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The main types of PPC ads are search ads, shopping ads, display ads, video ads, remarketing ads, paid social ads, Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns, Local Services Ads, and app ads. Search and shopping ads reach people who are already looking for what you sell. Display, video, social, and Demand Gen ads build demand with people who are not searching yet. Remarketing brings back past visitors, and Local Services Ads charge per lead instead of per click.
At SmartSites, we help businesses choose and manage the right mix through pay-per-click advertising built around their goals. Each type below covers where the ads show up, how you pay, and when the type earns its budget.
Key takeaways
- The main PPC ad types are search, shopping, display, video, remarketing, paid social, Performance Max, Demand Gen, Local Services, and app ads.
- Search, shopping, and Local Services Ads capture people who are already looking.
- Display, video, social, and Demand Gen ads build demand before people search.
- Local Services Ads charge per lead; most other types charge per click, view, or thousand impressions.
- Most accounts start with search, add remarketing, then test channels that build demand.
Each PPC Ad Type Serves a Different Goal
| PPC ad type | Where it shows | Pricing model | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search ads | Google and Bing results pages | Cost per click | People searching for your product or service |
| Shopping ads | Google Search, the Shopping tab, Images | Cost per click | Ecommerce products with clear prices |
| Display ads | Websites and apps on the Google Display Network | Cost per click or per 1,000 viewable impressions | Awareness and remarketing |
| Video ads | YouTube and Google video partners | Cost per view or per 1,000 impressions | Showing a product or story in motion |
| Remarketing ads | Display, YouTube, and social feeds | Depends on the network | Bringing back people who visited your site |
| Paid social ads | Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and others | Cost per click or per 1,000 impressions | Targeting by interests, demographics, or job title |
| Performance Max | All Google channels from one campaign | Automated bidding toward conversions | Advertisers with solid conversion tracking |
| Demand Gen | YouTube, Discover, and Gmail | Automated bidding toward clicks or conversions | Visual ads for people not searching yet |
| Local Services Ads | Top of Google for local service searches | Pay per lead | Home services and other eligible local providers |
| App ads | Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, partner apps | Automated bidding toward installs or in-app actions | Mobile app installs and engagement |
Search Ads
Search ads appear above or below organic results when someone searches keywords you bid on, marked with a “Sponsored” label. Each ad combines headlines, a display URL, and descriptions, and you pay only when someone clicks. They work best for capturing people already looking for what you sell, which is why most accounts start here. Strong Google Ads management comes down to the right keywords, tight ad groups, and landing pages that match the search.
Shopping Ads
Shopping ads appear in search with a product image, price, and store name. Users see exactly what they get before clicking. Instead of keywords, they run from a product feed in Google Merchant Center, so feed quality decides which searches you show up for. For a side-by-side look, see our comparison of Google Shopping ads vs. search ads.
A professional web design ensures your product pages convert those clicks into sales.
Display Ads
Display ads are image and text banners shown on websites and apps across the Google Display Network, which Google says reaches over 90% of internet users worldwide. Because the audience is browsing rather than searching, display clicks cost far less than search clicks in industry benchmarks, and the format suits awareness and remarketing better than direct response. A focused display advertising campaign relies on tight audience and placement targeting.
Video Ads
Video ads run on YouTube before, during, or after the content people watch, and in Shorts. With skippable in-stream ads, you typically pay when a viewer watches 30 seconds (or the whole ad, if it is shorter) or interacts with it. By showing your product in action, video helps build a stronger connection with your audience. YouTube reports more than 2 billion monthly logged-in users, so the reach is hard to match.
Remarketing Ads
Remarketing shows ads to people who visited your site or app but left without converting. It runs on display, YouTube, Demand Gen, and social platforms, using audience lists built from your site tags. Because these people already know your brand, the message can be more specific: a reminder, an offer, or an answer to a common objection.
Paid Social Ads
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and other platforms sell ads targeted by demographics, interests, and behavior rather than search keywords. Meta ads on Facebook and Instagram suit most consumer brands, Instagram and TikTok suit visual products, and LinkedIn targets professionals by job title, company, and industry.
