Google is now permitting pharma advertisers to add images to text ads on the Google results page.
Google Ads image assets (Google Ads rebrands extensions to assets) let advertisers upload relevant visuals to be shown alongside text ads on the Google results page. Recently, they’ve been approved for pharmaceutical advertisers. They can help boost performance for advertisers by enhancing the size and message of their text ads.
Advertisers can select up to 20 image assets (either your own selection, or suggested by Google Ads based on a scan of your website). They tend to be featured more on mobile devices, but have begun to appear more frequently on desktops as well.
Advertisers (and their images) must meet many requirements.
The account requirements are:
- Account has been open for more than 90 days
- Account has good history of policy compliance
- Account has active campaigns
- Account has active text ads and has been accruing spend on Search campaigns for at least the last 28 days
- Account is in an eligible vertical or sub-vertical
The image specifications are:
- File Formats: PMG, JPG, or static GIF
- Aspect Ratio: Square 1×1 (required); Landscape 1.91×1 (optional, but recommended)
- Minimum Pixels: Square – 300×300; Landscape – 600×314
- Recommended Pixels: Square –1200×1200; Landscape – 1200×628
- Maximum File Size: no larger than 5120 KB
The image asset requirements are:
- No images with text or graphic overlay including brand logos
- No excessive whitespace
- No image collages
- No blurry or unclear images
- No distorted images
- No poorly cropped images
- No prohibited content
Where image assets can show:
- Square images – Google.com, YouTube Search via AdSense for Search
- Landscape image – YouTube Search via AdSense for Search
Assets are an important addition to Paid Search strategy because they allow users to further interact with ad content, and they give advertisers increased visibility and greater visual appeal. Advertisers are likely to see improvements in reach, ad rank, performance, clickthrough rates (CTR), and cost per click (CPC).
This new capability permits EVERSANA INTOUCH to enhance the user journey with relevant, captivating visuals in Paid Search ads. We plan to incorporate image assets within all Paid Search strategies – pending eligibility – going forward.
Contributors: Ashley Sperling, Marlon Holcomb