How do shopping ads compare to traditional ads in terms of performance?
- Emily Team
- Aug 26, 2025
- 2 min read
Shopping ads — particularly on platforms like Google, Meta, and TikTok — are highly effective for e-commerce brands because they showcase products visually, contextually, and with real-time data like price and availability.
Here’s how shopping ads compare to traditional ads in terms of performance, targeting, and ROI — and why EMILY® often recommends them for product-based businesses:
📊 1. Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Ad Type | Typical CTR Range |
Shopping Ads | 1.5% – 3.5%+ |
Search Text Ads | 1% – 2% |
Display Ads | 0.3% – 1% |
Social Static Ads | 0.7% – 1.8% |
✅ Why Shopping Wins: They feature product images, titles, and prices directly in the ad — making them more visually appealing and relevant to purchase-ready users.
💰 2. Cost-Per-Click (CPC) & ROI
Ad Type | Avg CPC | Conversion ROI (general) |
Shopping Ads | $0.30–$1.00 | 200%–600% ROAS |
Text Ads (Search) | $1.00–$3.00 | 100%–400% ROAS |
Display/Video Ads | $0.10–$0.50 | Lower direct ROI, good for awareness |
✅ Why Shopping Wins: You only pay per click, and those clicks come from high-intent users. When optimized correctly, Shopping Ads deliver higher return on ad spend (ROAS) than traditional awareness ads.
🛍️ 3. Conversion Rate
Channel | Typical Conversion Rate |
Google Shopping | 2% – 4% |
Meta Dynamic Product Ads | 3% – 6% |
Search Text Ads | 1% – 3% |
Display/Static Social | 0.5% – 1.5% |
✅ Why Shopping Wins: The buyer already sees the product and price before clicking, making them more likely to complete the purchase.
🧠 4. Targeting Precision
Ad Type | Targeting Features |
Shopping Ads | Product-level targeting, real-time inventory, dynamic remarketing |
Search Text Ads | Keyword and geo targeting |
Display Ads | Broad targeting, low conversion intent |
Social Static Ads | Interest-based, demographic targeting |
✅ Why Shopping Wins: They leverage intent-based targeting AND dynamic personalization, especially when paired with retargeting or Smart Shopping campaigns.
📈 5. Reporting & Optimization Depth
Shopping Ads allow SKU-level ROI tracking, bidding by product, and feed performance diagnostics.
Traditional ads (text or display) offer less granularity unless heavily segmented.
EMILY uses custom labels, Merchant Center insights, and Google Analytics 4 to optimize Shopping Ads at the product level for maximum profitability.
🎯 Summary: When to Use Shopping vs. Traditional Ads
Goal | Best Fit |
Drive product sales | ✅ Shopping Ads |
Launch new brand/product | 🔄 Combine Shopping + Social Video |
Retarget abandoned carts | ✅ Shopping + Dynamic Product Ads |
Broad awareness campaigns | 📢 Display or Video ads |
Local inventory promotions | ✅ Local Inventory Shopping Ads |
📅 Want to Compare Performance for Your Store? EMILY® audits your Shopping, Search, and Social campaigns — and builds integrated funnels that maximize ROI and product visibility across channels.
📞 803-271-0875
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