Should You Run Ads on Google Search Partners?

Let's start the answer to this question by clarifying that Google Search Partners and Google Partners are NOT the same thing. While we are a Google Partner, we are NOT a Google Search Partner.

Google Partner

A Google Partner is a business (typically a marketing agency or a digital marketing consultant) that has been recognized by Google for its expertise in Google Ads. To become a Google Partner, a company must meet specific requirements related to performance, ad spend, and certifications.

Key characteristics of a Google Partner:

• Who they are: A company or individual.
• What they do: They manage Google Ads campaigns for other businesses and clients.
• How they're recognized: They earn a special badge (the Google Partner or Premier Partner badge) that they can display on their website and marketing materials. This badge signifies that they have demonstrated expertise in Google Ads and have met certain performance standards.
• Benefits: They get access to exclusive benefits from Google, such as training, dedicated account support, and promotional offers.
• Purpose: The program is designed to help businesses find reliable and skilled professionals to manage their Google Ads campaigns.

Google Search Partners

The Google Search Partners network is a part of the Google Search Network. It's a collection of third-party websites and search engines that have partnered with Google to display ads. These sites extend the reach of your Google Ads beyond the main Google search results page.

Key characteristics of Google Search Partners:

Purpose: The network provides advertisers with a way to expand their reach and find a wider audience for their campaigns.

What they are: A network of websites.

What they do: They host Google Ads on their own search results pages, site directories, or other relevant pages.

Examples: This network includes Google-owned sites like YouTube and Google Maps, as well as non-Google sites like Ask.com, Dogpile.com, and even e-commerce sites like Amazon.

For advertisers: When you create a search campaign in Google Ads, the “Include Google Search Partners” option is typically enabled by default. This allows your ads to appear on these partner sites in addition to Google's own search results.

The obvious benefit to running Ads on Google Search Partners is that you potentially will reach more people with your ads.

But, is there a DOWNSIDE of running Ads on Google Search Partners?

When running Google Ads, choosing to also have your ads run on Google Search Partners has some notable downsides. While it can increase your reach, it often comes at the cost of control and performance.

Here are the main downsides:

• Lack of Transparency: Google doesn't provide a full list of its Search Partners, and it often provides limited data on where your ads are being displayed. This can make it difficult to determine which specific sites are performing well or poorly.
• Lower Quality Traffic: Ads on Google Search Partners often lead to lower click-through rates (CTR) and conversion rates compared to ads on the main Google Search network. The traffic can be less engaged or even fraudulent, as some partner sites are known to be parked domains or to generate bot traffic.
• Limited Control: You have much less control over ad placements on the partner network. Unlike display campaigns where you can exclude specific sites, you cannot prevent your search ads from showing on certain partner websites. This can result in your brand appearing on low-quality or even controversial sites that you would rather not be associated with.
• Budget Drain: Because of the potential for low-quality traffic and the lack of transparency, a significant portion of your budget can be spent on clicks that don't lead to conversions. This can quickly drain your budget without providing a return on your investment.
• Lower Overall Performance Metrics: Activating Search Partners can negatively impact your overall campaign metrics. Even if your Google Search performance is strong, the inclusion of the partner network can bring down your average CTR, conversion rate, and other key performance indicators (KPIs) in your aggregated reports.

For these reasons, many advertisers, especially those with lead-generation or B2B campaigns, choose to disable the Search Partners network to focus their budget on the higher-quality traffic from Google's main search network. However, some advertisers in certain industries may find that it can be a source of incremental, albeit lower-cost, clicks and conversions, so it's a decision that often requires careful testing and monitoring.