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Google announced they are testing a new ad extension to allow advertisers within the AdWords product to add images to their text ads.
This should not surprise anyone anymore. The search engine that prided themselves over never having image ads or banner ads in their search results, keeps stepping closer and closer to that.
Of course, Google has had product ads with image products in the search results for a long time, even dating back to 2008. But now, any ad has the ability of showing images above the ad.
Here is a picture of how it may look:
Google's product manager, Awaneesh Verma, said:
Today we're announcing the beta launch of image extensions, which will allow you to add new visual elements to your search ads.As the web evolves, Google users expect richer and more diverse content. More than one in six searches on Google today provide results with visual content. Image extensions will show in some cases when we determine that a search is likely for visual content.
Image ads are only currently available for English ads, but available globally. To sign up to participate in this test, use this form.
Forum discussion at Google+.
Comments:
Helena
06/06/2013 12:52 pm
this is a good idea!
ethalon
06/06/2013 12:58 pm
I love this. Signed up for the beta and hope they keep this.
Pixelrage
06/06/2013 02:20 pm
Yet another feature that is killing small businesses who can't afford to compete with major corporations in paid search, not to mention, pushing down organic SERPs and drawing attention away from them -- I guess that's the point, though.
Éric NIAKISSA
06/06/2013 03:48 pm
Great !
Tom Dibble
06/06/2013 04:02 pm
Decent capture of a real result here http://spw3.co/1b9bDax
Nick Ker
06/06/2013 04:06 pm
How does this hurt small businesses? Do you think small businesses can not afford photography? Ads with images may in fact cost more than those without, but is Google supposed to take some kind of Marxist approach so businesses with smaller budgets can do the same thing as more prosperous companies? "To each according to his needs. From each according to his means." Last time I checked, Google was a search engine, advertising platform(s), and lots of data services. When did they become a small business incubator that is supposed to give special consideration to those who don't have enough capital?
Nick Ker
06/06/2013 04:09 pm
Pretty neat, but I wonder if image/ad blindness will cause a lot of these to be ignored by people who automatically ignore ads. The ability to find/create awesome images that attract clicks at 90px high will make all the difference, I suppose.
Tom Dibble
06/06/2013 04:12 pm
Choice of visuals will be key to the success of this ad unit and it's future. Right now they are all manual review by GOOG in the limited beta.
Nick Ker
06/06/2013 04:21 pm
That's good. I was already wondering how ugly it would get with all sorts of inappropriate images.
Tom Dibble
06/06/2013 04:23 pm
Yeah - but it will be interesting to see how that scales with a public roll-out if it makes it that far.
Raheel Aqil
06/28/2013 08:52 am
The images will increase the CTR and will improve the ROI and customers satisfaction and make there buying decision a choice and a good reason to click an ad.