Mastering the Google Search Network: A Complete Guide for Advertisers

If you're running Google Ads, you've probably heard of the Google Search Network. It’s one of the primary ways businesses can reach potential customers actively searching for their products or services. But what exactly is the Google Search Network, how does it work, and how can you make the most out of it while avoiding common pitfalls?

In this blog post, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the Google Search Network, including what it is, how to use it, its advantages and disadvantages, how to exclude search partners, and the platform limitations you should be aware of.

What is the Google Search Network?

The Google Search Network is a collection of search-related websites where your ads can appear when people search for terms related to your products or services. These ads are primarily displayed on:

• Google Search: The main Google search engine results page (SERP), where most people are familiar with seeing text ads.

• Search Partners: Third-party websites that partner with Google to display ads on their search results pages. These include smaller search engines, directory websites, and even Google-owned properties like YouTube and Google Maps.

When you create a Search Network campaign, your ads can show up on both Google Search and its network of partners, unless you choose to opt-out. This gives businesses access to a broader audience, but not without some trade-offs.

How Does the Google Search Network Work?

The process is simple:

1. Keyword Targeting: When users type in queries that match the keywords in your campaign, your ad enters an auction and competes with other advertisers for visibility.

2. Ad Placement: If your bid, ad relevance, and quality score are good, your ad is shown either on Google’s SERP or on a partner site.

3. Performance-Based Costs: You pay only when someone clicks on your ad, making it a cost-effective strategy for driving traffic.

The search network is ideal for advertisers who want to reach users at the moment they're actively searching for something related to their business.

Advantages of Using the Google Search Network

The Google Search Network has a lot of benefits for advertisers:

1. Increased Reach

By using search partners, you can reach a larger audience than just those searching on Google. This means more exposure for your brand and potential lower-cost clicks.

2. High Intent Traffic

Users searching on Google or partner sites are often closer to making a purchase decision, which results in more qualified leads compared to display or video ads.

3. Precise Keyword Targeting

The ability to show ads to users based on specific keywords is a major advantage. You can tailor your message to match what potential customers are looking for, increasing the likelihood of conversions.

4. Cost Efficiency

With pay-per-click (PPC) pricing, you only pay when someone clicks on your ad, making it easier to manage budgets and measure ROI. The Search Network also tends to have a higher conversion rate due to the high intent of users.

Disadvantages of the Google Search Network

While the Google Search Network has clear advantages, it also comes with some downsides:

1. Lower-Quality Traffic from Search Partners

Not all Google Search Partners drive high-quality traffic. Some smaller or niche sites may not bring in the same value as Google’s primary search results. This can lead to wasted spend on clicks that don’t convert.

2. Lack of Transparency

Google does not provide detailed reports on which partner sites are generating traffic for your ads. This makes it difficult to analyze individual performance and optimize based on that data.

3. Brand Safety Concerns

Without control over exactly where your ads are shown within the Search Network, your ads might appear on less reputable or low-quality sites. This could affect your brand’s reputation.

Platform Limitations Around Search Partners

While Google Ads is a powerful tool, it does have some limitations when it comes to Search Network campaigns:

• No Control Over Specific Partner Sites: In Search campaigns, you cannot choose which specific search partner sites to include or exclude, making it harder to refine your campaign.

• Combined Reporting: Performance data for search partners is lumped together with Google Search results, making it hard to track individual partner performance.

• Limited Testing Options: Since partner sites can’t be isolated in Search campaigns, A/B testing performance for search partners vs. Google Search is difficult.

These limitations mean advertisers need to monitor overall campaign performance closely and be strategic about when to include or exclude search partners.

How to Check Which Networks and Sites your Google Ads were Shown on

For Search Campaigns:

1. Log in to Google Ads: Access your Google Ads account.

2. Go to the Campaigns Tab: Click on the “Campaigns” option from the left-hand menu.

3. Select Your Search Campaign: Choose the specific Search campaign you want to analyze.

4. Navigate to the 'Predefined Reports' Section:

   • Click on Reports (bar graph icon) in the upper-right corner.

   • Select Predefined reports (Dimensions) > Basic > Campaign > Networks.

5. This report will show which network (e.g., Google Search, Google Search Partners) your ads appeared on.

For Display Campaigns (to check the websites/placements where your ads appeared):

1. Log in to Google Ads.

2. Navigate to Campaigns and Select the Display Campaign: In the left-hand menu, click “Campaigns,” and select the Display campaign.

