You can use these format guidelines to create ads that will run across Discover Feed, Gmail, YouTube videos, YouTube Search Results, YouTube Watch Next, YouTube Home Feed, YouTube Shorts, and Google Video Partner websites, and apps.
The mocks should be used as illustrative purposes to understand how ads might appear across different formats and inventory and are not exhaustive. It’s recommended to leverage the in-platform preview feature to review how your ads will appear.
Single image ads
Mobile
New: You can now upload 9:16 images into your Demand Gen campaigns which will serve on YouTube Shorts for a more immersive, full-screen experience.
Desktop
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Image | Can support up to 20 per ad
Recommendation: Upload 3 of each aspect ratio for maximum placement coverage. Note: GIF file types are accepted but only a static version will be displayed. |
| Headline (40 characters max.) | Up to 5 |
| Description (90 characters max.) | Up to 5 |
| Business name (25 characters max.) | 1 (required) |
| Square logo |
Up to 5
|
| Final URL | |
| CTA | Recommend choosing the “automated” option selection made from drop-down list. |
Carousel ad
Showcase your brand or products in a swipeable image carousel, rendered natively across each Google feed. Tell a story across your images, as each image will be displayed in the order they’re uploaded.
Tip
- You can’t currently use product feeds from Google Merchant Center with carousel ads.
- The cost of carousel ads are the same as single image ads (pay for “interactions” or clicks to expand the ad on Gmail or to your website on YouTube and Discover).
- If at least one card is disapproved, the ad status column will be marked as “Approved (limited)” and within 24 hours it will change to “Disapproved”. This is a known issue and will be resolved soon. The ad won’t serve in this case.
Mobile
Desktop
| Level | Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|---|
| Ad level |
Headline (40 characters max.) |
Include a headline that shows no matter which card is showing. |
|
Description (90 characters max.) |
Upload a description that shows no matter which card is showing. (You will not be able to upload descriptions for each card) |
|
|
Final URL |
Auto-generated Visible URL is provided in the UI. | |
|
Business name (25 characters max.) |
1 (required) | |
| Card level | Image |
2 to 10 Images
Aspect ratio must be consistent across all cards. |
|
Headline (40 characters max.) |
Enter a headline that shows on a given card (not supported on Discover, which uses the ad-level headline no matter which card is showing). | |
|
Business name (25 characters max.) |
1 (required) |
|
| Square logo | Up to 1
|
|
| Final URL | You can provide a specific landing page for each card on YouTube and Gmail. | |
| CTA | Recommend choosing the “automated” option selection made from drop-down list. |
Video ads
Mobile
Desktop
CTV
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Video |
1-5 advertiser uploaded videos per ad Video length: Minimum 5 seconds
Landscape: 16:9. Recommended pixels for HD: 1920x1080px Square: 1:1. Recommended pixels for HD: 1080x1080px Portrait: 4:5 Vertical: 9:16. Recommended pixels for HD: 1080x1920px Format: .MPG (MPEG-2 or MPEG-4) File size: ≤256 GB Full specs in this article. Note: You can't upload an offline video. Search for a video that you’ve uploaded to YouTube, or enter the video URL from YouTube. You can also create a new video ad with video builder. If you don't want your video to serve on YouTube, you may use an unlisted YouTube video in the campaign. |
| Call to action | Max. 10 characters |
| Headline |
Max. 40 characters Used in the skippable in-stream ad format |
| Long headline |
Max. 90 characters Used in the in-feed video ad format (Discover and YouTube) |
| Description |
Max. 90 characters |
| Business name (25 char max) |
1 (required) YouTube will default to YouTube channel name. |
| Square logo |
Up to 1
YouTube will default to YouTube channel logo. |
| Sitelinks (optional) |
Can show up to 4 Used in the skippable in-stream ad format Only available on mobile |
Audio and auto-play defaults
When the video ad is in-view, the ad will follow the below sound-on and auto-play defaults per placement:
- Discover: Default muted, default auto-play with WiFi connection
- YouTube Home feed: Default muted, default auto-play
- YouTube In-Stream: Post tap sound on, default auto-play
- YouTube Watch Next: Post tap sound on and auto-play
- YouTube Shorts: Default sound on, default auto-play
You can run Demand Gen video ads without sound. The auto-play settings for videos depend on where the ad is displayed. For example, videos on Discover will auto-play but are muted by default. On YouTube, videos will auto-play with or without sound, depending on the placement. You can always use a video without audio regardless of the platform.
Video optimization tips
- Grab attention from your audience: Captivate people in the first 5-10 seconds of the ad with a problem statement and show how your product or service solves it.
- Repeat what you’re offering: Echo the call-to-action in the voiceover or include it in superimposed graphics.
Video ad safe zones
Dynamic product shopping ads
Demand Gen product ads render as a single-merchant carousel ad, in which relevant products and offers from your Google Merchant Center feed populates a scrollable ad.
Learn about Google Merchant Center product feed specifications.
| Feature | Specifications |
|---|---|
| Card headline | GMC feed |
| Card description | Required, GMC feed |
| Card image | Required, GMC feed |
| Card landing page | Required, GMC feed |
| Logo | GMC feed |
| Business name | GMC feed |
| Short title |
Optional, GMC feed A short title that will help users remember your product or brand as they browse Demand Gen feeds. |
| Lifestyle image |
Optional, GMC feed An inspirational image that will capture users’ attention as they browse Demand Gen feeds. |
