Google Display Network: 4 Best Practices for Getting High ROI

The Google Display Network (GDN) has received some tough criticism. Digital marketers point out that other programs are better at direct response, and GDN doesn't have the programmatic buying capabilities found on platforms like Facebook. But that's no reason to avoid GDN. Oftentimes, people who have been struggling to have success through the program are making campaign-management mistakes. If you're looking to use GDN or have GDN but haven't been able to get much use out of it, the 4 GDN best practices will give you success along with a high return on investment.

Know Your Goals

Direct-response conversations may not be a strength of GDN, but it shines in plenty of other areas that are just as valid. Knowing your goals is step one to getting the most. Do you want more volume? Lower overall CPA? Cheaper traffic? The right push to begin a retargeting strategy? Knowing where you want to end up is the only way to create the right map.

Know Your Targeting Options

The GDN has many targeting options. You can target by context, with placement, by topic, interests, remarketing, gender, and age. Though many of these options are self-explanatory, some need a bit more explanation. Placement has to do with which sites your ads should appear. It doesn't normally work well to have gardening equipment advertised on a site about football. Contextual works to match your ad with keywords, and works well with placement targeting.

Have a Retargeting Strategy

Retargeting is the process of knowing where your customers go around the web so your advertisement can be on the right sites around the internet. The tool is easily becoming the most-valued tool of the digital marketer. Without a sound retargeting strategy, you're setting yourself up for tough times. All of your competition is doing this effectively. Retargeting is available through the GDN.

Make Your Ads as Clear as Possible

Ads are meant simple and eye catching. You know those commercials that have a lot going on, and at the end of it you don't even know what the commercial was for? You don't want your ad to be like that. Nobody is going to research what your ad is for if they don't figure it out at first glance. Image ads should have a recognizable image that informs target audiences as to exactly what it is you're providing. It might seem obvious, but if you're advertising a product, a picture of the product is very appropriate. Find ways to integrate a promotion to your ad to get customers to visit and maybe even sign up for emails of deals, coupons, and other promotions you want them to be aware of.

These are only the basics of GDN, but they're more than enough to get you on the right path. If you've used GDN before, this information will help give you what you need to go back and fully utilize the network, and if this is your first time, this information will be the first step to making the internet work for you and your service or product.

Google Display Ad Network Advice on Ad Creation

Though reading is a great way to get a lot of information, seeing what GDN can do will help you gain direction. For starters, look at various ads from your competitors. Use their ad to try and imagine how they would go about filling out the 5 best practices listed above. Ask yourself how are these ads engaging? What is the focus of the ad? Where are there areas for improvement in the ad? This is something you should currently be doing, but if you're not, take this advice into consideration to maximize the efficiency of your ad.