What’s the Difference Between Search and Shopping Campaigns?

Trying to work out why your “shiny” Google Ads account feels more like a slot machine than a steady revenue driver? You’re not alone, especially when your ad reports start blurring the lines between Search and Shopping campaigns — but with very real differences to your bottom line. Let’s kill the confusion and give you, the founder or eCommerce lead, a practical breakdown: what’s actually going on with Search vs Shopping in the world of Google Ads?

Search Campaigns: The Digital Megaphone (But It’s All Text)

Imagine standing in a crowd, shouting carefully chosen words at people who might want to buy what you’re selling. That’s pretty much a Search campaign.

These ads are plain-text beauties — no fancy product pictures here. Your ad comes up when someone searches for one of your chosen keywords (yes, YOU have to pick them). So if you pick “vegan trainers” as a keyword, your ad pops up when “vegan trainers” is Googled. What you say, and what headline you write, is totally under your control.

Key Features:

• You write the words: Headlines, body text, even those tiny URL paths

• You pick the keywords: Want to appear for “luxury candles UK”? Add it

• You set the bid: Decide what you’ll pay when someone clicks

• Great for: Brand awareness, vague searches, or anything people search via general terms (services, advice, “best blender under £100”)

Downside? If your copy is boring or your keyword list is rubbish, don’t expect miracles. You’ll also struggle to make a visual impact — not ideal if you’re selling products that basically sell themselves on looks.

Shopping Campaigns: The Showroom Window of Google

Let’s get visual. Shopping campaigns are for people who’d rather browse a shelf than read a leaflet. Here, your ads show up as product images — price, shop name, rating all included. The heavy lifting on targeting? Google does it. Your product info (from Google Merchant Center) triggers your ad when someone searches for stuff like what you sell.

Key Features:

• Google chooses the keywords: Yes, really. Your meticulously crafted product title/description/attributes determine what search terms your ad shows up for

• Image + price = instant impact: Shoppers get to see your product upfront before they even click

• Clicks are HOT: People clicking these are close to purchasing — not just “browsing”

• You need a product feed: Set this up in Merchant Center and keep it squeaky clean

• Great for: eCommerce brands, broad product ranges, speedy buying cycles

Downside? Zero control over ad copy (apart from your product titles/descriptions) and a fiddly product feed setup. Not suited for services, lead gen, or hard-to-visualise products.

Where Do These Ads Appear?

	Google Search Ads	Google Shopping Ads
Main Search Results	Yes	Yes (usually above Search ads)
Shopping Tab	No	Yes
Google Images	No	Sometimes
YouTube/Display Network	Optionally (with settings)	Sometimes

So, Search ads hog the textual space and Shopping dominates the “look-at-me” shelf at the very top, the Shopping tab, and more — sometimes even venturing onto YouTube or Gmail.

Keywords: Control Freaks vs Finessers

• Search: YOU tell Google what keywords should trigger your ad. Ultimate control — but if your keyword research is off, your results will be too.

• Shopping: Google’s in the driver’s seat. Your structured product data (title, description, GTIN, and all that) becomes the “keyword” field. If you haven’t optimised your feed, you’re basically hiding from your own customers.

Here’s a brutally honest comparison:

Aspect	Search Campaigns	Shopping Campaigns
Ad Format	All text	Product image + price
Keyword Control	You	Google (based on your data)
Visual Impact	Low	High
Setup Required	Just Google Ads	Google Ads + Merchant Center feed
Intent Captured	Broader (info to shopping)	Almost always buying intent
Results Page Spot	Text listings	Visual carousel at the top
Micro-Management	High	Feed > daily tweaks; less manual bid-by-keyword unless using Standard Shopping

Real-World Example

Let’s say you sell luxury pyjamas. Here’s how each campaign would play out:

Search Campaign: Your ad shortlists for “luxury pyjamas UK”. The user sees your cheeky headline, reads your crafted copy, and maybe clicks through if they fancy what you’re saying (and trust your brand).

Shopping Campaign: The shopper types “silk pyjamas”, is instantly blinded by a lineup of glossy pyjama images (yours among them, if your feed and bids are set up). They compare price, design, and pull the trigger based purely on look, price, and rating. If you’re not in the top row, you’re not in the game.

User Intent: Who’s Clicking?

• Search: Can be at any stage — researching, comparing, looking to buy later, or just plain lost.

• Shopping: Almost always shoppers just about ready to buy, or at least compare. They KNOW what they want (at least the product type). They’re visual, impatient, and want to click-thru, check stock, and order today.

You’re paying more for better clicks in Shopping, but Search gives you room to move up the funnel and grab people before your competitors do.

When Should a Brand Use Each Type?

The obvious answer? Usually both, if you care about sales. But let’s get specific:

Use Search Campaigns if:

• Your product isn’t super visual

• You want to run special offers, brand messages, or test headlines

• You want to catch advice-seekers and convince them you’re worth a look

• You have a specific message (“Handmade in Cornwall — 10% off today!”) and want total control

Use Shopping Campaigns if:

• You’ve already done the feed hygiene (good product data, up to date inventory, etc)

• You want qualified leads who compare by image/price/rating

• You have wide ranges, colourways, categories

• You want the most eCommerce bang for your budget, especially on well-known products

Can You Combine Them? (Hint: You Should)

A lot of savvy eCommerce folks (or their agencies, if they’re paying attention) run both at the same time. Shopping gets those who know what they want. Search covers everything else: brand protection, longer tail keywords, and creative offers that Shopping simply can’t express.

If you’re running Shopping only, check how many sales come from brand terms or those “Oh, I didn’t know your store existed” queries. If you’re Search-only, you’re leaving the most lucrative, purchase-ready traffic for your competitors. Remember, it’s not either/or — it’s and/both.

Practical Tips for Founders

• Feed’s the foundation: Shopping lives and dies on your product data. Invest here before you argue about budgets or ad types.

• Match campaign type to intent: Shopping is direct-response, Search is story-telling (but still helps sell).

• Test both: Results vary significantly by niche, price point, and brand recognisability.

• Don’t set and forget: Especially with Shopping, inventory, price, and titles need regular updates.

• Check your overlap: Make sure you’re not bidding against yourself on the same terms in both campaign types — this can drive up your clicks without extra sales.

Conclusion: Back to Basics

If you remember nothing else — Shopping is Google’s visual shopfront, best for those ready to buy. Search is your digital soapbox, waving at the curious and undecided. If your products look great and are competitively priced, let Shopping strut its stuff. If you want messaging power or to reach people who don’t know they need what you sell (yet), Search is still king.

Still unsure what fits your eCommerce growth plan? That’s where an experienced PPC team (like us at JudeLuxe) can audit, blend, and scale your ad efforts without wasting your budget on the wrong traffic. Because at the end of the day, you want sales — not just pretty graphs in your dashboard.