Google Ads Image Extensions: The Ultimate Image Assets Guide

Image extensions (aka assets) for Google Ads are visual assets you can include in your search ads to increase clicks. Our experts share tips, examples, and a checklist to help you build visual ad campaigns that convert.

Do your search ads generate tons of impressions but not enough clicks? With image extensions (now called image assets), Google Ads creates visual appeal that can successfully stop the scroll.

In this article, we’ll cover how this Google Ads feature works, along with its benefits and how to optimize for maximum visibility.

What are Google Ads image extensions?

Google Ads image assets are visual elements you can include in search ads.

Advertisers can upload images at the campaign or ad group level to make an ad more engaging on the Google search results page.

How image extensions work

Image assets may appear below or beside the text portion of your ad, depending on the device.

Uploading image assets doesn’t guarantee they will display every time your ad appears — like all ad assets, Google shows them when its internal systems determine it makes the user more likely to click through.

How much do image assets cost?

There’s no extra charge for using image assets; you’re only billed when someone clicks.

Image assets vs. dynamic image assets

When you run search ads, you may see two options for image assets. While they may appear similar, image assets and dynamic image assets (formerly dynamic image assets) have key differences.

Image assets are elements that advertisers select and manage manually. We’ll cover the process for uploading and optimizing them below.

Dynamic image assets are automated elements that come from your dynamic landing pages. You can enable these extensions at the account level. However, you can’t choose these extensions manually.

Examples of image extensions

Image assets can be displayed with search ads in virtually any category. Let’s look at a few examples of Google Ads.

Monday.com: Uses graphic-based image assets to showcase CRM tools visually.

NerdWallet vs. Capital One: Competing images reflect different stages of buyer intent (research vs. action).

How to add image assets in Google Ads

Google Ads allows advertisers to add image extensions to new and active campaigns.

Let’s walk through the process for creating these assets and reviewing their performance.

Confirm your account is eligible

To use image assets, your account must be at least 60 days old, have a history of policy compliance, and have actively run text ads in the past 28 days.

Also, your account has to be in an eligible sub-vertical. Sensitive verticals (e.g., gambling) can’t use image extensions.

How to add image extensions to new campaigns

To add image assets to a new Google ad, create a new search campaign or ad group. Go through the standard process of setting a budget, choosing a bid strategy, and configuring audience targeting.

After adding keywords to the search campaign, you’re ready to create an ad. Input as many headlines and descriptions as possible for maximum optimization.

Scroll down to the Images section and click “Add Images” to choose or upload extensions.

You can upload new images directly to the ad group or reuse existing assets from previous search or display campaigns.

To save time, go to the Website or Social tab and scan your website or social media accounts for images. If you don’t have unique images to use, browse the Google Ads free stock images library.

Every time you select images, Google Ads will automatically set an aspect ratio. Click the pencil icon to change the crop or select a different ratio.

Then choose the aspect ratios you want to apply and adjust the crop manually if necessary. Note that Google Ads recommends uploading both landscape images and square images.

After selecting relevant image assets, upload brand logos and choose a landing page. Then, preview and publish the search ad campaign.

How to add image assets to existing campaigns

To add images to existing campaigns, go to your Google Ads campaign dashboard and click to open the “Assets” menu. From the dropdown menu, select “Assets.” Then select the “Image” chip. Click the blue plus icon to create a new asset.

Choose whether to add the image asset at the campaign or ad group level. Then choose the campaign(s) or ad group(s) where you want to add the image assets.

From here, the process for selecting and optimizing images for an existing campaign or ad group is the same as the workflow above.

Choose images from your asset library, scan your website or social accounts, upload new images, or pick free stock images.

Adjust the aspect ratios and cropping. Then click “Save” to add the image assets to the campaign or ad group. If necessary, repeat the process to optimize other existing campaigns and ad groups.

Reviewing image asset analytics

Review analytics regularly to evaluate performance and make additional optimizations.

From your Google Ads dashboard, select “Assets” from the left navigation.

To filter out other extension types, click “Image.” Then click to modify the columns that display on the dashboard.

From the list, select the metrics that matter most to your team. For example, you may find it helpful to track click-through rate (CTR), cost per click (CPC), conversion rate, and cost per conversion.

You also have the option to create image asset reports for exporting or sharing. Using either method, you can monitor performance and switch off or update underperforming assets.

5 expert tips to optimize image assets

To maximize the value of your image assets, optimize your setup and creatives. Use the tips below from our team of experts.

1. Follow image specifications and best practices
2. Upload as many image assets as possible
3. Add image assets at the right level
4. Align image assets with search intent
5. Optimize image assets regularly

1. Follow image specifications and best practices

Follow Google’s policies when uploading your image assets — that means using high-quality images without graphic overlays, nudity, or sexually suggestive images.

