Image extension in Google Ads

It’s no secret that Google Ads text ad extensions improve CTR and ad quality. In this article, we will look at the image extension, which in my opinion will be the next “must-have” in text ads right after the site link extension.

What is the text ad image extension?

The text ad image extension is nothing more than a square or rectangular image that will appear next to our ads in the search engine. This will make our ads more visible and interesting for you. In addition, like any extension of text ads, it will affect the quality of our ads and their visibility. Clicks are charged in the same way as for site link extensions, for example. After clicking on the image, we pay for the click and the user goes to the page to which the text ad is directed.

Why is it worth using them?

Image extension is another text ad extension that will definitely have an impact on your CTR (click-through rate). The image next to the text ad will definitely distinguish it from the competition and attract attention. At least until everyone starts using it. Text ads with graphics have never appeared in the Google search engine and as long as users do not get used to it, this extension will surely draw attention to our ads.

In addition, it will be another opportunity to show what exactly we advertise. It very often happens that in a given industry there are very expensive and very cheap products under the same keywords. When selling very expensive ones, we have to be careful about clicking our ads on people looking for cheaper solutions. I think this enlargement if done right can help us fight it.

However, it is worth remembering the appropriate structure of the Google Ads campaign. Thanks to this, we will be able to better match the image to a given advertisement.

However, it will not be as simple as it seems, because the image specifications provided by Google are inexorable and it will not be so easy to create good graphics that meet the requirements.

Image extension requirements for text ads

Before we move on to the dimensions of graphics and specifications, it’s worth telling yourself about the requirements for the Google Ads account itself. There are three such requirements described in Google Ads support, plus one that I noticed on my clients’ accounts.

• no violations of the rules
• Google Ads account with a selected industry or sub-industry – in the case of a controversial industry or sub-industry (e.g. erotic content, alcohol, or gambling), you cannot display image extensions
• Google Ads account that was created more than 90 days ago
• Responsive ads must be used in the campaign to which we want to add the extension. Without it, it will not be possible to create this extension

If we meet these requirements, we can move on to creating extensions. We will need two sizes of graphics for this:

• 1: 1 square with a minimum size of 300 x 300 pixels (1200 x 1200 pixels recommended)
• 1.92: 1 rectangle with a minimum size of 600 x 314 pixels (1200 x 628 pixels recommended)

Additionally, the files must not be larger than 5120 KB and must be in PNG, JPG, or static GIF extensions. However, that’s not all. There are a few rules that we must stick to when creating our graphics. Our artwork will be rejected in the event of:

• Images with text or graphics overlay with a brand logo or brand logo used as a graphic resource
• Images that have too much blank space or are so sharp that the products or services being offered cannot be recognized
• Images created in a collage technique or combined with each other during subsequent processing
• Images that are blurry, fuzzy, or unrecognizable
• Pictures are distorted in a way that makes it difficult to understand what is depicted in them
• Images that are cropped in a way that makes it difficult to determine the content of the asset
• Images of nudity, including for artistic purposes, and sexually suggestive images

As you can see there is a bit of it, but it is definitely worth following the rules and using this extension.

How to enable the text ad image extension

If we have met all the requirements and have the appropriate sizes of graphics, all you need to do is create our extension. In the Google Ads panel, go to ads and extensions, then extensions, and add a graphic extension with the blue plus.

In my opinion, the text ad image extension will be as popular as the site link extension or information extension on your website. Everyone will have to use them if they want to maintain the quality of their ads at a high level. The better we adjust the graphics, the more the advertisement will attract the user’s attention, and this is what we care about. There is nothing else for us to do but test different graphic solutions and choose those that definitely improve our CTRs.