Display ads: A creative Best Practices guide

Google Display Ads appear on over three million websites, over 650,000 apps and across Google properties such as Gmail and YouTube. This guide will help you create assets for display ads — with a focus on responsive display ads.

Display ads help you promote your business when people are browsing online, watching YouTube videos, checking Gmail or using mobile devices and apps.

Responsive display ads are a form of asset-based ads. An asset is simply a part of an ad, such as a headline, description, image or logo. To create asset-based ads, you'll provide: headlines, descriptions, images and logos. Google AI arranges these assets in countless combinations across the web, continuously optimising for performance.

Because assets are combined without human assistance, special care is required during setup. This guide can help you ensure that your assets work together in a large number of configurations.

Use the following guidelines to create responsive display ads that reach users and drive performance for your business. Improved image quality, in turn, can improve your reach and performance to ensure that your ads are eligible to serve in all available inventory. While these guidelines are considered best practices, and therefore not mandatory, all ads and assets must comply with Google’s Google Ads Policy.

Image guidelines

Images are the most crucial element of responsive display ads. The guidance below will help you to understand what makes an image ideal for responsive display ads and to avoid common mistakes that can hurt performance. You can upload your own images or choose from Google’s library. Review the guidelines below to ensure that your images adhere to Google’s guidelines.

Horizontal image (1.91:1)

• Recommended size: 1200 x 628
• Minimum size: 600 x 314

Square (1:1)

• Recommended size: 1200 x 1200
• Minimum size: 300 x 300

Vertical (9:16)

• Recommended size: 900 x 1600
• Minimum size: 600 x 1067

Images uploaded may appear in different sizes depending on layout. Images will resize in order to fit particular ad sizes.

Use high quality images

Images help users understand your business, products and brand. They're critical to ads that perform well.

For best results, avoid images that are:

• Blurred
• Colour-inverted
• Excessively filtered
• Outlined with a border
• Unclear
• Upside-down
• Visually skewed

Do use the natural lines of an image.	Don't use visually skewed images.
Do use images that are in focus.	Don't use blurry images.
Do use images that are easy to see and in full colour.	Don't use images that are hard to see or appear washed out.
Do use images that include a single, non-duplicated composition of the subject.	Don't use images that include a mirror image.
Do keep edges square and borders transparent to allow images to bleed to the full aspect.	Don't round edges or use borders.
Do use the raw, natural composition of photos.	Don't use inverted colours or excessive filters.

No overlaid logos

Don’t overlay a logo on top of an image, as this can be repetitive in certain ad layouts. Images where the logo is incorporated into the photograph are allowed.

Do preserve the original image, ensuring that it's the focus.	Don't overlay logos or other graphics on images.

Avoid overlaid text

Avoid inserting text on top of an image. Bear in mind that when assets are combined, your messaging may become repetitive if overlaid text is too similar to a headline, for example. Overlaid text can be unreadable in smaller ad sizes. Images where the text is naturally embedded or incorporated are allowed. For example, a photo of a text sign would be naturally embedded text.

Do preserve the original image, ensuring that it's the focus.	Don't overlay logos or other graphics on images.

Don't overlay buttons

Buttons (which promise non-existent functionality like 'play', 'download' or 'close') violate Google’s Google Ads policy.

Do use the original image without button graphics that mislead functionality.	Don't add buttons to your image as they aren't a clickable element.

Make your product or service the focus of the image

Blank space shouldn't take up more than 80% of the image. Your product or service should be the focus.

Avoid collage images

Use single images. Collages aren't recommended.

Avoid digital composite backgrounds

Avoid displaying products over digital composite backgrounds, including an all-white background. Instead, use quality photographs that have physical settings with organic shadows and lighting.

Logos

Avoid using logos with unsupported aspect ratios, extra 'flair' or colourful backgrounds. Instead, use high quality logos that have been cropped and adjusted appropriately.

Add text and ad groups

Use clear and compelling headlines and text