Not too long ago, Google started rolling out a new option that was available to its AdWords customers in the form of image extensions. Working similar to the site extensions that debuted a few years ago, image extensions allow the advertiser to display unique, clear and beautiful images of the product the customer is looking for. Although the image extensions are still in beta, it is important to realize how a business can capitalize on the new extensions before it rolls out to the public.
Not Just Any Picture Will Do
As beta testers are finding out, Google is not just allowing any picture to be posted along with the traditional text sponsored link. The pictures must be high-resolution, in a 16:9 aspect ratio and relevant to the keyword it is being used for.
Consider Which Ad Groups Will Go With Each Image
With keyword relevancy in mind, be sure to break up which images fit with each keyword/ad group. That way you can fine-tune the ads, keywords and images that work best with each other.
Up Your Budget
With these image extensions only appearing in the top spots of the sponsored links, businesses may need to up their budget or keyword bidding price in order for their images to be relevant. For those businesses where these images could help result in a sale, expect a rise in PPC budget for the future, which leads us to the next point.
Centralize Focus And Experiments On Highest ROI Keywords
With the extensions only appearing in those top spots and costing more than the regular sponsored ads, it is important that any business looking to use the image extensions use it only for their highest ROI keywords and ads. While using it for every category may seem to make sense, it may actually only be taking away money from the business itself in the form of lost clicks and visits from other, low-cost keywords.
It is important for businesses to realize that while the new image extensions option is new and exciting, it isn’t for every business. Those business that offer trips, jewelry, unique products or simply have a large enough budget to compete for the top spot will more often than not see the largest benefits and returns from using this new extension. However, it will be important for those smaller businesses and companies with limited budgets to understand this extension and see if in fact using it for one or two keywords may be beneficial.
