Google Display Network

In ecommerce, you’re always on the lookout for ways to drive more traffic and boost sales. One powerful tool that’s been helping brands do just that is the Google Display Network (GDN), allowing you to reach customers across millions of websites, apps, and YouTube videos.

What is the Google Display Network?

The Google Display Network (GDN) is an advertising platform within Google Ads that lets businesses showcase their ads across a massive network of websites, apps, and YouTube channels. Unlike search ads, which target users actively searching for specific products or services, the GDN allows you to display your ads to users who might not be actively looking for your products but are out there browsing content related to your offerings.

Whether it's a banner ad on a tech blog or a video ad before a YouTube tutorial, the GDN offers an extensive range of creative formats to engage potential customers. The GDN reaches over 90% of internet users, making it one of the most influential tools for online advertising.

So, how does the GDN work?

Setting up a GDN campaign is simple through Google Ads. You start by choosing "Display" as your campaign type, setting your marketing objective (like brand awareness, lead generation, or sales), and uploading your creatives — images, videos, or responsive display ads. Then, you move to audience targeting, budget settings, and placements. From there, you can target specific audiences based on:

• Demographics
• Interests
• Intent
• Affinity
• Geography
• Remarketing

For example, if you’re an ecommerce store selling fitness equipment, you can target users who have recently searched for workout tips or visited health-related websites.

One of the most powerful features of the GDN is dynamic remarketing. For instance, if a user visits your website and looks at a pair of running shoes but doesn’t make a purchase, you can follow them around the web with ads showing that exact pair of shoes, maybe with a limited-time discount or free shipping offer. This highly targeted form of remarketing helps re-engage potential customers and brings them back into the purchasing fold.

Benefits of using the Google Display Network

There’s a reason why the GDN remains a staple in many ecommerce marketers’ toolkits. Here are a few key benefits:

• Massive reach and brand visibility:

With over 2 million websites in its network, the GDN ensures millions of potential customers see your brand. This helps build brand awareness, which is crucial when trying to stand out in a competitive ecommerce landscape.

• Cost-effective advertising:

The GDN often offers lower cost-per-click (CPC) or cost-per-thousand impressions (CPM) compared to other platforms. This makes it an attractive option for businesses with tight budgets, allowing them to gain visibility without breaking the bank.

• Creative and engaging formats:

Whether it’s static banner ads, video ads, or rich media ads that can show interactive content, the GDN gives you a wide variety of formats to get creative and tell your brand’s story in a visually appealing way.

• Precision targeting:

One of GDN's standout features is its audience targeting options. You can refine your targeting to reach the exact customers you want, such as past visitors, high-intent users, or specific demographics (e.g., age, gender, interests). This ensures your ads are seen by the people most likely to convert.

How Productsup helps with GDN setup

Managing your product feed and ensuring your product data is up to date is key to the success of any GDN campaign. The Productsup product content syndication platform optimizes your product feeds and correctly formats them for the GDN’s dynamic ad campaigns. This leads to better-performing ads and a smoother customer experience, ultimately boosting your return on investment (ROI).

From Google Shopping and Merchant Center to dynamic display ads and Performance Max campaigns, Productsup’s seamless integrations help you optimize, manage, and syndicate your product data effortlessly across Google’s powerful network. Book a demo with us today to see how you can leverage the GDN to its full potential.