Performance Max Campaigns
Performance Max is a Google Ads campaign type that runs across Search, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover, and Maps from a single campaign. You supply goals, creative assets, and audience signals, and Google’s automation decides where each ad appears. It works best when conversion tracking is accurate. Without it, the system optimizes toward the wrong actions.
Demand Gen Campaigns
Demand Gen campaigns show image and video ads on YouTube (including Shorts), Discover, and Gmail. Google upgraded its older Discovery campaigns, which carried the Gmail sponsored ads that used to sit in the Promotions tab, to Demand Gen in 2024. They suit visual products and audiences who are not searching yet.
App Ads
App campaigns promote mobile applications across Google Search, Google Play, YouTube, Discover, and partner apps from one campaign. You provide text, images, and video, and Google assembles the ads and bids toward installs or in-app actions. Users can download directly from the ad.
Local Services Ads
Local services ads appear at the very top of Google for local service searches. They show your business name, phone number, reviews, and, once you pass Google’s screening, a Google Guaranteed or Google Screened badge. You pay per lead, not per click, which makes them a strong fit for home services and other eligible local categories.
Match the Campaign Type to Your Goal
Your goals determine which types you need:
- Leads or sales from people ready to buy: search ads, shopping ads, and Local Services Ads.
- Ecommerce growth across Google: shopping ads and Performance Max.
- Awareness with new audiences: display, video, paid social, and Demand Gen.
- Recovering visitors who did not convert: remarketing.
- App installs: app campaigns.
Most successful campaigns combine multiple types. A user might see a display ad, later search your brand, then receive a remarketing ad before converting. Each plays a role.
Search Engine PPC Catches Demand, Social PPC Creates It
Search engine PPC targets keywords, so it reaches people at the moment they look for a solution. Social media PPC targets people by who they are and what they engage with, so it reaches them before they know to search. Search clicks come with explicit intent; social ads reach a wider audience earlier in the decision. Most growing businesses use both: social and video to build demand, and search to capture it.
The Different Types of PPC Ads Summarized
Understanding the types of PPC ads available helps you match strategy to goal. Search ads target high intent. Shopping ads showcase products visually. Display ads build awareness. Video ads tell stories. Remarketing recovers lost visitors. Paid social reaches people by interest. Performance Max and Demand Gen let Google’s automation find customers across its channels, and Local Services Ads deliver leads you pay for one at a time.
Following up with email & SMS marketing nurtures leads captured through these campaigns. The smartest first step is a conversation about which mix fits your business.
Get Started on Your PPC Campaign Today
The different types of PPC ads offer flexibility to reach customers at every stage. The key is matching the right type to your audience. Discover how SmartSites’ PPC types and strategies can help you reach more customers and grow your revenue.
“Increased conversions, phone calls and leads. If you are looking for a reliable, elite marketing company that actually delivers, look no further than SmartSites.”
FAQs
How many types of PPC campaigns are there?
It depends on the platform. Google Ads’ main campaign types are Search, Performance Max, Demand Gen, Display, Shopping, Video, and App, while Microsoft Advertising, Meta, LinkedIn, and Amazon each have their own formats. Across platforms, most PPC ads fall into search, shopping, display, video, remarketing, social, and local lead ads.
What does a PPC ad look like?
A search PPC ad looks like an organic result with a “Sponsored” label: one or more headlines, a display URL, and a short description, sometimes with extra links, a phone number, or a location. Shopping ads show a product image, price, and store name, while display and social ads use images or video.
What is the difference between PPC and paid search?
Paid search is the most common type of PPC: ads on search engines triggered by keywords. PPC is the broader model, which also covers display, social, video, and shopping ads where you pay for clicks or other interactions.
Which type of PPC ad is best for a small business?
Start where intent is highest. For most local and service businesses, that means search ads, plus Local Services Ads if your category is eligible. Add remarketing once you have steady site traffic, then test social or video ads to reach new audiences.
