Quick question: Between the Google Search network and the Google Display network, which of them allows you to build your brand or promote your business with compelling visual imagery?
Your answer is likely to be the Google Display Network and rightly so because the Display Network is usually seen as the hub of visual-based advertising as regards to Google Ads.
However, something better is about to be rolled out. It is the Google Gallery Ads, talked about by Prabhakar Raghavan, SVP of Google Ads and Commerce, in his blog.
So, whether your goal is to improve sales or generate leads, Gallery Ads will make it easier for you to communicate what your brand is offering by combining search intent with a more interactive visual format. This is expected to give you a maximum ROI on your Ad spend.
The purpose of this article is to answer the following questions:
- What are Gallery Ads?
- What is Gallery Ad designed to achieve?
- Who can benefit from Gallery Ads?
- Why should you care about Gallery Ads?
So, let’s dive right in
What are Gallery Ads?
Gallery Ads are interactive Ads that sits at the top of the mobile SERPs. They are swipeable image carousels, just like the ones social media users often see on their Facebook and Instagram feeds. With Gallery Ads, users can effortlessly swipe through images or click on one to expand the gallery into a vertical view.
To set up an Ad gallery, you will be required to upload four to eight images of your product, write a 70 character description, and up to three headlines. Gallery Ads are eligible to show in the top spot of Google results and are only available on mobile.
However, Andy Miller, a lead strategist for Google Ads, has said that Google will also experiment with showing Gallery Ads desktop browsers and other Google products.
A tagline accompanies each image in your carousel, and the headline that directs visitors to your landing page will be situated at the top of the screen as the user swipes through the carousel.
Based on the performance of Gallery Ads, early testing has shown that it drives 25% more engagement, as measured by clicks and swipes, than the regular text Ads do.
What is Gallery Ad designed to achieve?
The simple answer to the above question is, Gallery Ads are designed to provide a more effective way to communicate your business to people.
Most smartphone users turn to Google for information. From the college kid looking for the closest place to have his favorite sandwich to the corporate business organization looking for an online advertising management software to improve their business, they are both likely to search on Google.
As an internet marketer, you pay for that Ads space on Google’s SERPs so that your prospects can see you and patronize your business or services. For those prospects to click on your Ad, and for you to get a good return on your Ad spend, you must be able to communicate the value of your product and services in such a way that appeals to your prospect.
Looking at the Ads above, there are no images, but only text descriptions. It may not be a bad Ad, but it won’t be as effective as the Ad with images.
Words are good are at communicating value, but when paired with pictures, the results are even better — this is what Gallery Ad is designed to achieve.
Who can benefit from Gallery Ads?
Gallery Ad looks like it will benefit only consumer brands. However, both business-to-customer and business-to-business companies can as well take advantage of gallery Ads to reel in the leads. B2C companies like gyms, restaurants, travel agencies, spas, and lots more, will greatly benefit, because, with the ability to present several products, services, or experiences, within a single Ad (carousel), you can make a seriously persuasive pitch.
Let’s say you own a restaurant. For you to drive mobile traffic to your business, you could create an Ad group with a couple of Gallery Ads and keywords like “restaurants near me,” “delicious clam chowder (or your best selling dish),” “tasty food nearby,” etc. Now, anyone looking for inspiration will find it difficult to resist swiping through a carousel of your best offerings — what a way to make a first impression!
For B2B companies selling software solution or digital marketing services, it may look like there isn’t much to gain with Gallery Ads because it has to do with lots of images – this not true. Instead of thinking products and services, think in terms of processes.
Gallery Ads hands you the opportunity to show your prospects the victories you hope to help them achieve when they use your digital marketing services or purchase your software.
Images of the UI of your software may not work here. However, what will work is an illustrated representation of the different benefits you will be providing your clients: higher conversion rates, better quality score, lower CPA, etc. These things could go a long way towards communicating the value of your software or services and also brand your business as a friendly resource.
Why should you care about Gallery Ads?
Google knows that images drive better engagement. Let’s look at a few statistics:
- People will remember 80% of what they see, than 20% of what they read
- Our brains process images as high as 60,000 times faster than a standard text
- Users are more likely to retain content that includes visual images
- People process images in 13 milliseconds compared to the time need to process a short read.
- Over 50% millennials say that visuals are the most important part of shopping on mobile, and rightly so.
From the statistics above, you can see that images are more memorable than plain text. With a standard text Ad, you may not make any lasting impression in the mind of your visitors. Throw some images in the mix, and you stand a chance of grabbing their attention.
Another reason you should care about Gallery Ad is that a similar concept has performed so well on social media giants, Facebook, and Instagram.
Users tend to engage with Ads with swipeable image galleries. It is true that users approach social media and search engine with a completely different mindset. However, a higher commercial intent of the search will amplify their interests.
Be an Early Bird
We all know how saturated and competitive the digital marketing niche can be, therefore, it pays to get in on ‘the next big thing’ as early as possible. Without blinking, start creating Gallery Ads as soon as they are available. As an early bird to this new marketing strategy, you stand a good chance of staying ahead of your competition. Getting in early presents little risk and offers great rewards.
Let our experts help you get the most out of your advertising.
If you’re looking for a digital marketing agency to handle your online ad management, we have a team who can take care of it all! Give us call at 1-800-854-7833 or contact us using our form today and let’s set up a time to chat about what kind, how often, where they’ll be placed – the whole nine yards so that when people are scrolling through their feeds on Facebook tomorrow morning (yesterday afternoon depending on which coast), they see yours first like magic.