Google Ads is a powerful way to drive targeted traffic, but hidden settings could be wasting your budget. By default, Google opts advertisers into Search Partners and the Display Network, placements that often generate low-quality traffic and poor conversion rates.
In this guide, we’ll walk you through why you should consider disabling Search Partners and the Display Network and how to do it step by step.
Why You Should Disable Search Partners and the Display Network
1. Lower Quality Traffic
Both Search Partners and the Display Network expand your ad reach beyond Google’s main search results. However, this reach often comes at the cost of quality.
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Search Partners: These are third-party sites that show your search ads, but they often attract lower-intent users. Many advertisers find that conversion rates on Search Partner sites are significantly lower than Google Search.
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Display Network: Your ads can appear across millions of websites, apps, and YouTube videos. While the Display Network can be effective for branding, it is typically not ideal for direct-response campaigns because users aren’t actively searching for your product.
2. Poor Conversion Rates
Since users on these networks are not as engaged as those on Google Search, the conversion rates tend to be much lower. If your goal is to generate leads or sales, these networks might not provide the best return on investment.
3. Wasted Ad Spend
By default, your budget gets spread across Google Search, Search Partners, and the Display Network. If you’re not monitoring performance carefully, you could be spending a large portion of your budget on clicks that don’t convert.
How to Check Performance Before Disabling
Before making any changes, it’s important to analyze performance data to confirm whether these networks are underperforming.
Step 1: Segment Your Data by Network
Go to the Campaigns → Segment.
Select Network (with search partners).
Review the data to compare performance metrics across Google Search, Search Partners, and the Display Network.
Key Metrics to Review:
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Click-through rate (CTR) – Lower CTR could indicate poor relevance.
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Cost per conversion – Higher costs suggest inefficiency.
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Conversion rate – A significant drop in conversions compared to Google Search is a red flag.
If you notice significantly worse performance on Search Partners or Display, it’s time to disable them.
How to Disable Search Partners and the Display Network
Once you’ve determined that these networks are draining your budget, follow these steps to turn them off:
Step 1: Navigate to Your Campaign Settings
Go to the Campaigns → Hover over the campaign you want to edit → Settings (gear icon).
Step 2: Uncheck the Extended Networks
Scroll to Networks → Toggle dropdown.
Uncheck Search Network and Display Network to disable them.
Click Save to apply changes.
Disabling Search Partners and the Display Network helps you control ad spend and attract higher-quality traffic. For lead generation or e-commerce, opting out often improves efficiency and boosts ROI.
