Driving Action, Influencing Consideration, and Building Awareness with Google Display Ads

Google Display Ads offer a powerful way to achieve three key marketing objectives:

• Driving action
• Influencing consideration
• Building awareness

By targeting your ads effectively, you can reach your audience at different stages of the customer journey and guide them towards your desired outcomes.

To drive action, use targeting options like optimized targeting to reach users who are most likely to convert based on factors like keywords on your landing page. For example, if you're promoting a new smartphone, target users who have recently searched for or visited websites related to mobile devices and technology.

When your goal is to influence consideration, focus on targeting users who are actively researching products or services similar to yours. Use in-market audiences to reach people who are currently shopping for what you offer. For instance, a car dealership could target users who have been searching for "best family cars" or visiting automotive review websites.

To build awareness, cast a wider net by targeting based on demographics, interests, and affinities. This helps introduce your brand to a broader audience who may not be actively searching for your products or services yet. A new yoga studio could target users interested in health, wellness, and fitness to build brand awareness among potential customers.

By aligning your targeting strategies with these three marketing objectives, you can create Google Display Ad campaigns that effectively reach your audience at the right stage of their journey—driving action, influencing consideration, or building awareness for long-term success.

Targeting Strategies for Each Marketing Objective

To maximize the impact of your Google Display Ads, it's crucial to choose the right targeting strategies for each marketing objective. Here's how to align your targeting with your goals:

Driving Action

When your objective is to drive action, such as making a purchase or filling out a form, use targeting options that focus on users most likely to convert:

• Remarketing: Target users who have previously interacted with your website or app, as they are more likely to take action.
• Custom intent audiences: Reach users who have recently searched for keywords related to your products or services, indicating a high intent to convert.
• Customer match: Upload a list of your existing customers' email addresses to target them with personalized ads and encourage repeat purchases.

Influencing Consideration

To influence consideration, target users who are actively researching products or services similar to yours:

• In-market audiences: Reach users who are currently shopping for products or services in your category, based on their recent browsing and search behavior.
• Similar audiences: Target users who share characteristics with your existing customers, as they are more likely to be interested in your offerings.
• Topic targeting: Display your ads on websites that fall under specific topics related to your products or services, ensuring your message reaches a relevant audience.

Building Awareness

When building awareness, target a broader audience to introduce your brand to potential customers:

• Demographic targeting: Reach users based on age, gender, income, parental status, or other demographic factors that align with your target audience.
• Affinity audiences: Target users who have demonstrated a long-term interest in topics related to your products or services, even if they haven't actively searched for them yet.
• Placement targeting: Display your ads on specific websites, YouTube channels, or apps that your target audience is likely to visit, ensuring high visibility for your brand.

By selecting the appropriate targeting strategies for each marketing objective, you can create Google Display Ad campaigns that effectively reach your audience at the right stage of their journey, helping you achieve your desired outcomes.

Effectively using Google Display Ads targeting allows businesses to meet their marketing objectives of driving action, influencing consideration, and building awareness. By aligning targeting strategies with each objective, companies can reach their desired audience at the most opportune moments in their customer journey.

Experimenting with different targeting options is key to finding the right mix for your specific business needs. Test various combinations of remarketing, custom intent audiences, in-market audiences, and affinity audiences to determine which strategies yield the best results for your campaigns.

When these targeting strategies are closely aligned with your business goals, the potential return on investment (ROI) can be significant. By reaching the right users at the right time with relevant ads, you can increase conversions, boost brand consideration, and expand your reach—ultimately driving growth and success for your business.