When you create a Search campaign in Google Ads, search partners are included by default. The same Networks section has a second box that adds the Google Display Network to the campaign. If the campaign exists to catch people searching on Google, open Networks before you publish and decide on both boxes on purpose. For intent campaigns, we untick both.
The setting is also changing. From October 15, 2026, Google is rolling out channel prioritization, which lets you keep search partners or the Display Network at Low priority with a budget cap instead of a plain on or off. From February 2027, Search campaigns using Display Expansion move to that model automatically.
Three accounts, the same two boxes
On three separate mentoring calls we opened a Search campaign's settings and found both networks switched on: a skincare store running Search alongside Performance Max, a B2B software team trying to get sign-ups in the US, and a university marketing team that had just launched its first Search campaigns. Each time our advice was the same. Untick both and keep the budget on Google Search.
Our reason is that you can't see or judge what you're paying for. Google says Google Ads doesn't report which website a Search ad showed on in the Search Network, unless the campaign is Performance Max. It also notes that clicks from partner sites that display products for sale may not always be highly targeted traffic, and that partner clickthrough rate doesn't affect your Quality Score on Google.
What each box does
- Include Google search partners. Non-Google sites in the Search Network, plus YouTube search results and Watch pages. Ads can appear in result lists, site directories and product detail pages, and you pay per click, as on Google Search.
- Include Google Display Network. This is Display Expansion. It reuses your Search campaign's bidding and targeting where possible to show ads on Display Network sites and apps, with ads created automatically from your Search ads. Until now it spent unspent Search budget, with a 50% budget allocation applied in the backend.
Google's case for the Display box is that campaigns with spare Search budget can deliver up to 15% more conversions at a similar cost per conversion. If you want to test that, test it on purpose, as its own decision, not as a setting nobody looked at.
What channel prioritization changes
In a Search campaign, Google Search, search partners and the Display Network can each be set to High or Low priority, at account, shared budget or campaign level. All channels start at High. Low priority channels get budget only after the High ones, and you can give a Low channel a daily budget allocation percentage. Google calls that a best-effort limit, not a guarantee, and says a 0% allocation means it won't spend on that channel.
Two details matter. When a Target CPA or Target ROAS campaign isn't limited by budget, priority levels generally don't change where spend goes, though an allocation still applies. And from February 2027, Search campaigns with Display Expansion migrate automatically. To keep today's setup, Google suggests the Display Network at Low priority with a 50% allocation, and it will stop serving the Display Network on Search campaigns that use Target Impression Share.
Our default doesn't change: an intent campaign stays on Google Search. If you do want to try partners or Display, a Low priority setting with a small allocation is a more controlled test than ticking the box and hoping. For how this sits next to Performance Max, see Performance Max is leaking your budget into mobile apps.
The takeaways
- New Search campaigns include search partners by default. Untick them in Networks if the campaign is for Google searchers.
- The Display Network box turns on Display Expansion, which reuses your Search settings on display sites and apps.
- Outside Performance Max, Google Ads doesn't show which partner site a Search ad appeared on.
- From October 15, 2026, channel prioritization adds High and Low priority, with a best-effort budget allocation for Low channels.
- From February 2027, Display Expansion moves to that model automatically. Check the setting before then.
Common questions
Are search partners on by default in Google Ads?
Yes. Google says that when you create a campaign for the Search Network, search partners are included by default. You can opt out at any time in the campaign's settings under Networks by unchecking Include Google search partners.
How do I show my Search ads only on Google Search?
Open the campaign's settings, expand Networks, and make sure only the Google Search Network checkbox is selected. That means unchecking Include Google search partners and leaving the Google Display Network unselected, then saving.
Can I see which search partner sites my ads appeared on?
Not in a Search campaign. Google says Google Ads doesn't provide information detailing the website where your ad was shown on the Search Network, unless you are running a Performance Max campaign. You can still exclude specific partner sites or placements with site exclusions.
What is channel prioritization in Google Ads?
A control rolling out from October 15, 2026 that lets you set channels to High or Low priority. In Search campaigns the channels are Google Search, search partners and the Google Display Network, and all are High by default. Low priority channels get budget after High ones, and you can give them an optional daily budget allocation percentage, which works on a best-effort basis. A 0% allocation means Google won't spend on that channel.
What happens to Display Expansion in February 2027?
Google says that from February 2027, Search campaigns with Display Expansion will move to channel prioritization automatically and the current spend allocation setup will go away. To keep today's behavior, Google suggests setting the Display Network to Low priority with a 50% daily budget allocation. The Display Network will also stop serving on Search campaigns that use Target Impression Share.