Catherine recently launched a Google Display campaign for her online pet store, and she saw a big spike in website visitors — that’s great! But there’s a problem: many visitors browsed without buying. She wants to reengage those visitors and turn them into customers.
Google Display Ads offer different marketing objectives to match campaign goals. Choosing the right one is key to turning browsers into buyers.
Question
Catherine received a significant amount of traffic to her online pet store after launching her Display campaign. Unfortunately, many visitors to her online store didn’t make a purchase. When creating a new Display campaign, which marketing objective should Catherine choose in order to reengage with these visitors?
- Influence consideration
- Drive action
- Build awareness
- Increase leads
Here is the correct answer
B) Drive action ✅
Why This Is Correct: Targeting Visitors Ready to Convert
1. What Does “Drive Action” Mean?
This objective focuses on encouraging specific actions like purchases, sign-ups, or downloads. It’s perfect when you want to turn interested visitors into customers.
2. How It Helps Catherine
Since many visitors didn’t buy the first time, a “Drive Action” campaign—such as remarketing—targets those past visitors with tailored ads reminding them of products they viewed or offering special deals.
This approach nudges warm leads closer to completing a purchase.
Why the Other Options Are Incorrect
A) Influence Consideration
This is about encouraging users to think about your product category and brand—good early in the funnel but not for ready-to-convert visitors who already showed interest.
C) Build Awareness
Best for new brands or products to reach as many people as possible, but Catherine already has visitors. Awareness won’t directly increase purchases from those visitors.
D) Increase Leads
Focused on collecting contact information or sign-ups, which may be useful later but doesn’t directly drive purchases from existing site visitors.
Real-Life Example: Tailored Remarketing Success

Catherine owns an online pet store. When she first launched her Google Display campaign, she was thrilled to see a big jump in website traffic. People were clicking her ads and visiting her site in droves. But there was one big problem — most visitors weren’t making a purchase.
Determined to turn that traffic into sales, Catherine decided to create a new Display campaign focused specifically on reengaging those visitors who had shown interest but didn’t buy.
She chose the “Drive Action” marketing objective, designed to encourage specific actions like purchases, sign-ups, or other conversions. Using remarketing, she targeted those past visitors with personalized ads featuring:
- Products they had browsed but didn’t buy
- Special limited-time discounts to encourage action
- Testimonials and social proof to build trust
The result? Within just two months:
- Her conversion rate increased by 35%
- Sales from returning visitors jumped significantly
- Her overall return on ad spend (ROAS) improved dramatically
- The campaign helped Catherine build loyal customers rather than just one-time browsers
This example shows the power of aligning your campaign objective to your business goal. By switching from a general awareness campaign to one that drives action, Catherine was able to turn casual site visitors into paying customers, efficiently and cost-effectively.

Marketing Objectives and When to Use Them
Objective | Best For | Use Case Example |
---|---|---|
Build Awareness | New brands/products | Launching a new pet toy line |
Influence Consideration | Early-stage interest building | Introducing pet health content |
Drive Action | Encourage conversions and purchases | Remarketing to cart abandoners |
Increase Leads | Collect emails or sign-ups | Newsletter subscriptions |
Helpful Resources
- Google Ads Help: Choose Your Campaign Goal
- Think with Google: Marketing Funnel Explained
- Google Skillshop: Display Ads Campaign Setup
- YouTube: Remarketing with Google Ads Tutorial
- WordStream: How to Drive Action with Google Ads
Conclusion
For Catherine to reengage visitors who didn’t buy, the “Drive Action” marketing objective is the best fit. It focuses on encouraging specific user actions like completing purchases through targeted ads and remarketing.
Choosing the right objective aligns campaign strategy with business goals, making your advertising smarter and more effective.
Now, if you are ready, you can take the Google Skillshop test for the Google Ads Display Exam. Want more real exam questions with easy answers like this? Follow along — I’ll be breaking down more Google Ads Display Measurement Certification Free examples in the next posts!
FAQs
1. What is a remarketing campaign?
A remarketing campaign targets users who have previously visited your website. It shows ads to these past visitors as they browse other sites, watch videos, or use apps, reminding them of your brand and encouraging them to return and complete actions like purchases or sign-ups. Remarketing increases conversion rates by focusing on users already familiar with your business.
2. Can I switch campaign objectives after launching?
Yes, you can change the marketing objective of a Google Ads campaign after it has started by editing the campaign settings. However, it’s best to plan your campaign goals before launching, because changing objectives can impact ad delivery, bidding strategies, and performance metrics. After switching, monitor results closely to adjust your approach.
3. Is the “Drive Action” objective only for e-commerce?
No, the “Drive Action” objective is suited for any campaign focused on prompting specific user actions such as purchases, app installs, sign-ups, phone calls, or in-store visits. It’s not limited to e-commerce.
4. How soon can I expect results from a Drive Action campaign?
Results vary based on setup and traffic but typically start becoming meaningful within a few weeks to three months. The campaign needs time to collect data and optimize bidding, targeting, and creatives. Proper setup and existing traffic can speed up this process.
5. Can I combine multiple objectives in one campaign?
Google Ads campaigns are designed to focus on a single main objective for best performance. Combining multiple objectives in one campaign is not recommended, as it may dilute optimization efforts and targeting.
6. How do I measure success in a Drive Action campaign?
Track conversions (like sales or sign-ups), return on ad spend (ROAS), cost per acquisition (CPA), conversion rates, and cost per click (CPC). These metrics help evaluate if your campaign is meeting goals and generating profit.
7. What if I want to build brand awareness later?
If your focus shifts to brand awareness, create a separate campaign with the “Build Awareness” objective. This lets you tailor targeting, bidding, and creative specifically for reaching new audiences and increasing brand recognition.
8. Are Drive Action campaigns expensive?
Costs depend on your industry, competition, and targeting choices. However, they tend to be cost-effective because they focus on audiences who have already shown interest, leading to higher conversion rates and better budget use.
9. Can Google Display Ads include videos?
Yes, Google Display Ads support various formats, including images, videos, and responsive ads. Using video can improve engagement and brand recall.
10. How do I set up remarketing campaigns?
To set up remarketing, create remarketing lists within Google Ads by adding tracking tags (pixels) to your website. This allows you to segment visitors based on their behavior and show tailored ads to encourage return visits or conversions.