it can be a lot to take in. To help, we want to share our best tips for successful Google display ads.

Tip #1 – Don’t Overcomplicate Your Ads

As an advertiser, it’s important to remember that consumers don’t always have the longest attention span. If your ad is too difficult to read or includes too much info, it’s likely they will scroll past it. Your audience should be able to look at your ad and determine who you are and the purpose of your ad within a couple of seconds.

While Google doesn’t require all of this information, here’s what you should include for your Google display ads to be successful:

Call to Action (CTA) – Your audience needs a reason to click on your ad
Logo – Your audience needs to know who you are
Image – Your audience needs something appealing to draw their attention
Text – Your audience needs information, but not too much

Bonus Tip: Single images perform better than collage images. Collage images can be a lot to look at for a consumer.

Tip #2 – Follow Your Branding

You’ve worked hard to implement brand elements in your marketing, so don’t forget about it when it comes time to create your Google display ads. You want your audience to see your ad and recognize your brand. If you use different colors or images that don’t make sense for your business, you aren’t helping make that connection with your audience.

Be consistent with your branding. Even if a consumer doesn’t click on your ad at that moment, these ads are still building brand awareness. The next time they see an ad for your business, it’s likely they will remember or at least recognize your brand. To make the experience even better for your audience, be sure to create your ads with your landing page in mind. Use the same color scheme, images and logo to make the experience seamless.

Tip #3 – Test Your Display Ads

As mentioned earlier, responsive Google display ads allow you to use machine learning through Google to test which ads perform best with your audience. If you want to consistently improve your ad performance, you will want to perform A/B tests on your ads. However, this does not mean your ads need to be drastically different. Simply changing a headline or CTA is a simple change that allows you to test what resonates with your audience.

At Higher Ranking, we can help with all your A/B testing needs for display ads. We are here to create a strategy, analyse your audience and optimise your ads so you can receive more conversions for your business. Visit our Display Advertising services page to learn more about how we can help your business be successful with display ads.

Tip #4 – Make Your Ads Valuable

Businesses of all types are utilising paid advertising to reach new customers. As a business owner, you want to stand out from your competitors, right? This means that your Google display ads need to instantly provide value to your audience. Using alert-based words is a great way to reel in your audience. You want to choose words that don’t have other meanings, so your audience doesn’t have the opportunity to think about other things.

Along with providing value, you need to make sure your call to action is direct without being harsh. You want to pressure your audience into clicking the button, but you don’t want to bully them away from your ad. Using words like see or try are two great examples of direct call to action words.

Tip #5 – Remember to Be Cohesive

The different elements of your ad need to work together. When you’re writing your CTA, be sure that it makes sense with your image or headline. When your elements clash, this not only makes people not click on your ad, but it leaves a bad impression. Unfortunately, once consumers form an opinion about your brand or business, it’s difficult to earn their trust back. Before you push out any Google display ads, have another team member or your marketing agency look over the ad. It never hurts to get another set of eyes on your marketing collateral.

Need Help With Your Google Display Ad Sizes?

We know this was a lot to take in. Advertising has a lot of different components when it comes to ad types, sizes and locations. If you want a breakdown of different ad types, head over to our blog A Beginner’s Guide To Display Ads Vs Search Ads. This blog will teach you the main differences so you can better understand what types of Google display ads are best for your business.

If handling your Google display ads isn’t on your to-do list, let our team at Higher Ranking take care of it for you. We are experts in everything digital marketing. Don’t just take our word for it. Check out our Case Studies to see what our clients have to say about our work. When you’re ready to improve your online presence, don’t hesitate to contact us.