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Search Campaigns
Overview
Search campaigns are text ads on Google search results — the original and most direct Google Ads campaign type. You bid on keywords so your ads reach "people actively searching online for your products and services," making Search the workhorse for sales, leads, and website traffic. Setup is deliberately lightweight: "Write text ads and pick keywords. Skip special files or assets" — unlike display campaigns, shopping campaigns, or video campaigns, which require images, product feeds, or videos.
Characteristics
Where ads show. Google search results pages; optionally Google search partners (additional search engines beyond Google — a checkbox at setup) and optionally the Display Network ("Most of your ads will likely appear on searches, but if there's an opportunity to effectively show your ads on other sites, Google will take it"). With the Display option on, keywords are contextually matched to page content (a brownie-recipe page can show chocolate-brownie ads). On Google Maps, "near me" may be appended to searches in English, French, German, and Spanish — block this by adding "near me" as a negative keyword. Ads may also appear in the Search Generative Experience for opted-in Search Labs users.
How matching works. Keywords match user searches and trigger an ad auction; each keyword carries a Quality Score based on expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance, and landing page experience — higher quality typically means lower costs and better positions. Match-type syntax (verbatim): default is broad match; quotation marks " " for phrase match ("searches that include the meaning of your keyword"); brackets [ ] for exact match ("searches that have the same meaning"); minus sign - for negative keywords. Full detail in keywords matching.
Structure. Campaign → ad groups → ads + keywords. Each ad group should map to one search theme (a furniture store's "Couches" ad group targets "leather couches," "sofas," "loveseats," with couch ads linking to the couches section). Two ad-group types, and only one type per campaign: Standard (you supply keywords and ads) or Dynamic (Dynamic Search Ads — Google targets searches and generates the final URL, headline, and display URL from your site content; you write only the description; recommended for larger programs, not beginners).
How to Use
Creation walkthrough (UI path): Campaigns menu → Campaigns → + New campaign → choose an objective among Sales, Leads, or Website traffic (or "Create a campaign without a goal's guidance" — but at least one conversion goal is still required) → under "Select a campaign type" select Search → Continue. Drafts save automatically and appear at the top of the campaign list ("Resume and continue").
- Bidding — pick a focus matching your objective: Conversions (sales/leads — requires conversion tracking), Clicks (traffic), Conversion value (with values set; enables ROAS targeting), or Impression Share. Experienced users can "Select a bid strategy directly" (see bidding and bid strategy picker). "Show more settings" exposes Conversions, Ad schedule, and Ad rotation.
- Targeting — search partners and Display checkboxes; geographic locations with exclusions and Location options (e.g., "People searching for your targeted locations" for an Austin event drawing out-of-towners); languages (write ads/keywords in those languages); optional audiences (audiences targeting).
- Assets — sitelinks, callouts, calls, structured snippets, app, promotion, lead form, price, location, and image assets make ads larger and more interactive; sitelink, callout, and call assets populate by default (ads assets).
- Ad groups and keywords — enter keywords one per line; get ideas via "Get keyword ideas" or Keyword Planner. Keywords of 2–3 words tend to work most effectively; group by theme ("engagement rings" vs. "wedding rings" get separate ad groups and ads).
- Ads — final URL, 1–3 headlines, up to 2 description lines of 90 characters each, optional display path and tracking parameters. Create at least 3 ads per ad group, tightly relevant to the ad group's keywords.
- Budget — average daily budget (overspend on strong days, averaging out over the month) or a campaign total budget (requires start and end dates). Then fix any "Fix it" alerts (billing, missing keywords/ads, invalid final URL) and Publish.
Ads are typically approved within one business day; allow a few days before ads show and longer for bidding to fully optimize.
Related Entities
- performance max — the AI alternative that includes search inventory; often run alongside Search
- display campaigns — where the optional Display reach extension goes
- shopping campaigns — feed-based product listings for retailers
- keywords matching, bidding, ads assets, optimization — the levers inside a Search campaign
- campaign type picker — when Search vs. the other six types
Sources
- raw/web_community-create-a-search-campaign-google-ads-help.md (support.google.com — high)
- raw/web_community-choose-the-right-campaign-type-google-ads-help.md (support.google.com — high)
- raw/web_community-about-keywords-in-search-network-campaigns-google-ads-help.md (support.google.com — high)