# How to Use Google Display Network to Grow Your Australian Small Business
While Google Search helps you find people actively looking for your services, the Google Display Network (GDN) allows you to build brand awareness by showing visual ads to people while they browse their favourite websites, check Gmail, or use mobile apps. For Australian businesses, this is a powerful way to stay 'top of mind' without waiting for someone to type a query into a search bar.
In this guide, we will walk you through the process of setting up a Display campaign that looks professional and, more importantly, delivers a return on your investment.
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need Before Starting
Before you dive into the Google Ads dashboard, ensure you have the following ready:- An Active Google Ads Account: Linked to your business email.
- Conversion Tracking: Ideally, you should have the Google Tag or Google Analytics 4 (GA4) installed on your website to measure success.
- Visual Assets: At least one high-quality landscape image (1200 x 628), one square image (1200 x 1200), and your business logo.
- A Valid Payment Method: An Australian credit card or bank account linked for billing.
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Step 1: Create a New Campaign
Log in to your Google Ads account. On the left-hand menu, click Campaigns, then click the blue plus (+) button and select New Campaign.- What you should see: A screen asking you to "Select the objective that would make this campaign successful for you."
Step 2: Select Your Objective
For most small businesses, we recommend choosing Website Traffic or Brand Awareness and Reach. If you have conversion tracking set up correctly, you can choose Sales or Leads.Select Display as your campaign type. When prompted, enter your business website URL and give your campaign a clear name (e.g., "GDN - Summer Sale - Brisbane Metro").
Step 3: Set Your Location and Language
By default, Google might select "Australia." However, if you are a local Brisbane business, you should refine this. Click Enter another location and type in "Brisbane" or specific postcodes to avoid wasting budget on clicks from Perth or Sydney if you can't service those areas.Ensure the language is set to English.
Step 4: Choose Your Bidding Strategy
Google will ask what you want to focus on.- For Beginners: Select "Maximise Conversions" if you have tracking installed.
- For Awareness: Select "Viewable CPM" (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) if your goal is just to get your brand seen by as many locals as possible.
Pro Tip: Start with a modest daily budget. For a local Australian campaign, $10–$20 per day is a safe starting point to gather data without overspending.
Step 5: Define Your Targeting (The "Who")
This is where the magic happens. Click Add Targeting to see your options:- Audience Segments: Target people based on their interests (e.g., "Home Improvement Lovers") or "In-Market" segments (people currently searching for services like yours).
- Demographics: Filter by age, gender, or parental status.
- Keywords/Topics: Show ads on websites that contain specific words or cover certain subjects.
Step 6: Create Your Responsive Display Ads
Responsive Display Ads (RDAs) are the standard. You provide the ingredients, and Google’s AI mixes them to fit different ad slots.- Images: Upload up to 15 images. Use real photos of your Brisbane storefront or team rather than generic stock photos—they perform significantly better in the Australian market.
- Headlines: Write up to 5 headlines (30 characters each). Be clear about your value proposition (e.g., "Expert Plumbing in Brisbane").
- Long Headline: Write one 90-character headline for larger ad formats.
- Descriptions: Write up to 5 descriptions (90 characters each) that provide more detail or a call to action.
Step 7: Exclude Unwanted Placements
One of the biggest mistakes in Display advertising is letting your ads run on mobile games where kids might accidentally click them.Go to the Content Suitability settings. Under "Excluded Types and Labels," tick the boxes for "Parked domains" and "In-video" if you want to avoid your ads appearing inside YouTube videos where they might be ignored.
Step 8: Review and Launch
Review your settings on the final summary page. Ensure your location targeting is correct and your budget is what you intended. Click Publish Campaign.- What you should see: A "Congratulations" screen. Your ads will now go into a review process (usually takes 24–48 hours) before they start appearing on the network.
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Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Too Much Targeting: If you layer too many audiences, keywords, and demographics, your reach will be too small and your ads won't run. Start broad and narrow down based on results.
- Ignoring Mobile Apps: Check your "Placements" report after a week. If you see 90% of your budget going to "Mobile App: Kids Games," you need to exclude those placements immediately.
- Weak Call to Action: Don't just say "We exist." Say "Get a Free Quote" or "Book Your Inspection Today."
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Problem: My ads aren't getting any impressions. Solution:* Check if your bid is too low or your targeting is too narrow. Also, ensure your images haven't been rejected for containing too much text (keep text to less than 20% of the image area). Problem: I'm getting lots of clicks but no sales. Solution:* Check your "Placements" tab. Your ads might be showing on low-quality websites. Exclude those sites and consider narrowing your audience to "In-Market" segments only. Problem: My images look blurry. Solution:* Ensure you are using the recommended dimensions (1200x628). Google scales these down, so starting with high-resolution files is essential.Next Steps
Now that your Display campaign is live, you should let it run for at least 2 weeks to gather data. Once you have enough data, you can start "Remarketing"—showing specific ads only to people who have already visited your website.If you find the Google Ads interface overwhelming or you aren't seeing the results you expected, our team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. We specialise in optimising campaigns for Australian businesses to ensure every cent of your ad spend works hard for you.
Need a professional eye on your ad account? Contact us today for a strategy session.