Conversational Advertising vs Search Advertising

How they differ

Search ads compete for clicks on a results page. The user types a query and sees multiple ads. The best ad is often the one with the highest bid and the most relevant keyword.

Conversational ads appear within a dialogue. The user is already engaged in a conversation about a topic. The best ad is the one that feels most relevant to the conversation context.

• Search: intent signaled through keywords
• Conversational: context signaled through dialogue
• Search: multiple ads compete on a page
• Conversational: ads should feel native to the conversation
• Search: click-through rate is the primary metric
• Conversational: relevance and recognition matter more

What this means for creative

Conversational ads need to be more specific and more relevant than search ads. Generic copy that works in search ("Get started today") feels interruptive in a conversation.

The creative should start with the customer situation and produce recognition. The user should feel "this understands my situation."