Responsive display ads are replacing responsive ads as the default ad type for the Display Network. These ads include all the features of responsive ads, allow for multiple assets of each type and more control over your ads. If you have responsive ads running, you’ll be prompted to save them as responsive display ads.
Responsive display ads are an asset-based ad type, which means that you can create them by uploading your assets (images, headline text, logos and descriptions), and Google will generate ads combining these assets in order to create the best user experience at the time of the impression.
This article describes the best practices for managing your responsive display ads.
Managing your assets
About responsive display ads
Images
Your image is the most important part of your ad. It helps people understand your business, product and brand. Make sure that you only use high quality images in which your business, product or brand is the main point of focus. You may upload up to 15 marketing images to be used in your responsive display ads. Avoid using the following:
- Blurred images
- Skewed/distorted images
- Images that include a mirror image
- Washed out colours, inverted colours, excessive filters
- Images with borders
- Collage images
- Images with digital composite backgrounds
- Overlaid text on top of your images, which can be hard to read at smaller sizes.
Logos
Logos are optional, and you may upload up to five different logos. If you choose not to provide a logo, Google will provide a neutral icon, such as a globe, or the first letter of your brand name. Bear the following in mind when you provide a logo:
- You may upload a logo with a 1:1 or 4:1 aspect ratio (it’s recommended to upload your logo using both).
- Make sure that your logo is centered and cropped carefully.
- Avoid adding any small text or additional 'flair' with the logo.
- White backgrounds are acceptable, but it’s recommended to use a transparent background.
- Any white space or padding should not exceed 1/16th the size of the logo. For example, if your logo is 400 x 400 pixels, your padding should be no wider than 25 pixels.
Descriptions
You can create up to five descriptions for your brand or product, of up to 90 characters each. The description usually accompanies a headline (described below), and should be written to complement your headlines. Use the description to provide additional detail to articulate your value proposition.
Headlines
You can upload up to five different headlines, of 30 characters each, for your responsive display ads. To ensure maximum performance, make sure that your different headlines each say something unique. Be informative and spell out your value proposition clearly.
Consider the following:
- Punctuation at the end of your headline isn’t necessary
- Avoid duplicating the text from your description
- Don’t use your business name in the headline
Long headline
In your long headline, you have 90 characters to describe your brand or product’s value proposition. Try and come up with something that will be interesting and useful to users. Depending on where your ad is served, your long headline may be shown without the additional description text. Make sure that the long headline can stand on its own and says something unique.
Add a feed for dynamic remarketing
Linking your campaign to a feed usually results in a greater user experience. The quality of the product information that you provide can help determine who will be most interested in seeing your ads, and providing a comprehensive, high-quality feed results in more relevant ads. Learn more about how to create ads for dynamic remarketing
About performance labels
The different creative assets that you upload for your campaigns will produce varying results, and will be able to see that data over time. After the assets have served long enough to accumulate statistically significant data, you will be able to see a performance label, which is the data-based performance strength for each of your assets – descriptions, headlines or images – in the asset report. You may see a Low Performance notification next to any of your assets while editing your ad, where the Google Ads tool will guide you to make adjustments as needed and help you create a more optimal set of assets.
Ad strength
Ad strength estimates the relevance, quantity and diversity of your ad content. Making sure that your ad has relevant, unique content can help you show the right ad to your potential customers and improve your ad's performance.
This is an overall rating and progress indicator for the responsive display ad. This rating is based on the quantity and diversity of assets. By adding a greater number of unique assets, you can improve this rating and your chances of generating the best creative to put in front of your customers. It is shown as a column in your ad report in new Google Ads experience. Learn more about ad strength
There are two more components to ad strength:
- Next step: An impactful recommendation or next step to improve ad setup.
- Asset progress: Progress ratings for each of the three main asset types (Images, Short Headlines, Descriptions).
