Note: The product is currently in the pilot phase, available only to select advertisers for the storage use case.
Search ads with AI-powered recommendations unlock an entirely new ad experience, which analyzes photos using Google AI, to guide customers through their purchase, like an expert would.
Google’s cutting-edge large language models (LLMs) and image understanding capabilities can help better understand customers' needs, and enable advertisers to provide more personalized and tailored solutions.
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Photo upload specifications
Below are specifications for customers when uploading photos with items to store.
By using Search ads with AI-powered recommendations, you confirm and acknowledge that
- Your photos don’t contain any individuals (such as people or pets)
- You own all legal rights to upload the photos and to share the photos with Google
- Your photos adhere to Google’s content policy
- While you can upload more than 5 photos, Google will only generate AI recommendations for the first 5 photos you upload, based on how they are ordered in the device app.
- A maximum of 10 MB per photo can be uploaded.
- The supported file formats are PNG, JPEG, and WEBP.
Best practices
- Be sure to include the contents of all rooms and spaces: Don't forget the garage, attic, basement, and closets.
- Attempt to show as many items as possible in a single photo: For example, it is preferable to upload one photo containing five items, instead of five individual photos of the items.
- Avoid repeating the same items in multiple photos: Uploading different photos that contain the same items can impact your results.
- Center your items: Place the most important items you plan to store roughly in the center of the photo for optimal visibility.
- Avoid hard-to-read photos: Photos that are blurry, unclear, or unrecognizable.
- Avoid photos with low light: Photos with low lighting can result in low image contrast in the details of the picture.
FAQs
Why did Google not recognize certain items in my images?
The size, shape, and number of items in your photos can impact what is recognized. Google AI models have been trained to focus on large movable items, which will help determine the storage unit size you need more than smaller items can. For best results, ensure that the most important items you plan to store are roughly in the center of the photo. Learn more about best practices.
Google doesn’t allow recommendations for storage solutions for vehicles, such as cars, RVs, and boats, or for items that are irrelevant, such as animals, or prohibited.
Which items can I store?
A few examples of items that CAN be kept in self-storage include:
- Household items: Furniture, appliances, home decor, electronics, clothing, books and magazines, artwork, keepsakes and collectibles, musical instruments, moving boxes, among others.
- Business items: Retail inventory, contracting tools and equipment, business documents and files, construction materials, among others.
A few examples of items that CANNOT be kept in self-storage include:
- Living things: Animals, plants, among others.
- Perishable items: Boxed food, refrigerated food, frozen food, among others.
- Hazardous items: Drugs, ammunition, gas, propane tanks, car batteries, among others.
Google doesn't support showing recommendations for vehicle storage solutions, including cars, RVs, boats, at this time.
If you're not sure whether the items you plan to store are allowed in self storage, contact the Extra Space Storage team.
How does generative AI work and what data is collected?
Generative AI is a type of machine learning model. Learn how data collection and generative AI works.
What does Google do with my uploaded photos?
When you upload your images, Google uses LLMs to understand what’s in the image. For example, the LLM might interpret a photo’s pixels as a bed. The LLM will then use any relevant information as a prompt to generate a recommendation. Google doesn’t share the photos with anyone else including the advertiser. Google uses this information just like any other prompt, adhering to Google’s privacy principles.
How does Google limit use of your actual photos?
Google will automatically delete your photos instantly after generating the LLM prompts. At this time, we don't use the actual images you upload or their pixels to improve our machine-learning technologies, unless they're included in feedback. If you submit feedback, any screenshots you submit will be used. Google uses this data like all other feedback you provide.
We'll continue to work with images to provide new features and improve our services. If we change how we use or handle your images, we'll be transparent.
What happens if I upload a photo with individuals in it?
Google only focuses on the relevant items for the storage use case. We don't include any individuals such as humans or pets in results. Learn more about what does Google do with my uploaded photos.
Can I see recommendations for other use cases and other advertisers?
The product is in the pilot phase and will soon expand to additional use cases and advertisers.
Provide feedback
Providing feedback on Search ads with AI-powered recommendations helps improve Google AI. You can use this form to share your feedback.