Additionally, there are specific requirements for creatives and file formats:

• Always add a square image measuring at least 300 x 300 pixels. Landscape images (at least 600 x 314 pixels) are optional but recommended.
• Edit images before uploading to ensure they’re under the maximum file size. Google Ads rejects image files over 5,120 KB.
• Supported formats include JPG, PNG, and static GIFs. Video files and other formats are not supported.
• Place the most important content in the center of the image to avoid any potential information loss.

2. Upload as many image assets as possible

Google Ads may show multiple image extensions in a single ad. By providing more options, you allow the algorithm to generate a more eye-catching ad with different types of images.

Google Ads recommends at least four image assets for each ad group or campaign.

3. Add image assets at the right level

Be strategic about where you link new image assets.

Adding images at the campaign level is faster, but they need to be general enough to apply to every ad within that campaign.

Adding images at the ad group level takes longer, especially if you have a lot of different ad groups to manage. However, using an ad group strategy ensures image assets are relevant.

4. Align image assets with search intent

“Don’t force image extensions purely for format variety,” says Robert Brandl, founder and CEO of Email Tool Tester.

“Mismatched visuals undermine relevance. Also, limit product images when pushing informational resources. Stay laser-focused on viewer intent. Images must add value.”

Brandl adds that images play an integral supplementary role in showcasing post-click content quality at his company. But they only use them when confidence is high in matching visitor intent.

“With careful testing and optimization, they deliver fantastic performance lifts as visual endorsements,” he says. “But arbitrary images backfire fast. Relevance is king with extensions.”

5. Optimize image assets regularly

Review analytics regularly to ensure image assets reach performance goals.

If you spot an underperforming image asset, consider pausing it and adding another. Use the top-performing assets for the campaign or ad group as inspiration.

Benefits of image assets

Like all Google Ads extensions, image assets are optional. So are they worth using? In most cases, yes — they can improve conversions and user experience, starting from the search results page.

Here are a few of the most significant perks of using image assets:

1. Enhanced comprehension
2. Increased CTR
3. Improved ad relevance
4. Higher Quality Score
5. More optimization opportunities

1. Enhanced comprehension

With image extensions, potential customers understand the message of your ad faster.

“When used correctly, image extensions can significantly enhance the effectiveness of Google Ads by improving engagement and conveying information quickly and visually,” explains Stefan Valentin, Ads Specialist at Irresistible Me.

“High-quality, clear images that directly relate to the product work wonders. For our beauty products, close-ups of hair extensions and wigs, showing texture and color, have been very effective.”

The goal: capturing attention and immediately conveying what the product is.

2. Increased CTR

Image assets stand out on SERPs, which increases the likelihood that searchers will tap or click them.

Google Ads recommends using as many assets or extensions as possible for optimal results.

For example, Google reports that retailer Hugo Boss saw 5% higher CTR and 2.5x return on ad spend (ROAS) when using image assets.

As a PPC agency, we use image extensions with most digital marketing clients. With the help of image assets, HawkSEM helped ThriftBooks increase CTR by 35% and achieve a 50% higher average order value (AOV).

3. Improved ad relevance

Image assets give advertisers an extra tool to improve relevance, making ads more appealing to the right audience.

“As a Google partner agency, we get early bird access to all the bells and whistles,” explains Sam Yadegar, founder and CEO of HawkSEM.

“We’re all about using image extensions, as they help increase CTR and draw in a more targeted audience with search ads.”

4. Higher Quality Score

Image extensions can affect expected CTR and ad relevance, two elements that factor into your Quality Score.

For best results, upload images relevant to your keywords, then monitor quality scores closely.

With a higher Quality Score comes an improved Ad Rank, which directly impacts how your ads perform in the ad auction — a metric that is a key factor in a successful campaign.

5. More optimization opportunities

The more you use image extensions and review the results, the more opportunities you have to optimize ad performance. But remember, these findings can apply to more than just Google search ads.

When added to search campaigns, image assets may also appear in YouTube search results, extending your reach.

Google Ads image extensions: Checklist

• Confirm your Google Ads account is eligible
• Click “Add Images” in the Images section of your ad group
• Upload new images
• Access your asset library to reuse previously uploaded images
• Click the pencil icon to change the crop or select a different ratio
• Preview and publish
• Review performance regularly and optimize as necessary

The takeaway

With the right image extensions and the correct campaign setup, you can transform how your ads display in Google search results.

While image assets are relatively simple to set up, optimizing them and using the data to inform other campaigns tend to require experience.

We’re here to help.

From Google Ads to SEO, the team at HawkSEM is ready to take your marketing campaigns to the next level. Reach out today.

This article has been updated and was originally published in February 2024.