Mary wants to find a local candy company to buy some chocolates for her mother’s birthday. She goes on Google and searches. At the top of the search results, she sees a paid ad for a local candy store, clicks it, and finds they offer what she needs.

As you can see by this scenario, paid search ads are fundamental to helping your business earn more qualified leads. But if you’ve never run a paid search campaign, you may not know what types of paid search ads you can run, or which ones are best.

On this page, we’ll share the different types of search ads you can use, along with some paid search examples. Keep reading to learn more!

3 types of paid search ads

If you’ve never run paid search ads before, you may not know what types of ads are available to you. Here are three types of paid advertising you can do for your business:

1. Traditional pay-per-click (PPC) ads

Traditional pay-per-click (PPC) ads are the most common ads businesses run to reach qualified leads. These are all-text ads that appear at the top of search results above organic listings — you’ll see an ad tag next to your listing.

 

 

These ads are excellent for attracting people who search for specific terms related to your business. It’s a great way to get people to visit your site and check out your products or services.

2. Google Shopping ads

One of the most common types of paid advertising is Google Shopping ads. These ads appear towards the top of search results and on the right side on desktop.

 

 

Google Shopping ads have components like:

• Product photo
• Product name
• Price
• Brand name

Each listing can also have star ratings, free shipping offers, or other special offers.

 

 

 

These paid search ads are great for selling products to people who search for them.

3. Google Local Services ads

The last type of paid search ad you’ll see is Google Local Services ads. These ads appear at the top of local search results. Google Local Services ads are reserved solely for service businesses looking to advertise to interested leads.

 

 

Unlike the other two types of ads, these ads don’t work on a pay-per-click basis. Instead, when you run Google Local Services ads, Google only charges you when someone contacts your business.

 

5 paid search examples to inspire your ads

Now that we’ve covered the different types of PPC ads, let’s look at some paid search examples to help you see how you can craft impactful ads.

Paid search example #1: David’s Bridal

Type of PPC ad: Google Shopping ad

First on our list of paid search examples is David’s Bridal. David’s Bridal has multiple Google Shopping ads that are cohesive and complete.

The first ad features a clear and high-quality image of their product, so the shopper knows what to expect. Additionally, the ad features the star rating, so people can see how many people rated the dress and how well it’s rated.

Lastly, when you hover over the ad, you can see they also offer free shipping on their dresses. It creates a cohesive ad that allows shoppers to get all the information they need.

 

 

In another ad example, David’s Bridal uses a “used” tag to indicate to shoppers that the dress isn’t new. This ad also features a high-quality image and descriptive product title to inform shoppers.

 

 

Both paid ads are clear and descriptive, so shoppers have a better idea of what they’re buying.

Take inspiration: When you create Google Shopping ads, make sure you use high-quality images for them. You can use your product photos to ensure that your audience gets a clear picture of what product you offer.

Paid search example #2: The Rosenthal Group

Type of PPC ad: Google Local Services

Next on our list of paid search examples is the Rosenthal Group. This real estate agency has a thorough and informative listing that helps local searchers get to know them.

The Rosenthal Group’s listing has a clear photo, making it easy for local searchers to see what the real estate agent on that listing looks like. Additionally, they include helpful information like their hours of operation, years in business, and location.

 

 

When you click on their ad, you can see they have all their services listed, so the searcher can determine if this real estate agency is a good fit for their needs.

 

 

Take inspiration: When you create your Google Local Services ads, make sure you create a complete and informative listing. By listing all the services you offer, you help qualified leads determine if you provide what they need, so they’re more likely to contact you.

Paid search example #3: Starbucks

Type of PPC ad: Traditional PPC ad

Another excellent example of a paid search ad is Starbucks. This traditional PPC ad is an excellent example of how to create an informative ad for searchers.

 

 

Starbucks utilizes multiple ad extensions to provide users with an abundance of information. This ad includes location extensions and sitelink extensions to provide searchers with more helpful information that entices them to click.

Take inspiration: Take advantage of ad extensions to provide your audience with more information. Something as simple as adding a “contact us” sitelink can strongly impact whether someone gets in touch with your business. Use these extensions to enhance your ads and entice more people to click.

Paid search example #4: Target

Type of PPC ad: Google Shopping ads

Another excellent example of a Google Shopping ad is Target. Target’s ad uses a high-quality product photo and highlights how much their customers love the product by showcasing the star rating.

 

 

Another great feature Target utilizes is the “Pick up today” feature. Since this product is available in-store, people can buy it online through the ad and then pick it up in-store. It’s a great feature to have to entice people to buy immediately.

Take inspiration: When you craft your Google Shopping ads, make sure you take advantage of elements that entice people to buy. Whether you offer pick-up in-store, free shipping, or special discounts, include them in your ads to help increase conversions for your business.

Paid search example #5: Dunkin’

Type of PPC ad: Traditional PPC ads

The last example we’ll look at comes from Dunkin’. With this paid search ad, Dunkin’ utilizes multiple ad extensions to entice users to click. From sitelink extensions to location extensions, searchers get a lot of information about the franchise.

 

 

With this ad in particular, though, a great tactic Dunkin’ uses is to highlight their new products in their sitelink extensions. Highlighting new products is a great way to catch your audience’s interest and get them to click on your ad.

Take inspiration: When you craft traditional PPC ads, be sure to add content that entices people to click. Whether you add links to new products or highlight great features of your company, you want to entice prospects to click on your ad and check out your business.

Not sure what type of paid search ads to run for your business?

After looking at these paid search examples, you may feel unsure which ads are best for your business. If you need help launching your paid advertising campaign, WebFX is here to help. We have a team of over 300 marketing experts ready to help you build a custom PPC advertising campaign.

Our team of experts knows how to drive results. In the past five years, we’ve driven over $2.4 billion in revenue and over 6.3 million leads for our clients. You can feel confident we’ll help you craft campaigns that help you grow your business online.

Ready to launch PPC campaigns that help you grow? Contact us online or call us today at 888-601-5359 to speak with a strategist about our PPC services!