When visibility is the campaign goal, which bidding strategy should an advertiser choose?

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Lata Bala

google ads search certification questions answers

I recently passed the Google Ads Display Certification exam with a 97% score, and this one question really stood out. Not because it was hard, but because it helped me finally understand what advertisers should focus on when their main goal is visibility. That’s right — not clicks, not conversions, but getting seen. In this post, I’ll explain the question, walk you through the correct answer, show why the other options don’t quite fit, and share a fun visual comparison with a real-life example. Let’s dive in! 🌟

Question

When visibility is the campaign goal, which bidding strategy should an advertiser choose?

  • Enhanced cost-per-click (eCPC)
  • Maximize Conversions
  • Maximize Clicks
  • Target impression share

The correct answer is: ✅ Target Impression Share

When visibility is the campaign goal, which bidding strategy should an advertiser choose?

Why Target Impression Share is Correct?

Target Impression Share is a Smart Bidding strategy in Google Ads that automatically sets bids with the goal of showing your ad at the top of the page or anywhere on the search results page.

You can customize it to aim for:

  • Absolute top of the page
  • Top of the page
  • Anywhere on the results page

This strategy is perfect when your goal is to build awareness, dominate your market space, or just be seen more often, especially in a competitive niche. Great for branding campaigns or new product launches.

Why the Other Options Are Wrong:

  • Enhanced cost-per-click (eCPC): This adjusts your manual bids to get more conversions, not visibility. It’s a mix of manual + automated, but not ideal for awareness goals.
  • Maximize Conversions: This strategy focuses on conversion actions like sales or sign-ups. It doesn’t care how often your ad is shown, only if it converts.
  • Maximize Clicks: This aims to get as many clicks as possible within your budget. While that can boost traffic, it doesn’t guarantee top placement or exposure.
Bar chart comparing Target Impression Share, Maximize Conversions, Maximize Clicks, and Enhanced CPC bidding strategies by visibility and conversion focus.
This chart illustrates how different bidding strategies in Google Ads focus either on ad visibility or conversion optimization.

Visual Chart: Strategy vs. Goal

StrategyBest ForVisibility PriorityConversion Focus
Target Impression ShareVisibility/Branding✅ High❌ Low
Maximize ConversionsSales/Leads❌ Low✅ High
Maximize ClicksTraffic❌ Medium❌ Medium
Enhanced CPCBalanced Conversions❌ Low✅ Medium

Real-Life Example:

Let’s say Lena runs a startup skincare brand and just launched her first product line. She doesn’t expect customers to buy immediately. Her goal is to get seen on skincare blogs, beauty platforms, and Google Search to build trust.

She chooses Target Impression Share, aiming for “top of page” visibility in skincare-related searches. Within 2 weeks:

  • Her ad impressions jumped by 220%
  • Her brand started trending locally
  • Customers began Googling her brand name — even before clicking

That’s the power of visibility-focused bidding.

FAQs:

Q1: Can I use Target Impression Share for Display campaigns?
A: Yes, but it’s mainly effective for Search campaigns. For Display, focus on placements and viewable impressions instead.

Q2: Does Target Impression Share guarantee top results?
A: It tries to meet your goal, but results depend on competition, quality score, and budget.

Q3: Is this good for limited budgets?
A: Not really. If you’re tight on budget, Maximize Clicks or tCPA might be better.

Q4: When should I stop using it?
A: Once you’ve built initial brand visibility, consider switching to conversion-focused bidding to drive ROI.

Conclusion:

If visibility is your #1 goal — like launching a product, building brand awareness, or dominating the top search results — then Target Impression Share is the bidding strategy to go with. It keeps your name in front of your audience until they remember it.

Want to be seen? Start with Target Impression Share and own your ad space.

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.