Google Image Results Tests Search Ads (Not Just Shopping Ads)

Nov 12, 2025 - 7:51 am 0 — by
Filed Under Google Ads

Google Ads Carousel Cards

Google is testing showing normal search ads in an ad carousel at the top of the image search results on mobile. The ads take up a lot of the top real estate of the image results and can be scrolled from side to side.

This test was spotted by Anthony Higman last week, sorry for taking so much time to report on it, but he posted about it on X and wrote, "Your literally cramming ads into every other nook and cranny on Google Search."

I cannot replicate this but here is a screenshot from Anthony:

Google Images Ad Carousel

This is the first time we are seeing traditional search ads in the image tab. Google has had shopping ads in image search since 2016. So now almost a decade later, Google is going to show traditional search ads?

Greg Finn is not a fan - watch this video starting at 1:27 mark:

Forum discussion at X.

 

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