Google ad formats
Every Google ad format, used where it wins.
Search, Performance Max, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Local Services and call campaigns — each reaches buyers at a different moment.
At a glance
Google ad formats, at a glance
Google ad formats from a Canadian-owned specialist with 20+ years in Google Ads, millions in managed ad spend and every Google Ads and Google Analytics certification. Google ad formats explained: Search, Performance Max, Shopping, Display, YouTube, Local Services and call ads, and when each one wins for you.
Google’s own documentation: Google Ads Help
- Fully certifiedEvery Google Ads and Google Analytics certification.
- 20+ yearsRunning Google Ads since the AdWords days, with millions in spend managed.
- Canadian ownedBased in Toronto, Ontario, focused on Canadian markets.
Search Ads
Show up the moment someone searches for what you sell.
ExplorePerformance Max
One AI-driven campaign across all of Google.
ExploreDisplay & Remarketing
Stay in front of visitors until they come back and buy.
ExploreShopping Ads
Product ads with image, price and store — straight from your feed.
ExploreLocal Services Ads
Pay per lead, not per click, at the very top of Google.
ExploreYouTube & Demand Gen
Video and visual ads that create demand before the search.
ExploreCall Ads & Call Assets
Phone-first campaigns, migrated ahead of Google’s change.
ExploreEvery Google ad format
The right format for every moment.
Capture buyers at the exact moment they search.
Search campaigns built on intent: tight keyword themes, responsive search ads, and Smart Bidding pointed at the conversions that make you money.
Best for: Law firms, high-ticket trades, B2B and anyone with clear search demand.
- Keywords match intent. You bid on keyword themes; match types and negatives decide which searches trigger your ad.
- Responsive search ads. Supply up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions; Google tests combinations and serves the best one for each search.
- Assets expand the ad. Sitelinks, callouts, calls, locations, images and prices make your ad bigger and more clickable at no extra cost per impression.
Performance Max, with the controls Google doesn’t turn on for you.
PMax reaches Search, Shopping, YouTube, Display, Discover, Gmail and Maps from one campaign. I run it with clean feeds, strong audience signals, brand exclusions and real profit data.
Best for: Ecommerce, multi-location service brands and HVAC.
- One goal, every channel. You set a conversion goal and budget; Google’s AI places ads across all its inventory to hit it.
- Asset groups are the creative. Headlines, images, videos and your product feed are assembled into ads for each placement.
- Audience signals steer it. Customer lists, search themes and website visitors tell the AI who to look for first.
Bring back the 97% who didn’t convert the first time.
Display and remarketing campaigns that follow your visitors across millions of sites and apps on the Google Display Network, with frequency caps and offers that pull them back.
Best for: Ecommerce, long sales cycles (developers, real estate) and law.
- A huge network. The Google Display Network spans millions of websites, apps and Google properties like YouTube and Gmail.
- Responsive display ads. Upload images, logos, headlines and descriptions; Google builds ads to fit every placement.
- Remarketing lists. The Google tag and GA4 build audiences from people who visited, viewed products or started a form.
Shopping campaigns structured around margin, not just revenue.
Standard Shopping and Performance Max working together, segmented by margin and best sellers with custom labels, so your ROAS reflects profit.
Best for: Every ecommerce store, from one SKU to one million.
- Ads built from your feed. Google pulls title, image, price and store name from Merchant Center to build each product ad.
- Search queries, not keywords. Shopping matches searches to your product data, so feed quality decides what you show for.
- Standard vs Performance Max. Standard Shopping gives granular control; PMax adds reach across YouTube, Display and Discover.
Top of Google, a trust badge, and you only pay for leads.
Local Services Ads for trades, home services, lawyers and realtors: verification, profile tuning, budget control and lead disputes handled for you.
Best for: HVAC, roofing, plumbing, trades, realtors and law firms.
- Pay per lead. You’re charged for a lead — a call, message or booking — not for clicks or impressions.
- Verified badge. Businesses pass Google’s screening (licences, insurance, background checks depending on category) to earn a trust badge.
- Ranking is earned. Placement weighs proximity, reviews, responsiveness, hours and budget. Answering fast matters.
Create demand on YouTube, then harvest it on Search.
Demand Gen and YouTube campaigns across in-stream, Shorts, Discover and Gmail, measured by lift in branded search and conversions — not just views.
Best for: Developers, enterprise ecommerce and brand launches.
- Built for discovery. Demand Gen serves image and video ads across YouTube (including Shorts), Discover and Gmail.
- Lookalike segments. Seed lists of customers to find new people who look like them.
- Conversion bidding. Optimize for conversions or value, not just views, with the same Smart Bidding as Search.
Make the phone ring — and keep it ringing after call-only ads retire.
Google stopped allowing new call-only ads in February 2026 and existing ones stop serving in February 2027. I migrate phone-first campaigns to responsive search ads with call assets, with call tracking tied to booked jobs.
Best for: Emergency trades, HVAC, roofing, towing and legal intake.
- The format is changing. Call-only ads are being replaced by responsive search ads with call assets. Creation ended February 2026; serving ends February 2027.
- Call assets on mobile. A call button sits on your search ad; a tap dials you directly instead of opening the site.
- Calls as conversions. Google forwarding numbers count calls over a minimum length, so bidding optimizes for real conversations.
Free audit
Get a free Google Ads audit.
I’ll personally review your campaigns, tracking and Merchant Center, then send a written breakdown of wasted spend and the fastest ways to lower your cost per acquisition.
- Reviewed by me, not a junior account manager
- Tracking and conversion accuracy check
- Benchmark vs your industry and the Canadian market
- No contract, no obligation
Prefer to talk? (416) 234-1871