Add an image creative

This article explains how to add an image creative in Google Ad Manager. The article details the steps involved in uploading the image, setting its size and density, choosing a landing page, and configuring advanced settings such as orientation, alt text, and labels.

On this page

• Add an image creative
• Advanced settings

An image creative is an image file that uses the GIF, JPG, or PNG formats. When you upload an image file, you’re either saving it to a creative library or to a new or existing line item. Only the RGB color format is supported.

Image creatives in Ad Manager are automatically AMPHTML Ads compliant. AMPHTML ads allow publishers, marketers, and technology providers to deliver faster, lighter, and more secure ad experiences across all platforms. Learn more about AMPHTML ads. 

Being AMPHTML compliant doesn’t mean that only AMPHTML ads can appear in the ad slot. You can continue to run non-AMPHTML ads. Image ads continue to serve as standard ads on desktop web and mobile apps.

Add an image creative

1. Sign in to Google Ad Manager.
2. Click Delivery, and then Creatives
3. Click New creative.
4. Select the advertiser for the creative. If you didn't find your advertiser, you or someone with permission can add a new advertiser.
5. For "Standard Creative", select Image.

Set up the image creative

6. Enter a descriptive Name for your creative.

7. Indicate the Target ad unit size. This size should align with the ad unit to which you want this creative to serve. The size should also align with the dimensions of the creative you will upload in Step 8 below.

8. Select Upload an image file or Use a remote image.

   1. Upload an image file: Drag and drop or click Browse to upload an image file. Be sure your file meets these criteria:

      • GIF, JPG, or PNG image files 
      • RGB color format (Note: JPG files in CMYK format should be converted to a GIF or PNG)

      Allow creative size to differ from ad unit size

      If you upload a creative with dimensions that don't match the target ad unit size you entered, you have the option to Allow creative size to differ from ad unit size. This feature allows differently sized images to deliver to requests for the defined ad unit size. For example, if you want to upload a 300x250 image creative that can deliver into a 300x600 ad slot, use this setting.

      This also applies to uploading HTML5 creatives.

   2. Use a remote image: Enter the URL for an image hosted elsewhere. At the end of the URL, add the string ?rnd=%%CACHEBUSTER%% to prevent the image from being downloaded to the cache.

      Example

      https://example.com/images/myimage.png?rnd=%%CACHEBUSTER%%

9. (Optional) Choose the density of an uploaded image for use on desktop and mobile devices that have high-density, or "Retina," displays. Provide the highest quality image the computer or mobile device can support.
   How is density different than size?

   • Density is how many pixels appear within a constant area of a user's display, or screen. For example, a 300-pixel by 250-pixel (300x250) area on a standard display might contain 1.5x or 2x more pixels on a high-density display.
   • Size is the pixel dimensions of your creative on a standard display.

   Upload a separate creative for each density (1x, 1.5x, and 2x) and Ad Manager selects the appropriate image for each user's device.

10. Enter the Destination for your creative's landing page, which is either a click-through URL, click-to-app URL, or a phone number.

    If the creative is hosted in a third-party URL, the creative must be in that location for the duration of the campaign for which it is serving. If you enter a phone number, the creative is only served to mobile devices that can make calls.

11. Click Save.

Advanced settings

The following settings are optional.

• Select the Orientation for creatives that display in a mobile application. 

• Enter Alt text to assist visually-impaired users and comply with accessibility guidelines. This text also displays if images are disabled.

• Use Labels to apply a label that can be set for Ad Unit frequency capping across your network or on specific ad units. 

  Example

  If the image creative is to be served as a homepage banner, and you don’t want it to serve in the same ad unit to the same user more than twice a day, the label is created for the entire network, or specific ad units, and applied to the creative here. Therefore, this creative, along with any other creative that has this label, won’t be seen in the same ad unit more than twice a day by a single user.

• Enter a third-party impression URL to trigger a third-party tracking service when the creative appears. This URL can contain Google Ad Manager macros. These URLs aren't supported for creatives with an actual size of "Out-of-page."

• Use Custom fields to organize objects in reports. Create these fields in the "Admin" tab, and apply them to creatives. This allows you to run specific reports on your creatives that have custom fields. They don't affect ad serving or delivery.

• Changes to Associated ad technology providers override your network-level EU user consent settings.