Google display ad examples: Formats, best practices & tips

Google display ad examples reveal how varied and how risky modern display advertising has become.

With an estimated annual revenue of $30 billion, the Google Display Network (GDN) is accessed by over 90% of internet users worldwide on more than 2 million websites, apps and Google-owned platforms.

It is estimated that global display ad spending will exceed $700 billion. Those figures notwithstanding, there are far too many advertisers who roll out display campaigns without fully understanding the differences in formats or the risks of traffic that can quietly burn their budgets.

This article breaks down every major Google Display Network format, explains what makes each one work, and covers the mistakes that cost advertisers’ budget without delivering results.

What are Google display ads?

Google display ads are graphic ads displayed via the Google Display Network (GDN), comprising millions of websites, YouTube, Gmail, and applications that have collaborated with Google to display their ads.

Unlike search ads, which appear only after a query is entered into Google Search, display ads are targeted to people as they surf the web, read articles, or watch video content.

The main purpose of display advertising includes brand recognition, retargeting, and prospecting. Globally, it is forecasted that global expenditure on display advertising will surpass $700 billion by 2026.

What should every Google display ad include?

Regardless of type, all successful display ads feature four critical components. These can serve as your checklist for assessing any piece of creative:

• A strong value proposition: The offer should be instantly understandable – even in smaller versions. An inability to understand the value within two seconds spells the advertisement’s failure.
• Single call to action. Only one CTA per ad: choose between “Learn More”, “Free Trial” or “Pricing”.
• Some branding cues: Feature the brand’s logo, colour, or another identifying visual cue to make an impression on the target audience, even if they do not click the ad.
• Relevance: This can be determined by the message’s relevance to the visitor’s current situation.

What are the main types of Google display ads?

Google display ads are divided into various formats. All have varying creative and strategic uses.

Knowledge of the differences enables advertisers to use the format that best suits their campaign objectives, rather than relying on what is conveniently available to install.

Responsive display ads

Responsive display ads (RDAs) are Google’s default display ad format for most advertisers. Instead of creating a single fixed ad, you upload multiple assets such as headlines, descriptions, images, and a logo, while Google’s machine learning automatically combines and tests them to find the best-performing versions across different placements.

For example, a SaaS company running a retargeting campaign can upload headlines like “Stop Wasting Ad Budget” and “Block Invalid Clicks Automatically,” along with product screenshots, descriptions, and a logo. Google then tests different combinations to determine which performs best.

Static display Ads

Static display ads are standard-sized images in IAB format. They provide full creative freedom to advertisers and are commonly used when a consistent brand appearance is paramount or when a campaign requires a very specific aesthetic.

The common Google display ad sizes are:

• 300×250 (mid-size rectangle): most popular placement.
• 728×90 (leaderboard): top-of-page banner.
• 160×600 (wide skyscraper): the sidebar will be placed.
• 300×600 (half-page): high-visibility format.
• 50×320 (mobile banner): typical mobile location.

For example, an e-commerce retailer promoting a seasonal sale might use a 300×250 ad with a product image, a bold discount message like “40% Off – Today Only,” and a clear CTA button.

The design should stay clean, use brand-consistent colours, and guide the viewer’s attention naturally from the product to the offer, then to the action.

A common mistake with static ads is overcrowding them with too much text or unnecessary details.

Since display ads are often viewed quickly and in small sizes, only the most important message should stand out clearly.

Display ads that are animated GIF and HTML5

Animated display ads use GIFs or HTML5 to make placements more engaging. GIF ads loop through frames, while HTML5 ads allow more advanced animations and interactive effects.

For example, an HTML5 ad can show a simple three-step flow: the problem, the product solution, and a clear CTA.

This creates a stronger visual story than a static image. Google requires animations to stop after 30 seconds and limits file sizes based on placement. HTML5 ads are usually uploaded as a .zip file using tools like Google Web Designer.

Gmail ads

Gmail ads appear at the top of the Promotions or Social tabs and look like regular emails until clicked. Once opened, they expand into full ads with images, links, videos, and custom layouts.

For example, a software company targeting small business owners might use a subject-style teaser like “Your Google Ads May Be Wasting Budget — Here’s Why,” leading to an expanded ad with a short explanation, branded visuals, and a CTA for a free audit.

They work best for mid-funnel campaigns targeting warm audiences who already know the problem but have not yet acted.

Discovery ads

Discovery ads appear in Gmail, the home feed on YouTube, and the Google Discover feed, where users are not searching but browsing. They use a responsive format, like RDAs, but are tailored to feed environments.

Google Discover has more than 800 million users worldwide, so Discovery advertisements are among the most widely reaching display ad formats outside of normal GDN placements.

What works about a Discovery ad?

Discovery ads are most effective when they appear native, i.e., the creative does not look like an ad; it is content.

An editorial photography, conversational copy, and a CTA that resembles an invitation to the collection (See the full collection) instead of a command (Buy now) should be used by a lifestyle brand that includes Discovery ads.

The greatest error advertisers make with Discovery ads is duplicating banner creative. Discovery placements are a feed environment. Ads that do not correspond to the visual language of the feed are disregarded.

How do different Google display ad formats compare?

Each format addresses a different challenge. The table below maps format to use case, creative control, and automation level to help match format to campaign objective.

