Difference between search network and display network

My clients often express confusion in understanding the difference between enabling their AdWords ads to run on the Search Network or the Display Network (formerly referred to as the Content Network). This is just one of the many various options you have to make a decision about in regard to your campaign’s settings.

So, what’s the difference?

The search network is likely what comes to mind when you’re thinking of AdWords. It might help to think of search network= search engines.  Within the Search Network, it’s possible to choose between Google search and Search partners. Google lists AOL.com and Ask.com as examples of their search partners. These ads are targeted based on the keyword(s) users select as their search query. It is only possible to run text ads on the Search Network.

The Display Network, which, up until recently was referred to as the Content Network, or, as I like to refer to it, the “Wild Wild West” is a gigantic network of websites that have Google AdSense enabled.  When you see ads on your friend’s blog, online newspapers, or when you’re cruising around Youtube watching Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton duets,  these ads appear because some one enabled their ads to run on the Display Network.

Within the Display Network, it is possible to select between, “Relevant pages across the entire network,” or, “Relevant pages only on the placements, audiences and topics I manage.” In order to find the “Relevant pages only on the placements, audiences and topics I manage,” I would suggest first running your Adwords campaign on “Relevant pages across the entire network” for a month or two and to look at the websites that your ads are appearing in order to better gauge their relevancy in regard to your ads. And true to my, “Wild, Wild, West” analogy, it’s important to cap your impressions low and keep a very, very close eye on your budget so that your ads don’t run like wild horses and Google takes all of your money in a stickup.

Search vs Display