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Running Search, Display, and YouTube ads in isolation is like having three salespeople who never speak to each other. One grabs attention, one keeps you in mind, and one closes deals, but if they’re not working from the same playbook, you’ll lose leads before they’re ready to buy.
You’ve probably run ads before… maybe a Search campaign that brought in some clicks, a Display ad that followed people around the internet, or a YouTube video ad that got views but no conversions. And yet, despite trying each channel, you’ve never quite managed to get them working together like a well-oiled sales machine.
When you integrate them into a single full-funnel strategy, your ads stop working in silos and start pulling in the same direction. The result? More leads, more conversions, and less wasted spend.
In this article, you’ll learn exactly how to combine Search, Display, and YouTube ads into a single campaign framework that takes people from “never heard of you” to “where do I sign?”
Search vs Display vs YouTube
Think of your marketing funnel like a relay race. YouTube starts the race by grabbing attention. Display ads keep pace by reminding people you exist. Search ads take the baton at the final stretch and close the deal.
When these channels aren’t connected, it’s like your runners are all on different tracks.
- Your YouTube ads might get lots of views, but no one moves to the next step.
- Your Display ads might be following people who have no interest in your offer.
- And your Search ads might only capture a small slice of potential buyers because no one else warmed them up beforehand.
The cost? You end up paying more per lead, conversions are inconsistent, and your brand message gets diluted.
Worse, potential customers fall out of your funnel because there’s no coordinated journey guiding them from awareness to action.
When you integrate all three channels, the baton passes smoothly. YouTube builds awareness, Display nurtures interest, and Search capitalises on intent, all while speaking the same language, sharing the same audience data, and moving people step-by-step toward buying.
The Full Funnel Framework
At its core, a successful campaign mirrors your customer’s journey, from first hearing about your brand to taking action.
There are many models we can use to define the buying journey, however, the simplest and easiest to use is the Awareness → Consideration → Conversion model.
- Awareness (Top of Funnel): This is where you introduce yourself to people who don’t yet know you. Think broad-reach tactics like YouTube ads, social media, and blog content.
- Consideration (Mid Funnel): Here, people already know you exist. They’re evaluating whether you solve their problem. Display ads with case studies, whitepapers, or retargeted content are powerful here.
- Conversion (Bottom of Funnel): The decisive moment. Search ads targeting high‑intent keywords, free trials, and clear call‑to‑action messaging seal the deal.
Now, there’s also a caveat: although Search Ads are suited to the bottom of the funnel, they can also work at the top of the funnel, to drive traffic from relevant users in the buying journey, which allows you to then retarget with other channels like YouTube, Display, and Meta.
The point… there’s no one way to do things. But when you visualise the buying journey as a set of stages, you can start to plot your campaigns (and the different channels you’re using) on each separate stage. This helps you build out a full funnel system that attracts attention, drives value and ultimately attracts high quality leads.
The New Google Ads Quality Score in 2025
Role of YouTube, Search and Display Ads
Each ad format has a natural “sweet spot” in the funnel; play to that strength, and they complement each other beautifully.
Below is just an example of how you might achieve this:
YouTube for Awareness (Top of Funnel)
YouTube is your storyteller. It puts you in front of people who don’t yet know you exist but fit your ideal customer profile. With video, you can make an emotional connection fast, showing, not just telling, why you matter.
- Best for: Brand awareness, storytelling, product launches.
- Pro tip: Use skippable in-stream ads to get reach, but hook viewers in the first five seconds so they stay.
Display for Consideration (Mid Funnel)
Display ads are your gentle nudges. They reappear across the web to remind people of your offer, share value, and keep you in their mind during research.
- Best for: Retargeting visitors, promoting gated content, showcasing benefits.
- Pro tip: Use dynamic creative to show products or services people already viewed on your site.
Search for Conversion (Bottom of Funnel)
Search ads are your closer. They capture people actively looking for a solution — often with high purchase intent.
- Best for: Capturing ready-to-buy leads, direct response offers, time-sensitive promotions.
- Pro tip: Target high-intent keywords and align ad copy directly to landing page content for maximum conversions.
When each channel stays in its lane but feeds into the next, you create a marketing “assembly line” that turns strangers into loyal customers without wasted spend.
How to Lower Google Ads Costs
The Key is to Focus on Strategy First, Not Tactics
It’s easy to get bogged down in the weeds.
“Let’s tweak this budget in Google… launch a YouTube ad… and maybe throw in a Display campaign since we’ve got a bit left over.”
But tactics without strategy are just noise.
Take a step back, and look at the full funnel picture. Which channels would best complement each stage of the buyer journey for your audience?
Answer that and focus your energy there, and you’ll stop scattering spend and start building a system that actually delivers results.
3 Ways to Improve Your Google Ads
