When dealing with PPC advertisements we tend to get obsessed with keywords, copy, and the metrics surrounding the effectiveness of our campaigns. While these are incredibly important and determine the success of your ads, something we can’t lose sight of is the SIZE of the PPC ads.
Platforms like Google Ads allow you to use a myriad of pre-defined sizes and layouts and which ones you choose can have an impact on your ad’s performance. Below, we take a look at the best sizes for Google display ads, why size matters, and five simple tips to keep in mind when choosing Google Ad layouts.
Why Size Matters With Google Display Ads
- So why should you care about Google Ads display image sizes? Why not just use a default size and crack on? Anyone providing qualified Google Ads services knows that size is just as important as keywords and copy.
- Remember that your ad represents just part of what a user is viewing. Their attention can be diverted to any number of other content on their web browser, YouTube video, or mobile screen for example.
- Out of 100% of a user’s display, only 5% of that space might be occupied by your ad. This is why size matters as you want to pick an ad layout that grabs their attention and stands out from other elements on their screen.
5 Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing Google Ads Display Sizes
To get the most out of your Google Ads, it’s important to know what to do and how to approach size selection and we have listed five simple tips below to help.
1. The most convenient size isn’t always the best option
Some ad sizes simply look better and may be more convenient to design your ad campaign around. We get this, and it’s especially tempting to simply go with the easiest option.
Sadly, this isn’t always the right option! Don’t go with what’s easy, go with what’s right for your business and your PPC ad goals.
2. Understanding the most popular Ad sizes is important
There is no denying that some Google Ads display sizes perform better than others and there is a wealth of statistical data relating to this. The following are considered some of the top-performing ad sizes and could make great choices for your campaigns:
– 250×250 Square
– 200×200 Square
– 468×60 Banner
– 728×90 Leaderboard Banner
– 300×250 Inline Rectangle
– 336×280 Large Rectangle
– 120×600 Skyscraper
– 160×600 Wide Skyscraper
– 300×600 Large Skyscraper
– 970×90 Large Leaderboard
– 970×50 Billboard
– 930×180 Top Banner
– 980×120 Panorama
If we want specific data, Google states that the best sizes for Google display ads are:
1. 300×250 Medium Rectangle
2. 336×280 Large Rectangle
3. 728×90 Leaderboard
4. 300×600 Large Skyscraper
5. 320×100 Large Mobile Banner
Don’t ignore statistics like these! For whatever reason, these ad sizes are proven to yield the best results. This could be due to their positioning, how they integrate with other screen elements or the platforms they are most commonly displayed on.
Remember that you can also create responsive display ads which automatically adapt their size depending on the publisher’s web content and the elements displayed. The downside is that responsive Google ads are often text-only which can look a little dated and naff compared to image-based ads.
3. Larger Ads typically get more attention than smaller Ads
This may seem like a really obvious point but we have to mention it. In general, larger Google ads get more attention than medium and smaller sizes ads.
This is common sense when you think about it logically. If you have an advert that takes up 15% of the user’s available screen compared to 5% from a small ad, the larger ad at 15% is much more likely to get noticed and grab the user’s attention.
4. Google has a limited inventory of different Ad sizes
You have to understand that Google has an inventory for its Ads. At any one time, it has a finite amount of screen space to delegate to ads. This means that you should not concentrate only on one size of Ad.
For example, we have established that larger Google Ads gain better results and more attention so the logical next step is to concentrate only on larger ad sizes. However, this would ultimately not be beneficial as Google can only physically display so many large ads at once – it has limited inventory for large ads.
In contrast, it has far more inventory and physical space for medium and small ads so by using them too, you have a great chance of your ad campaigns being visible.
5. A mix of popular Ad sizes is preferable as opposed to using only one type
The best approach is to have a diverse set of Google Ads that cover large, medium, and small sizes. This makes sure that you have the right mix of availability and visibility to get the best results.
You can have a range of large ads that can yield more conversions but have a lesser chance of being visible due to limited inventory. This is offset and complemented by a range of small and medium ads that might not get as much traction, but have a greater chance of being visible.
Size Matters, but Not for the Common Reason!
Next time you start creating a Google Ad campaign, don’t forget the age-old saying that size matters! Just remember that here we are using it in a slightly different context! It’s vital to pay attention to your Google Ads display sizes and that you use a range of popular layouts that are known to gain more attention.
Keep things diverse and don’t get tunnel vision on one particular size. While larger ads typically have higher conversion rates, remember that Google can only display a limited number of these so it’s a great idea to have a range of small and medium options too.
