Jump to Content

How ads work on Google Search

We have always believed it’s important for everyone – regardless of income or education – to have access to the best information. Ads help us do that by connecting people with businesses that offer products and services they may be looking for.
Businesses can advertise on eligible, clearly marked ad sections. But, because we only sell ad space, no one can buy better placement in organic Search results.

Google uses ads to keep Search free for all to use, connect people with useful products and support businesses.

Why does Google Search have ads?

How ads support Search

A hobbyist shows off their handiwork while livecasting from their smartphone.

Ads make Search accessible to everyone

Ads are how Search remains accessible to everyone free of charge. Ads are also how you can connect with the products and businesses that you care about.

Ads are only displayed if we believe they’re most relevant to the search terms that you entered. For the majority of searches, we show no ads at all. When we do show ads, they’re always labelled so you can tell them apart from search results.
Two grocery market employees conversing beside shelves of canned goods.

Businesses count on digital ads

Ads on Search empower businesses – large and small – to find customers and even connect with new and existing ones. Businesses, creators, publishers and advertisers count on digital ads to compete, grow and profit online. And they support access to information and content for people worldwide at low or no cost.

Meeting consumers online, where they already spend time, provides an effective and affordable path for businesses to market their offerings. There’s never been a more efficient way for advertisers to reach shoppers en masse than digital advertising.

In 2022, Google Search, Google Play, Google Cloud, YouTube and Google advertising tools helped provide $701 billion of economic activity for millions of American businesses, nonprofits, publishers, creators and developers.

Advertisers, partners or anyone with a financial relationship with Google gains no special advantages or treatment in Search results. They are not given ranking boosts. If they have issues, they must use the same free tools and resources we provide to everyone.

We don’t charge anyone to appear in our search index. Whether a business, individual or organisation buys ads is not a factor in our Search algorithms. We never provide special treatment to advertisers in how our Search algorithms rank their websites, and nobody can pay us to do so.

Learn more about

Maintaining transparency with ads

An illustration depicting two people and a dog labelling ads and pointing to the Ad Transparency Centre
When you use Google Search to navigate the web, ads may appear with your search results. We think it’s important to be transparent about ads, which is why we make it easy to distinguish them from the rest of the results on the page by clearly labelling them. On Search, you can always learn more about who is behind the ads you see, and why you’re seeing them.

The Ads Transparency Centre is a searchable hub of all ads – including ads on Search – that are served from verified advertisers. This one-stop shop was designed with you in mind by ensuring you have easy access to information about the ads you see on Search.

Ads Transparency Centre

Choose the ad experience that’s right for you on Search

A still image from the YouTube video about Google's My Ad Centre.

Your ads, your choice

My Ad Centre makes it easy for you to understand and control how your information is used to personalise ads on Search and YouTube. You’ll never have to spend time searching for the right control or decoding how your information is used. Instead, you can manage your ad preferences without interrupting what you’re doing online.

There may be certain ad topics that you don’t want to engage with at all. With My Ad Centre, you can choose to limit ads related to topics such as alcohol, dating, weight loss, gambling, pregnancy and parenting.

You can also turn off ad personalisation completely. You’ll still see ads, but you may find them less relevant or useful.

My Ad Centre

Ads that respect your privacy

Illustration of various ads on Search protected by a big blue shield.
Protecting your privacy and securing your data is core to Google’s work. That’s why all Google products are continuously protected by one of the world’s most advanced security infrastructures. This built-in security helps detect and prevent evolving online threats, including scams and attempts to obtain personal information through fraudulent ads, to help keep your information safe.

Additionally, to help keep you safe, we verify advertisers globally and work to detect bad actors and limit their attempts to misrepresent themselves.

Safety Centre

Here’s how Google’s privacy principles apply to ads on Search

  • We never sell your personal information to anyone

  • We are transparent about what data we collect and why

  • We make it easy for you to control your personal information

  • We reduce the data we use to further protect your privacy

  • We protect you by building products that are secure by default

  • We build advanced privacy technologies and share them with others

Discover more