Google display ads vs. search ads: which is better for your campaign?

Display and search ads serve fundamentally different intent stages and should almost always run in separate campaigns.

Combining targeting in one campaign makes it impossible to read performance data accurately.

What makes a Google display ad high-performing?

Across all formats, the display ads that consistently outperform share several structural characteristics.

• Strong visual appeal: The ad should catch attention quickly with clear images, bold colours, and a clean layout. People scroll fast, so the design must be attractive without being too busy or confusing.
• Clear and compelling headline: The headline should immediately show the value of the offer. Whether it is a discount, free trial, or useful solution, the message should be simple and easy to understand.
• Strong call to action (CTA): A good display ad tells people what to do next. Phrases like “Shop Now,” “Learn More,” “Get Started,” or “Claim Your Offer” guide users to take action.
• Proper audience targeting: Showing the ad to the right people is very important. Google Display Ads perform better when targeted by interests, demographics, location, browsing behaviour, or remarketing to past website visitors.
• Relevance between ad and landing page: The landing page should match what the ad promises. If the ad offers a product, service, or discount, users should find exactly that when they click.
• Mobile-friendly experience: Since many people view ads on mobile devices, both the ad and landing page must load quickly and display properly on phones and tablets.
• Continuous testing and optimization: High-performing ads improve over time through testing different headlines, images, designs, and CTAs to find what gets the best results.
• Simple and focused message: Too much information can confuse users. A strong display ad keeps the message short, direct, and focused on one main goal.

How should you test and optimize Google display ad creatives?

Testing is what separates consistently improving campaigns from stagnating ones. One or two well-organized habits would help a great deal:

1. Test a single variable at a time: Isolate headline, image, or CTA variations to make results attributable.
2. Asset reporting of RDAs using Google: Google labels each asset as “Low,” “Good,” or “Best.” First to replace Low-rated assets.
3. Match the creative to audience type: Cold audiences (custom intent, in-market) need relevance-first messaging. The offers and urgency can be used to remarket to the audiences (people who have visited the site previously, cart abandoners, etc.).
4. Monitor frequency: Banner fatigue does exist. Repeated exposure to the same creative at high frequency decreases CTR and can impair brand perception. Limit frequency capping to manage exposure, particularly in retargeting campaigns.
5. Check performance benchmarks: Google display ads have an average CTR of around 0.1%. When the CTR of a low-conversion campaign is much higher than usual, it is highly likely that the traffic is invalid rather than real.

How do different Google display ad formats compare?

What are the most common mistakes in Google display ads?

Some common mistakes to avoid in Google display ads include:

1. Poor targeting: Showing ads to the wrong audience is one of the biggest mistakes. Even a well-designed ad will perform badly if it reaches people who are not interested in the product or service.
2. Weak visuals: Low-quality images, cluttered designs, or dull visuals make ads easy to ignore. Display ads rely heavily on appearance, so poor design reduces engagement.
3. Unclear headline: If the headline does not quickly explain the offer or value, users will scroll past without paying attention. Confusing or vague messages hurt performance.
4. No strong call to action (CTA): If users do not know what step to take next, they are less likely to click. Ads without clear CTAs like “Buy Now” or “Learn More” often perform poorly.
5. Too much text: Display ads should be simple and easy to scan. Overloading the ad with too much information can make it look messy and reduce interest.
6. Mismatch between ad and landing page: When users click an ad and land on a page that does not match the promise, they lose trust and leave quickly. This increases bounce rates and wastes ad spend.
7. Ignoring mobile users: If the ad or landing page does not perform well on mobile devices, many potential customers will be lost, since many users browse on phones.

What should a Google display ad include?

Regardless of its form, every good display ad always consists of the following key elements:

1. Value Proposition: The offer made and its significance. It must be readily discernible by the viewer in an immediate sense, even at smaller font sizes.
2. One Single Call-to-action: It should be one singular call-to-action in every ad. For example: “Learn More”, “Get Free Trial”, or “See Pricing”, choose one.
3. Branding Elements: Such as logo, brand colour, or any other visually recognizable element. Display ads are viewed within their surroundings. Hence, branding ensures that the ad is perceived without requiring the viewer to take any actions whatsoever.
4. Relevance: Content that indicates the relevance of the offer made within the advertisement.

How to stop budget waste and focus on traffic quality, not just ad design

There are various types of Google Display Ads that can help meet different objectives. Responsive display ads enable advertisers to get scalability and automation benefits.

Static and animated formats provide for precise targeting and creatives. There are also unique opportunities with Gmail and Discovery ads as feed placements not available through GDN campaigns.

While it’s often assumed that expensive display ads simply mean the creative content is high-quality, that doesn’t necessarily translate into higher-quality users.

Invalid traffic remains one of the least-mentioned causes of budget waste. To make sure your clicks truly reflect the target audience rather than inflated data, you need to pay attention to traffic quality, just like you do to your creatives.

Abisola

Meet Abisola! As the content manager at ClickPatrol, she’s the go-to expert on all things fake traffic. From bot clicks to ad fraud, Abisola knows how to spot, stop, and educate others about the sneaky tactics that inflate numbers but don’t bring real results.

View all posts by Abisola
(Abisola)

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