3. Go to Placements Tab:

   • In the campaign view, click on the Placements tab.

   • Then select Where ads showed.

This will show you the websites, apps, and other locations in the Display Network where your ads were displayed.

By using these steps, you can see where your ads have been shown, including the networks and specific placements.

How to Exclude (Negate) Search Partners in Google Ads

If you notice that traffic from search partners isn’t performing well or driving conversions, you might want to exclude them from your campaigns. While Google doesn’t let you manually exclude specific partner sites in Search campaigns, you can turn off the entire Search Partners option.

Here’s how:

1. Log in to Google Ads: Go to your account and select the campaign you want to modify.

2. Go to Settings: Within the campaign, navigate to Settings.

3. Find Networks Section: Scroll down to the Networks section.

4. Uncheck ‘Include Google Search Partners’: Uncheck this option to exclude all search partners from your campaign.

5. Save Changes: Once unchecked, click save to apply the changes.

If you're running a Display Campaign, you can also exclude specific websites, apps, or categories. This is a great option if you’ve identified low-performing sites from reports and want to focus only on high-quality placements.

How to Exclude Specific Google Search or Display Network Partners

For Search Campaigns (Excluding Specific Search Partners):

Unfortunately, Google Ads does not allow you to manually exclude individual Search Network partner sites. You can only exclude all Search Network partners as mentioned earlier by unchecking "Include Google search partners" in the campaign settings. If you want more control, you'd need to use Display campaigns where exclusions are more specific.

For Display Campaigns (Excluding Specific Sites, Apps, or Categories):

1. Log in to Google Ads: Go to your Google Ads account.

2. Navigate to Campaigns: Click on the campaign that you want to exclude specific placements from (this works for Display campaigns).

3. Go to the Placements Tab:

   • On the left menu, select Placements > Where ads showed.

   • This will display a list of all the websites, apps, or YouTube channels where your ads were shown.

4. Exclude Specific Placements:

   • Check the boxes next to the sites or apps you want to exclude.

   • Click on Edit and choose Exclude from campaign or Exclude from ad group based on your preference.

Bulk Exclude Placements (URLs, Apps, etc.):

If you know specific URLs or apps in advance that you want to exclude, you can do the following:

1. Go to Campaign Settings:

   • Open your Display campaign.

   • In the left-hand menu, go to Content > Exclusions.

2. Add Placement Exclusions:

   • Click on the Placements tab.

   • Click Add placements exclusion.

   • Enter the URLs, apps, or YouTube channels you want to exclude.

3. Save: After adding the exclusions, click Save.

Exclude Entire Categories (Optional for Display):

1. Go to Campaign Settings:

   • In your campaign view, go to Content > Exclusions.

2. Exclude by Category:

   • Select Site category options.

   • From here, you can exclude specific content categories like "Gambling," "Sensitive social issues," or "Parked domains" that are more general types of sites or content.

3. Save: Once you’ve chosen categories to exclude, save the changes.

By following these steps, you can exclude specific Display Network sites or apps and exclude content categories from showing your ads.

When Should You Exclude Search Partners?

There are specific scenarios when excluding search partners makes sense:

1. Low Conversion Rates: If your ads are getting clicks but no conversions from partner sites, it’s a sign that the traffic might not be qualified.

2. Brand Safety Concerns: If you want complete control over where your ads appear, removing search partners helps avoid unwanted associations.

3. Budget Constraints: If you’re working with a tight budget, focusing on Google Search only can help ensure that your spend is going toward higher-quality traffic.

Best Practices for Using the Google Search Network

To get the best results from your campaigns, follow these tips:

• Start with Search Partners: Initially, include search partners to maximize reach and test performance. Monitor your results and make data-driven decisions on whether to continue.

• Regularly Review Performance: Keep an eye on click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and cost per acquisition (CPA) to see if search partners are worth the investment.

• Use Exclusions for Display Campaigns: For Display campaigns, take advantage of placement exclusions to avoid wasting spend on low-performing websites or apps.

Conclusion

The Google Search Network is a valuable tool for advertisers looking to reach high-intent audiences through keyword targeting. However, like any platform, it requires careful management. By understanding how the network works, its advantages and limitations, and how to optimize campaigns by excluding underperforming partners, you can drive better results for your business.

Whether you decide to include or exclude search partners, regularly reviewing performance data is key to making sure your ads are delivering value. Keep testing and tweaking, and you’ll find the right balance for your advertising strategy.