Search, Display, Performance Max and Shopping Campaigns Explained
What each Google Ads campaign type does, who it suits, and why a small South African business should almost always start with Search.
A plain comparison of Google's four main campaign types and which one a small business should actually run first.
TL;DR: Quick Answer
What each Google Ads campaign type does, who it suits, and why a small South African business should almost always start with Search.
Key takeaways
- Very cheap quotes (under R5,000) almost always exclude copywriting, SEO, custom design and post-launch support
- Professional copywriting can represent 20-35% of a total website project cost, and is worth it for search visibility
- On-page SEO built into the website at launch costs a fraction of what it costs to retrofit after the site is live
- Hosting, SSL, domain and maintenance add R3,000-R10,000 per year on top of build cost
- E-commerce adds significant cost due to payment gateway integrations, product data, security requirements and checkout UX
- Timeline and client responsiveness directly affect cost: slow feedback rounds extend agency hours
Four campaign types, four different jobs. The mistake that costs small budgets most is running the wrong one first, usually because Google's setup flow recommends it.
The four at a glance
| Where ads appear | Audience state | Suits | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Search | Google results page | Actively searching | Almost every small business |
| Display | Other websites and apps | Browsing, not looking for you | Awareness, remarketing |
| Shopping | Shopping results and tab | Comparing products | Online retail only |
| Performance Max | All of the above at once | Mixed | Established accounts with data |
Search
Text ads on the results page, triggered by keywords you choose. Someone types "emergency plumber Centurion" and your ad appears above the organic results.
This is the highest-intent advertising available anywhere. The person has a problem, is looking for a solution now, and has told you exactly what it is.
It is also the only type where you can see the actual search that triggered each click and stop paying for the ones that do not fit. For a new advertiser on a small budget, that visibility is worth more than any automation.
Display
Image and text ads on other websites and apps across Google's network. Cheap clicks, enormous reach, and very low intent, because the person was reading something else.
Display works for two things: keeping your brand visible to people who already know you, and remarketing to people who visited your site and left.
It works badly as a first campaign. A small budget on Display typically produces plenty of clicks, a high bounce rate and no enquiries, which is often what people mean when they say Google Ads did not work for them.
Shopping
Product listings with an image, price and shop name, shown in the shopping results. Only relevant if you sell physical products online.
It needs a Google Merchant Center account and a product feed with accurate titles, images, prices and availability. The feed quality decides performance more than the bidding does, which surprises people expecting it to work like Search.
Performance Max
One campaign that runs across Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Discover and Maps, with Google's automation deciding where your money goes.
The appeal is obvious and the problem is visibility. You cannot see which searches triggered ads, which placements spent the budget, or which asset combinations worked. For a business trying to learn what converts, that is the wrong trade.
It performs better once an account has meaningful conversion data to feed the automation. Starting there means the automation is optimising towards a signal that does not exist yet.
The order that works for a small business
Start with Search. One campaign, your best-margin service, tight keywords, tight geography. Learn which searches convert.
Add remarketing on Display once you have site traffic worth re-reaching. Cheap, and it works because those people already know you.
Add Shopping if you sell products online, alongside Search rather than instead of it.
Consider Performance Max once you have roughly 30 conversions a month and know what a good lead looks like. Run it alongside Search, not as a replacement, so you can compare.
All figures exclude VAT. Advertising spend is billed separately by the platform and is never marked up by Juicy Designs.
Two settings to check on day one
When you create a Search campaign, Google enables the Display Network by default. Turn it off. Otherwise your Search budget quietly funds Display clicks that convert at a fraction of the rate.
Also check the location setting is "presence" rather than "presence or interest", so you reach people in your area rather than people merely interested in it.
Juicy Designs manages Google Ads from R6,000 per month, month-to-month. Related: Performance Max on a small budget and your first campaign.
Related reading: Dynamic search ads explained: a guide for SA marketers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Search, Display, Performance Max and Shopping campaigns?
Search shows text ads to people actively searching. Display shows image ads to people browsing other sites. Shopping shows product listings with images and prices. Performance Max runs across all Google's inventory at once using automation, with limited visibility into where the money goes.
Which campaign type should a small business start with?
Search. It reaches people who are already looking for what you sell, and it is the only type where you can see and control exactly which searches you are paying for.
Is Display worth running?
Rarely as a first campaign. Display reaches people who were not looking for you, so it suits brand awareness and remarketing rather than direct response. Small budgets spent on Display usually produce clicks and no enquiries.
Do I need Shopping campaigns?
Only if you sell physical products online. Shopping requires a Merchant Center product feed and is the main way retail products appear in Google's shopping results.
Should I use Performance Max?
Not as a first campaign on a small budget. It hides which searches and placements spend your money, which is exactly what a new advertiser needs to see. It works better once you have conversion data to feed it.