Google Display Ads & The Google Display Network: The Ultimate Guide For SMEs

For many business owners, digital advertising feels like a minefield. You know you need more leads and sales, but the choices - Google, Facebook, LinkedIn, SEO, email - can be overwhelming. The risk is wasting money on clicks that don’t turn into customers.

That’s where Google Display Ads come in. They give you the ability to put your brand in front of potential customers across millions of websites, apps and platforms like YouTube and Gmail. More importantly, when they’re run strategically, they help you do three things every growing business needs: raise awareness, bring back people who’ve already shown interest, and generate enquiries that your sales team can convert.

At JDR, we don’t treat Display Ads as a stand-alone tactic. They form part of our proven 6-step system for attracting, winning and keeping customers. Specifically, they support Step 3 (building website traffic) and Step 4 (turning visitors into leads). Used in the right way, they can give you a steady flow of opportunities without relying on referrals or a handful of big customers.

In this guide, we’ll show you what Display Ads are, how they work, the types you can run, and, most importantly, how to use them to grow your business.

What Are Google Display Ads And How Do They Work?

Google Display Ads are visual adverts that appear across Google’s Display Network, a collection of over 2 million websites, apps and platforms, including YouTube and Gmail. Unlike search ads, which only show when someone types in a specific keyword, display ads proactively reach people as they browse online.

They can take many forms – text, static images, animated graphics or video – giving you creative freedom to showcase your brand. For business owners, the value lies in the visibility they provide. Display ads can:

• Build brand awareness with a wide audience
  
  
• Retarget people who have already visited your website
  
  
• Drive traffic that can convert into leads and sales
  
  

In short, they’re a versatile way to put your business in front of the right people at the right time.

How Do Google Display Ads Work?

You create and manage Display Ads through Google Ads. The process is straightforward:

1. Set up your campaign and define your goals.
   
   
2. Upload your creative assets (images, videos, headlines, logos).
   
   
3. Choose your targeting options to reach the people most likely to become customers.
   
   
4. Launch your campaign and monitor results in real time.

Because performance is fully measurable, you can see which ads, audiences and placements are working. This data allows you to refine campaigns continuously, ensuring you’re investing in ads that bring a return rather than wasting budget.

The Google Display Network & Targeting

The Google Display Network (GDN) is vast, giving you access to over 90% of internet users worldwide. Your ads can appear on major platforms like YouTube and Gmail, as well as millions of other websites your potential customers visit every day.

The real power lies in the targeting. You can choose to show ads based on:

• Demographics such as age, gender or location
  
  
• People’s interests, hobbies and browsing behaviour
  
  
• Remarketing, showing ads to people who have already engaged with your business

This precision means you’re not simply paying for more eyeballs – you’re investing in reaching the right people who are far more likely to convert. For SMEs, that’s crucial when every pound of marketing spend needs to count.

When Should You Use Google Display Ads?

Display ads are not a silver bullet - they work best when they’re part of a wider strategy. At JDR, we recommend using them in specific scenarios where they can make the biggest impact on leads and sales.

1. Building Brand Awareness

If you’re entering a new market, launching a product, or want more people to know your name, Display Ads are ideal. They put your business in front of a wide audience, even if people aren’t actively searching for you yet.

2. Retargeting Website Visitors

Most people won’t buy on their first visit to your website. Display Ads let you stay visible by showing tailored ads to people who’ve already engaged with your brand. This “digital follow-up” helps turn browsers into buyers.

3. Supporting Seasonal or Promotional Campaigns

Got an event, seasonal offer, or limited-time promotion? Display Ads give you extra visibility fast, keeping your brand top-of-mind and driving immediate action.

4. Strengthening Multi-Channel Campaigns

On their own, Display Ads are rarely enough. But when combined with search ads, SEO, content marketing and email nurturing, they help create multiple touchpoints that build trust and credibility. This is how you move prospects through the buying journey.

5. Targeting New Audiences

With Google’s targeting options, you can reach people based on their demographics, interests, or behaviours. If you know who your ideal customers are but they don’t yet know you, Display Ads can get your message in front of them.

The key is timing and integration. Use Display Ads to attract attention, nurture interest, and bring people back, but make sure they link into your wider sales and marketing system so that visibility turns into real enquiries and sales.

What Types Of Google Display Ads Are There?

Google Display Ads come in several formats, each suited to different goals. Choosing the right format is important as it affects how your ads look, how they’re delivered, and ultimately how effective they are at driving leads and sales.

Responsive Display Ads

Responsive ads are the most flexible option. You upload your images, headlines, logos and descriptions, and Google automatically adjusts the size and layout to fit any space across the Display Network.

Why use them? They give you the widest reach with the least effort, adapting to different screen sizes and placements without you having to design dozens of ad versions. They’re efficient, cost-effective, and a good default choice for most campaigns.

Image Ads

Image ads use static visuals with text to communicate a clear, simple message. Think product showcases, service snapshots, or brand storytelling in one sharp image.

Why use them? They’re easy to produce, highly visual, and effective for building brand recognition. A strong image can cut through noise quickly and get your business noticed.

Video Ads

Video ads combine motion and sound to tell a story. These can be short clips or longer pieces, shown across websites, apps and YouTube.

Why use them? They’re more engaging than static formats and allow you to demonstrate your value in a memorable way. Video is particularly powerful for retargeting, reminding previous visitors why they should come back and buy.

