Many advertisers pit streaming advertising and paid search against each other: where should the next budget go, into Google Ads or into streaming? That question is misleading. The two don't compete, they complement each other. Google Ads captures demand that already exists. Streaming advertising creates the demand that Google Ads then harvests.
Once you understand that, you stop weighing one against the other and start thinking of them together. This article shows why that is, and how the two channels together achieve more than either does alone.
What Google Ads can do, and what it can't
Paid search is powerful, but it has a built-in limit. Google Ads reaches people who are actively searching. Anyone googling your product is already almost a customer, you just need to be there. For the bottom of the funnel, right before the purchase decision, it's unbeatable.
The catch: Google Ads can only capture what's already there. It exclusively reaches people who already know they're searching. Anyone who doesn't know your product yet, and therefore isn't searching for it, never shows up in your search ads. Google Ads harvests demand, but it doesn't plant it. And when more competitors bid on the same search terms, click prices rise without any more demand being created. You pay more for the same limited pool of searchers.
What streaming advertising does differently
This is exactly where streaming advertising comes in, at the other end. It reaches people before they search. Your spot runs on the big screen in the living room, full screen, with sound, at a moment when no search query exists yet. You build brand awareness, spark interest, and create demand in the first place. How relevant this channel has already become for media consumption in Germany is shown in the overview of streaming in Germany.
On top of that comes precision. Unlike classic TV advertising, streaming can be targeted precisely, by region, age, and interests. So you don't plant your demand at random, but exactly in the group your customers will later come from. How high-quality this contact is compared to a quick online impression is shown in the overview of the premium quality of streaming advertising.
How the two work together
The real effect emerges from the interplay. Anyone who has seen your spot while streaming knows your brand. And some of these people then take action: they google your name or your product. That's exactly the moment your paid search kicks in, except now the demand originates from your streaming campaign.
Advertising research shows this effect is real. According to the Interactive Advertising Bureau (IAB), 51% of heavy CTV viewers search online after seeing something on TV. Streaming fills the funnel, paid search empties it. And because people who already know your brand are more likely to click your search ad, your Google Ads budget often works more efficiently with streaming behind it. You can even see this effect in your own tools, for example when searches for your brand name rise during a streaming campaign.
Which channel, when?
The practical consequence is simple. As long as you only run paid search, you're operating within a fixed pool: the people who are already searching anyway. Eventually that pool is exhausted, and more budget mainly brings higher click prices, not more customers.
Streaming advertising grows the pool, because it creates new demand. The smartest split, then, isn't either-or, it's both: paid search to capture existing demand, and streaming to build new demand. Anyone who wants to grow can't avoid the demand-creating side.
Getting started
The good news is that the entry point into streaming is low. Via onescreen, campaigns start from EUR 1,000, you book yourself through the Ad Manager and control audience and budget to your own specifications, much like you're used to from Google Ads. If you're missing a spot, onescreen supports creative production with the help of AI, noticeably faster and more cost-efficient than classic production, built from existing materials like images and logos.
Want to see how streaming advertising complements your search campaigns? Book a demo, and we'll show you the possibilities in 30 minutes. Or get started directly in the Ad Manager.
Conclusion
Streaming advertising and Google Ads aren't opposites, they're two halves of the same funnel. Google Ads captures those who are already searching. Streaming creates the demand these searches arise from in the first place. Anyone who combines both doesn't just capture existing demand, they continuously build new demand too, making their search campaigns more effective in the process.
FAQ
Does streaming advertising replace Google Ads? No. The two complement each other. Google Ads captures existing demand, meaning people who are already searching for your product. Streaming advertising creates new demand among people who don't know you yet. They work best together.
Why isn't paid search enough on its own? Because Google Ads only reaches people who are actively searching. If someone doesn't know your product, they won't search for it and will never show up in your ads. As competition for your search terms rises, you pay more for the same limited pool. Streaming grows that pool.
Does streaming advertising improve my Google Ads results? Often, yes. People who have seen your brand while streaming are more likely to search for you specifically and click your search ad. According to the IAB, 51% of heavy CTV viewers search online after seeing something on TV. You can see rising brand searches during a campaign in your own tools.
What should I start with if I already run Google Ads? A small streaming campaign alongside your existing search ads. That builds demand at the top of the funnel, which your search campaigns then capture at the bottom. Via onescreen, entry is possible from EUR 1,000.
Can I control streaming advertising myself, like Google Ads? Yes. Through the onescreen Ad Manager, you book yourself and control audience, region, and budget to your own specifications, without an agency, similar to what you're used to from Google Ads.