Growth Playbooks · 14 min read
Every type of digital ad in 2026 — Meta, Google, LinkedIn, Snap, Amazon and beyond.
Most brands think "running ads" means one Google campaign and a boosted Instagram post. In reality, there are 60+ paid formats across 15+ platforms, each with a specific job in the funnel. This is the full field guide — the format, when to use it, and a ballpark of what it costs.
Platform 01
Google Ads
Buying attention at the exact moment of intent.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Search Ads | High-intent buyer queries — 'CRM for real estate Durg'. | CPC ₹8–₹90 depending on category |
| Performance Max (PMax) | E-commerce & lead-gen with clean feeds and conversion tracking. | tROAS or tCPA driven |
| Shopping Ads | D2C, retail, marketplaces with a Merchant Center feed. | CPC ₹3–₹40 |
| Display / GDN | Retargeting site visitors, cheap reach across 2M+ sites. | CPM ₹40–₹200 |
| YouTube Video (TrueView, Bumpers, Shorts) | Awareness, product demo, launch pushes. | CPV ₹0.20–₹1.20 |
| Demand Gen | Discovery + YouTube + Gmail feed, mid-funnel storytelling. | CPM ₹80–₹300 |
| Universal App Campaigns (UAC) | App installs at target CPI across Google surfaces. | CPI ₹18–₹180 |
Platform 02
Meta (Facebook, Instagram, Threads, WhatsApp)
The interest graph, the visual feed, the DM inbox.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Feed & Reels Ads (Advantage+) | D2C, lifestyle, coaching, real-estate discovery. | CPM ₹120–₹450 |
| Stories Ads | Full-screen brand moments and swipe-up traffic. | CPM ₹110–₹320 |
| Click-to-WhatsApp Ads | Lead-gen for services, real estate, education, healthcare in India. | CPL ₹35–₹250 |
| Messenger & Instagram DM Ads | Conversational commerce for D2C and services. | CPL ₹40–₹300 |
| Catalog / Collection Ads | E-commerce with a product catalog and pixel. | ROAS 2×–8× typical |
| Advantage+ Shopping Campaigns | Meta's automated e-com engine — hands-off scaling. | tROAS driven |
| Lead Form Ads | B2B, education, insurance — leads without leaving Meta. | CPL ₹45–₹400 |
Platform 03
LinkedIn Ads
The only place to reliably target job titles at scale.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Content (Single Image, Video, Carousel, Document) | B2B thought leadership and demand gen. | CPC ₹80–₹450 |
| Message & Conversation Ads | Direct outreach to specific job titles at high-value accounts. | Cost per send ₹20–₹80 |
| Lead Gen Forms | B2B demo requests, whitepaper downloads. | CPL ₹600–₹4,500 |
| Text & Dynamic Ads | Cheap awareness placements in the LinkedIn sidebar. | CPM ₹150–₹500 |
| CTV / LinkedIn Audience Network | Extending B2B reach beyond the feed. | CPM ₹200–₹700 |
Platform 04
Amazon Ads
Where 60%+ of Indian product searches now start.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Products | Winning search on your own listings and competitor pages. | ACoS 8–25% typical |
| Sponsored Brands | Brand awareness at top of category searches. | CPC ₹4–₹60 |
| Sponsored Display | Retargeting shoppers on and off Amazon. | CPM ₹60–₹300 |
| Amazon DSP | Programmatic display / video against Amazon's 1st-party purchase data. | CPM ₹250–₹900 |
| Amazon Video Ads (Fire TV, miniTV) | Streaming inventory tied to purchase intent. | CPM ₹300–₹1,200 |
Platform 05
Snapchat Ads
Young India — Gen Z reach at low CPMs.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Snap Ads (Single, Video) | Awareness + install for Gen Z brands. | CPM ₹40–₹180 |
| AR Lenses & Filters | Beauty, fashion, entertainment try-ons. | Custom build cost + media |
| Collection & Dynamic Product Ads | D2C product discovery with catalog. | ROAS 1.5×–5× |
Platform 06
TikTok Ads
For non-India markets — highest engagement rates in short video.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| In-Feed / Spark Ads | Boosting creator content to look native. | CPM $2–$10 |
| TopView & Brand Takeover | Massive launch-day reach. | $50k+ deals |
| Branded Hashtag Challenges | UGC-driven awareness campaigns. | Custom |
Platform 07
Pinterest Ads
Purchase-intent discovery — wedding, home, fashion, food.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Standard, Video, Carousel & Shopping Pins | Interior, apparel, weddings, recipes. | CPC ₹6–₹40 |
| Idea Ads | Multi-page discovery for brand storytelling. | CPM ₹70–₹250 |
Platform 08
X (Twitter) Ads
News-cycle relevance and tech/B2B micro-audiences.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Promoted Posts & Video | Real-time campaigns tied to trends. | CPM ₹120–₹400 |
| Takeovers (Trend, Timeline) | Launch-day dominance. | Custom high-ticket |
Platform 09
Reddit Ads
Community targeting — SaaS, crypto, gaming, hobbyist niches.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Promoted Posts (Feed, Conversation, Video) | Reaching subreddit communities with native tone. | CPC ₹15–₹90 |
Platform 10
Quora Ads
Buyer research phase — long-tail question intent.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Text / Image / Promoted Answers | B2B and considered purchases. | CPC ₹8–₹80 |
Platform 11
Flipkart, Meesho & Nykaa Ads
India-specific marketplaces — where category buyers actually shop.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| PLA / Product Listing Ads | Winning search inside the marketplace. | ACoS 6–20% |
| Brand Ads / Banners | Category-page share of voice. | Custom media buys |
Platform 12
Programmatic DSPs (DV360, The Trade Desk)
The open web — everything not owned by Meta, Google or Amazon.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Display, Video, Audio, Native, DOOH | Enterprise media planning against 3rd-party data. | CPM ₹150–₹1,500 |
Platform 13
CTV / OTT (Hotstar, JioCinema, Prime, Sony LIV)
The new prime time — TV audiences bought like digital.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-roll & Mid-roll Video | Mass awareness for FMCG, auto, telecom. | CPM ₹250–₹1,200 |
Platform 14
Native Ads (Taboola, Outbrain, MGID)
Content discovery placements on news and publisher sites.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsored Recommendations | Long-form content distribution, lead-gen articles. | CPC ₹1.5–₹15 |
Platform 15
Affiliate & Influencer Ads
Paying creators or publishers on flat fee or performance.
| Format | Best for | Ballpark cost |
|---|---|---|
| Creator Partnerships (Meta / YouTube / Insta / LinkedIn) | D2C, coaching, lifestyle, B2B thought leadership. | ₹5k–₹25L per post depending on tier |
| Affiliate Networks (Cuelinks, EarnKaro, Impact) | Performance-only distribution. | 8–25% commission |
So which ads should you actually run?
A rule of thumb we use on every audit: pick one intent channel (Google Search or Amazon Sponsored Products), one demand-generation channel (Meta Advantage+ or YouTube), and one conversational channel (Click-to-WhatsApp or LinkedIn Message Ads). Master those three before adding a fourth. Every additional platform doubles the operational load without proportionally increasing ROAS — until you have real people dedicated to it.
Want a real ad plan for your brand?
We'll pick the three platforms that will make you money next quarter.
No twelve-platform bloat, no vanity impressions. A written plan with budgets, formats, creative direction and the KPI we'll hold ourselves to.