What Ad Sizes & Specs Do You Need For Google Display Ads?

Google supports a range of ad sizes, but you don’t need to use them all. A handful of standard formats will give you the coverage you need:

• 300x250 (Medium Rectangle): Versatile, widely used, and cost-effective.
  
  
• 336x280 (Large Rectangle): Great for content-heavy pages.
  
  
• 728x90 (Leaderboard): High visibility, usually across the top of pages.
  
  
• 160x600 (Wide Skyscraper): Ideal for vertical placements.

Tip: Stick to the most common sizes to maximise reach and reduce creative workload. Responsive ads will automatically fill in the gaps.

Technical Requirements (In Plain English)

To run smoothly, your ads need to meet Google’s specs:

• File size under 150KB
  
  
• Accepted formats: JPEG, PNG, GIF
  
  
• High-resolution, clear imagery – no pixelation
  
  
• Honest, family-safe messaging that meets Google’s policies
  
  

Get these basics right, and your ads will display properly across devices and platforms without rejection or wasted spend.

Google Display & YouTube Ad Examples

Seeing real campaigns in action helps you visualise what works and why. Below are a few inspiring examples where brands used display or video ads to achieve measurable business outcomes. Use them to guide your own strategy (but remember: your results depend on targeting, creative, optimisation, and alignment with your sales process).

The Honest Company (Display + Dynamic Remarketing)

In Google’s own display case studies archive, The Honest Company used dynamic remarketing to boost conversions. (Think with Google)

They targeted users who had already visited their site but didn’t purchase, showing personalised ads based on the products viewed. The result: 30% increase in conversions.

Use dynamic remarketing to re-engage warm prospects with tailored creative - show them what they already looked at and give them a reason to come back.

Indestructible Shoes (YouTube Ads)

A footwear brand, Indestructible Shoes, moved into YouTube from a reliance on Facebook advertising. They generated $1.16 million in revenue with a 2.24× ROAS (return on ad spend). (linxdigital.com)

They used video storytelling that showcased the product’s unique features (durability, safety) and paired it with attribution to link views to conversions. 

If you can tell your brand’s story visually, video is a powerful format - especially when combined with remarketing and measurement to tie views back to sales.

Adidas - YouTube Video Sequencing

Adidas launched a soccer boot (Nemeziz) campaign using YouTube video sequencing - showing a series of short videos to move viewers from awareness to consideration. (YouTube)

By sequencing, they gradually increased messaging intensity and relevance as people moved through the funnel. The layered approach helps avoid hitting someone too hard with the “buy now” pitch too early. 

Use video sequences to tell a story over time. Start with softer branding messages and escalate to calls to action when the prospect is primed.

What Do Successful Google Display Campaigns Have in Common?

When you look at high-performing Google Display and YouTube campaigns - whether it’s Adidas sequencing videos to launch a new boot, Indestructible Shoes generating over a million pounds in sales through YouTube, or The Honest Company using dynamic remarketing to lift conversions - you’ll see a handful of recurring traits.

First, they use attention-grabbing visuals and video. Static text won’t cut it; strong imagery, bold colours, or compelling motion are what stop people mid-scroll. In video, the hook in the first three seconds is crucial.

Second, they focus on personalisation and dynamic creative. Rather than showing everyone the same advert, they adapt the message to the audience - whether that’s by remarketing specific products someone has already viewed, or tailoring creative to interests and behaviours. Relevance drives engagement.

Third, there is always a clear call to action. Viewers aren’t left wondering what to do next. The best campaigns use simple, directive prompts like “Get a Quote,” “Shop Now,” or “Book Today,” aligned to the immediate business goal.

Fourth, many use sequencing or layering. Instead of hammering prospects with the same advert repeatedly, they build a journey. It might start with a softer brand message, then follow up with proof points, and finally, a direct offer. This step-by-step approach moves people through awareness, consideration and decision naturally.

Finally, they invest in measurement and optimisation. Successful advertisers don’t “set and forget.” They monitor what works, track conversions, and continually refine creatives, placements, and targeting. That way, the budget is focused on what actually delivers ROI.

Put these traits together, and you have a recipe for campaigns that don’t just get impressions but actually win customers.

Why Work With JDR Group As Your PPC Agency?

Running ads on the Google Display Network can be powerful, but the truth is, many SMEs waste money because their campaigns aren’t set up, tracked or optimised properly. You don’t just need clicks, you need enquiries, leads and sales. That’s where we come in.

At JDR, we’ve managed PPC campaigns for hundreds of small and medium-sized businesses across industries like manufacturing, technology, construction and professional services. We don’t just “run ads” - we:

• Build campaigns around your business goals, not vanity metrics
  
  
• Integrate Display Ads with your wider marketing strategy (our proven 6-step system) so they support your website, content and sales process
  
  
• Set up proper tracking and reporting so you know exactly what return you’re getting
  
  
• Continuously optimise targeting, creative and budgets to maximise ROI
  
  
• Provide you with a complete team - strategy, content, design, PPC specialists - for a similar cost to hiring one person in-house

Choosing JDR means you get a partner who understands SMEs, values clarity and honesty, and is focused on delivering measurable growth - not just impressions.

Next Steps 

If you want to see how Display Ads can help you win more customers, there are two easy ways to get started:

1. Book a discovery call with us today - let’s talk about your goals and how we can help.

2. Or, download our free guide: How To Attract, Win, Keep & Grow Customers for a step-by-step overview of our proven system.