Google changes its ad formats often, and in 2019 the search results page got gallery ads. Like a normal search ad, a gallery ad promotes a product or service, but it adds a row of images people can swipe through. If you have used Facebook's carousel ads, the idea will feel familiar.
How gallery ads work
Each gallery ad pairs images with copy. The ad can carry up to three headlines, written much like the headlines on an expanded text ad, and each image gets its own short tagline. The headline sits above the images, and the tagline sits under each one.
Placement is the big difference. Up to four text ads can appear together on a results page, but gallery ads do not stack. They only show in the top position, above the text ads. That makes the format competitive, and the quality of the images and copy will decide a lot of who gets the spot.
For the right business the upside is clear. Strong images and good copy work together, which gives a searcher more reasons to click than text alone. Products that sell on looks stand to gain the most.
Getting the images and copy right
Because only one gallery ad can hold the top spot, a weak set of images is wasted money. Use sharp, well-lit photos of the actual product or place, not stock shots that could belong to anyone. Keep each tagline short and specific to its image, so a swipe tells the searcher something new each time. Make sure the landing page shows the same items the gallery promised, or the click is lost anyway. And keep a text ad running alongside, so you can compare results and see whether the extra effort pays off for your account.
Industries that stand to gain from gallery ads
A few sectors were obvious candidates for the format from the start, mainly those where people want to see what they are buying before they click. Here are three of them.
1. Tourism
Travel is the clearest case. Words can only go so far in describing a resort or a room, while a photo shows it in a second. A sunset from a beach bar or a spotless hotel bathroom sells itself better in a picture than in a paragraph. If you run tourism marketing, gallery ads are worth testing.
2. Real estate
Buying or renting a property is a big decision, and a written description is rarely enough. Agents need to show the place, not just describe it. Property is a visual business where first impressions count, and gallery ads give real estate marketers a way to make a strong one before the click.
3. Clothing
Clothing brands and retailers can use the format to catch impulse buyers who react to what they see. Until now they had to rely on text ads to pull shoppers onto their site. With gallery ads they can put the individual products most likely to sell right in the search results.
If you want to test new formats like this in your Google Ads account, our team can help you plan the images and copy.
