- Definition
- Search partners are websites outside the main search engine where the same search ads can appear, such as partner search results and YouTube search results.
In plain words
An ad bought for Google Search can also show on other sites that work with Google, not only on google.com. Those sites are search partners. Microsoft Advertising has syndicated search partners too.
The ad is the same; the place where people see it is different.
Why it matters for brand and paid search teams
Brand ads from competitors or affiliates can appear on partner sites where the brand never looks. For affiliate and brand protection teams, that is a blind spot; for PPC teams, partner traffic can behave very differently from the main engine.
It also sets the boundary of any monitoring: a tool that checks google.com and bing.com results does not see partner placements.
How it works
Google explains that search partners are included by default in Search campaigns and can be turned off in the campaign's network settings. Ads can appear alongside, above, within or below results, on directory and product detail pages, and in YouTube search results and watch pages. Specific partner sites can be excluded.
Microsoft Advertising lets advertisers show ads on the entire Microsoft Advertising Network, which includes Microsoft sites and partner traffic such as syndicated search partners, or on Microsoft sites and select traffic. Its publisher report shows which partner sites served the ads.
In Google's auction insights, search partners are not broken down into top and other positions.
Example
Northstar's monitoring of Google and Bing shows no ads from the affiliate bootdeals.example on brand searches. A customer then forwards a screenshot of that affiliate's Northstar ad on a partner search site.
Both can be true: the partner placement is outside the results pages Northstar monitors. The affiliate manager raises it with the partner and the network using the customer's evidence.
Fictional brands and domains, for illustration only.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
A Google Search ad only appears on google.com. Search partners are included by default unless the advertiser turns them off.
Monitoring Google and Bing covers every placement. Partner sites are separate placements with their own pages.
Partner traffic performs like the main engine. It can behave differently, which is why both platforms let advertisers opt out or exclude sites.
How to monitor it in Ads Lighthouse
Ads Lighthouse checks the Google and Bing results pages for your monitored searches. It does not monitor Google search partner sites, Microsoft syndicated search partners, YouTube, Gmail, Maps or the Display Network.
If partner placements matter to your program, keep your own dated evidence of them next to the observations from the main engines.
What Ads Lighthouse does cover is the placement most people see first for a brand search: the first results page on Google and Bing, by keyword, location and device, with each ad's text and destination.
Frequently asked questions
Can I stop my ads from showing on search partners?
Yes. Google lets you turn off search partners in campaign settings or exclude sites. Microsoft Advertising lets you choose the ad distribution for each ad group and exclude sites.
Why do partner placements matter for affiliate programs?
A partner's ad can reach brand searches on partner sites that the merchant rarely sees. Program terms usually apply there too.
Official sources
- Google Ads Help: About the Google Search Network
- Microsoft Advertising Help: Ad distribution settings
- Google Ads Help: Use auction insights to compare performance
Sources checked on .