Display advertising — banner ads, image ads, and responsive ads placed across millions of websites, apps, and YouTube — is a powerful tool for South African businesses looking to build brand awareness, stay top-of-mind, and retarget website visitors. Here's how it works and when to use it.
What Is the Google Display Network?
The Google Display Network (GDN) reaches over 90% of internet users worldwide through millions of websites, apps, and Google properties. In South Africa, it covers major news sites (News24, TimesLive, IOL), YouTube, Gmail, and thousands of niche websites. Display ads appear as banners, images, or responsive ad units that adapt to available ad space.
Display vs Search: When to Use Each
| Channel | Best For | User Intent |
|---|---|---|
| Search (Google Ads) | Capturing existing demand | High — actively searching |
| Display | Building awareness, retargeting | Low — passively browsing |
Display is not a substitute for Search when leads are the primary goal. It excels at keeping your brand visible to people who've already shown interest (retargeting) or reaching new audiences before they start searching (awareness).
Display Targeting Options in South Africa
- Demographic: Age, gender, household income
- In-market audiences: People Google has identified as actively researching a category
- Custom intent: Target people who've searched specific keywords on Google
- Remarketing: Show ads to people who've visited your website or YouTube channel
- Placement targeting: Choose specific websites or apps to appear on
- Topic targeting: Appear on websites about specific topics (health, finance, property)
Display Advertising Benchmarks for SA
| Metric | SA Benchmark |
|---|---|
| Cost per thousand impressions (CPM) | R5 – R40 |
| Click-through rate (CTR) | 0.05% – 0.35% |
| Cost per click (CPC) | R3 – R30 |
Retargeting: The Highest-ROI Display Use Case
Retargeting (or remarketing) — showing display ads exclusively to people who've already visited your website — is the most effective display application for most SA businesses. The audience has already demonstrated intent; the ads simply keep you visible while they continue their research. A well-configured retargeting campaign can generate leads at a significantly lower CPC than prospecting campaigns.
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