Google Shopping Vs. Google Search Campaigns (for the Parts Department)

Google offers a variety of marketing services, so it’s easy to get lost in the options. You have Google Ads, Google Shopping, display campaigns, and search campaigns. So, where do you start?

A lot of people confuse Google Shopping campaigns with Google Search campaigns. Most sellers also don’t know how to succeed at each one, because the same strategy won’t work for both.

Each option offers a unique advantage to your parts website, so it pays to know the difference and how to apply each one.

Marketing With Google

You have two options when it comes to Pay Per Click (PPC) advertising through your Google Ads account: Search campaigns and Shopping campaigns.

(PPC means you only pay for an advertisement when a customer actually clicks on it—in other words, you only pay if it works!)

Google isn’t the only search engine to offer PPC advertising, but since Google embeds your advertisement into their search engine results, you usually get better returns.

There’s no minimum budget for these campaigns, either. You can invest as much or as little as you want each month. When someone clicks on your ad, the cost will automatically be pulled from the budget you’ve set.

Plus, each tool comes with in-depth tracking reports, so you can see just how well your campaigns are doing. It makes it easy to test out multiple ads to see which ones perform best, so in the future, you can really focus on what works best for your parts site.

Shopping Campaigns and Search Campaigns: What’s the Difference?

A lot of people get these two campaign types mixed up. At the most basic level, Google Search campaigns rely on keywords and text, whereas Google Shopping campaigns focus on products and images.

Google Search Campaign

What it is:

This is a text-based ad. Your ad shows up depending on the keywords you bid on.

Keywords are basically just common search terms that someone using Google is likely to type into the search bar. (Helpful hint: Google has a free Keyword Planner tool to help you find the best keywords!)

Each ad is set up individually, and you can turn them on or off at any time. You can also make changes to these ads in order to reflect any promotions or sales you have going on.

Example:

If a shopper searches for “Nissan brake pads” in Google’s search engine and that’s a keyword you’ve bid on, then your text-based ad has a good chance of appearing. Google marks the advertisement with colorful text reading “Ad” so that searchers know it’s a sponsored result.

How to succeed:

In order to get the best conversion rate, Google Ads campaigns rely on testing different strategies. Based on the results of your search campaign, switching up search terms and phrases will help you grab more sales.

Think about what your customers might be interested in. Free shipping? A discount? Fast service? Try including phrases like this in your advertisement to gain more clicks.

You can also choose a regional target for your ads. To promote a local parts store or dealership, you can select these ads to only appear for people within a certain geographic distance.

Similarly, you can choose to have your ads appear to people across the country if you’re selling nationally. Make sure to target the people who are most likely to make a purchase.

For more information, check out Google’s short introduction video to Google Ads and how to get started.

Google Shopping Campaign

What it is:

This is an image-based ad. It shows a picture of your product along with key information (like product name, listed price, special offers, and reviews). Instead of keywords, you bid on products to get them to show up on a search results page. Clicking on the ad will immediately take the customer to your parts store product page.

Unlike Google Search campaigns, you’ll need to keep an updated data or shopping feed in the Merchant Center. The shopping feed also includes helpful information like whether or not a product is in stock. Since it is an image-based type of advertisement, you must have product images.

Google Shopping campaign ads are incredibly effective because images catch the eye of a potential customer. According to a Google Shopping study by CPC Strategy, the average merchant cost on Google Shopping campaigns was $11.30 in spend for every $100.00 in sales.

Example:

When a customer searches for “Toyota floor mats,” a grid of images will show in the results. Each image lists the product name, price, and seller, along with other information you choose to include. Your badge will also appear if your store is a Google Trusted Store too.

How to succeed:

Google Shopping campaigns can be a bit complicated, so there are a few common Google Shopping mistakes that new dealers tend to make.

Since Google Shopping campaigns are centered around your product feed, making this information accurate and up-to-date is absolutely essential.

Your product feed needs proper labels that match exactly what you’ve registered in Merchant Center. You must also enable “automatic item updates” so your product feed always has accurate information.

If there are too many discrepancies in the prices and availability between your parts store and Google, your account can be suspended or disapproved.

You don’t have to upload a product feed with your entire inventory. While it’s usually a good thing to list as many products as possible, sometimes it’s an even better idea to exclude certain items.

Bottom Line

The level of complexity is entirely up to you for both Google Search and Google Shopping campaigns. Each campaign type lets you set specific targeting tactics. Setting up these details will make your ad campaigns more successful, but it also takes more time and know-how.

