Searchinggoogle.com · Google app
GGoogle
They type their need in their own words. This is when intent is at its clearest: your ad answers a question they have just asked.
246,000searches a month for “electric bike”, in the UK
Searches a month in your industry, in the UK
“electric bike”246,000
“women's clothing”49,500
“video games”27,100
Source: Google Keyword Planner, searches in the United Kingdom, in English, monthly average from September 2025 to August 2026, estimated and rounded by Google, pulled on 1 October 2026.
Where Your Ad Appears
- Google Search results
- Google Images
- Google Maps and the Maps app
Source: Google Ads Help, where Search ads can appear, read on 16 October 2026.
Searchinggoogle.com · Shopping tab
SGoogle ShoppingComparing Products
They know what they want and compare before clicking. Your product shows with its image and details, pulled from the feed you send to Merchant Center.
4placements for a Shopping campaign: the Shopping tab, Google Search, Google Images and partner websites, if your campaign includes them In Your Industry
For retail, Google puts Shopping first: your products go through a Merchant Center feed, and the more specific that feed, the better your ads match the interests of the people searching.
Source: Google Ads Help, how Google Ads can work for your industry, read on 16 October 2026.
Where Your Ad Appears
- Shopping tab
- Google Search, next to search results
- Google Images
- Google Search Partner websites
Source: Google Ads Help, about Shopping ads, read on 16 October 2026.
Watchingyoutube.com · YouTube app
YYouTube
They watch a video they chose. Your ad plays before or during that video, or shows up in their suggestions: your brand gets known before the need is put into words.
6 sthe bumper format: a short message your audience sees in full
Where Your Ad Appears
- Before or during a video (in-stream)
- Home feed, search and suggestions (in-feed)
- YouTube Shorts
- 6-second bumper
Source: Google Ads Help, video ad formats, read on 16 October 2026.
DiscoveringGoogle app · Discover feed
DDiscover
They browse the feed of articles and videos the Google app suggests. Your ad slips in as one card among the others: they discover your offer before they even look for it.
3 feedsa single Demand Gen campaign places your ad in Discover, in Gmail and in YouTube’s feeds Where Your Ad Appears
- Discover feed
- Gmail inbox
- YouTube home and “What to watch next”
Source: Google Ads Help, campaign types, read on 16 October 2026.
Discoveringgmail.com · Gmail app
MGmailReading Emails
They open their inbox. Your ad shows among their messages, with your brand as the sender and your offer as the subject.
4Google Ads campaign types can place your ad in Gmail: Display, Shopping, Demand Gen and Performance Max Where Your Ad Appears
Source: Google Ads Help, campaign types, read on 16 October 2026.
Discoveringmillions of websites and apps
WWebsites and appsReading An Article
They read an article or use an app. Your banner shows next to the content: your brand stays top of mind, and people who already visited your site see you again.
Millionsof websites and apps where a Display campaign can show your ad, on top of YouTube Where Your Ad Appears
- Websites
- Mobile apps
- YouTube
Source: Google Ads Help, create a Display campaign, read on 16 October 2026.
Scrollingfacebook.com · Facebook app
FFacebookCatching Up
They catch up with friends, groups and their local area. Your ad slots into that feed, or into Marketplace when they look for something nearby.
24.5 to 28.9 millionpeople aged 18 and over in the UK on Facebook that Meta links to the interest “Online shopping (retail)”out of 35.2 to 41.5 million reachable in the UK on Facebook
The same targeting, platform by platform
Instagram15.2 to 17.9 million
Facebook24.5 to 28.9 million
Source: Meta, audience size estimate from the Marketing API, one platform at a time (reach optimisation), aged 18 and over, United Kingdom, pulled on 16 October 2026. A Meta estimate, best read as an order of magnitude.
In Your Industry
For every 10 people on Instagram, Meta counts 16 on Facebook for this targeting, against 11 across the whole UK audience. The people Meta links to your industry lean more towards Facebook than the country as a whole.
Source: calculated from the two Meta estimates above, using the middle of each range, pulled on 16 October 2026.
Where Your Ad Appears
- Feed
- Stories
- Marketplace
- Video feed
- Search results
Source: Meta, Marketing API, placement targeting, read on 16 October 2026.
Scrollinginstagram.com · Instagram app
IInstagram
They scroll their feed, stories and reels to unwind. The image takes the first step: your offer gets discovered here, and people who already visited your site find you again.
15.2 to 17.9 millionpeople aged 18 and over in the UK on Instagram that Meta links to the interest “Online shopping (retail)”out of 31.1 to 36.6 million reachable in the UK on Instagram
The same targeting, platform by platform
Instagram15.2 to 17.9 million
Facebook24.5 to 28.9 million
Source: Meta, audience size estimate from the Marketing API, one platform at a time (reach optimisation), aged 18 and over, United Kingdom, pulled on 16 October 2026. A Meta estimate, best read as an order of magnitude.
Where Your Ad Appears
- Feed
- Stories
- Reels
- Explore
- Search results
Source: Meta, Marketing API, placement targeting, read on 16 October 2026.
Askingchatgpt.com · ChatGPT app
CChatGPT
They ask their question and read a full answer. The ad appears below that answer when the topic of the conversation matches what you offer: the need is already detailed, constraints included.
31European countries in the expansion announced by OpenAI, France and Spain included
Where Your Ad Appears
- Below the answer, in the conversation
Source: OpenAI, ad platform documentation, conversation context targeting, Expansion and eligibility pulled on 1 September 2026, targeting read again on 16 October 2026.