If you’re new to Google Ads, don’t feel like you need to take it that far. Start simple and experiment until you grow more comfortable with the Google Ads software. It helps to keep an eye on your analytics tools and regularly update your strategies.

Consider Your Marketing Options

Many dealers are too busy focusing on selling parts as part of their eCommerce strategy that they forget to focus on the marketing aspects of an effective eCommerce strategy. Luckily, there are options.

If you are partnered with RevolutionParts, you have the opportunity to work with one of the best parts marketing agencies in the industry. However, if you are marketing on your own or have an internal dealership marketing team, you can download our free Parts eCommerce Marketing Toolkit to get started. Here’s what you’ll get in the toolkit:

Tips and strategies for promoting part sales
Ways to engage shoppers and boost customer loyalty
A marketing plan checklist
Resources for managing marketing efforts

banner to download the marketing made easy guide for parts department web stores

And it's not hard to see how that happens.

A special order nobody picks up. A repair that gets canceled. A part that used to sell but hasn't moved in months. Suddenly, you've got money sitting on a shelf, and your manufacturer isn't necessarily taking it back.

Just because nobody in your area needs that part doesn't mean nobody needs it.

AAPEX reports a record 12.94-year vehicle age. That's a lot of replacement parts

According to AAPEX, the average vehicle on the road is now 12.94 years old, and nearly 30% of vehicles are at least 16 years old.

For Parts Departments, that's good news. Older vehicles need more repairs and replacement parts, which means more potential parts sales. It's one reason the automotive aftermarket keeps growing.

Here’s the catch: Plenty of those vehicles aren't showing up in your service drive anymore. Their owners are going to independent shops, fixing things themselves, or shopping online for parts.

That business hasn't disappeared. It's just going somewhere else. Somebody's still selling those customers brakes, sensors, belts, and everything else that wears out. Why not your department?

Independent shops are winning more service business. They still need parts.

An April study from Cox Automotive found that dealership service and parts revenue has grown 33% since 2018, but dealerships' share of service visits dropped from 33% to 29%.

Meanwhile, the number of independent auto repair businesses grew 12%, reaching nearly 299,000.

Dealer fixed ops revenue +33% Since 2018

Dealer share of service visits 33% 29% 2018 to study period

Independent auto repair businesses Nearly 299,000 Up 12% since 2018

For your service department, that's not great news. For your parts department? That's a whole lot of potential wholesale customers.

Those shops have plenty of suppliers to choose from. Competitive pricing, accurate availability, and reliable delivery are what keep them coming back. Nobody wants to chase down a parts order when they've got a car sitting on a lift.

ACA's aftermarket forecast shows there's more parts business to win

According to the Auto Care Association and MEMA, the U.S. light-duty automotive aftermarket was projected to grow 5.2% in 2026.

And a whole lot of that business is happening online. The Auto Care Association projected approximately $44.6 billion in online aftermarket parts sales in 2025, including third-party marketplaces, with continued growth expected through 2030.

5.2% in 2026

$44.6B in online aftermarket parts sales in 2025

Online aftermarket parts sales (billions)

$32.2B

$37.8B

$44.6B

Continued Growth

2023202420252030

That's billions in parts business happening beyond the traditional parts counter.

Your department already has access to genuine OEM parts, supplier relationships, and the expertise to help customers find what they need. The question is whether you're reaching the people shopping for those parts.

A 2026 shopping report shows how parts customers are changing

According to Mintel's 2026 automotive shopping report, nearly half of recent automotive-product buyers have purchased online and would do it again.

And they're not just browsing. They expect accurate fitment, competitive pricing, clear availability, and reliable delivery.

Sound familiar? That's what a good Parts Department already does. The difference is that customers increasingly expect to get it without walking through your doors.

Your dealership has the OEM parts and expertise they're looking for. But if they can't find you online, they're probably buying from someone else.

The biggest story of 2026: There's more parts business out there, but you have to go after it.

Older vehicles, a growing aftermarket, more online shoppers. The demand for parts isn't slowing down.

You already know how to sell parts. The opportunity in 2027 is reaching more customers, keeping more orders, and putting more gross profit on the books.

And you don't have to reinvent your department to do it.

Want to see what's possible? Read how dealerships of all sizes are building profitable online parts operations, and what they've learned along the way.

5 Different Parts Departments. 5 Online Success Stories

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