additional_image_link [additional_image_link]: Definition

Use the additional_image_link [additional_image_link] attribute to provide more images for your product beyond the main image that you provide in the image_link [image_link] attribute. Additional images can appear to potential customers in ads for your product and are commonly used to show a product from different angles or with product staging elements.

Example ad that shows where additional images can appear with your product

When to use

Optional for each product

Format

Follow these formatting guidelines to make sure that we understand the data that you're submitting. 

Type URL (including http or https), ASCII characters only, and RFC 3986 compliant
Limits 0-2,000 characters
Supported file formats

GIF (.gif), JPEG (.jpg/.jpeg), PNG (.png), BMP (.bmp) and TIFF (.tif/.tiff)

The file extensions for these images should correspond to their format.
Repeated field (What is this?) Include up to 10 additional images
 
File format Example value
Text feeds

To submit 1 image, submit the (encoded) URL:

http://www.example.com/image2.jpg

To submit more than 1 image (up to 10), separate each URL with a comma ( , ):

http://www.example.com/image2.jpg,http://www.example.com/image3.jpg

Make sure that you encode any commas (as %2C) within the URL, but don't encode the comma that you use to separate each image URL:

http://www.example.com/image2%2C3.jpg,http://www.example.com/image2%2C4.jpg
XML feeds <g:additional_image_link>http://www.example.com/image2.jpg</g:additional_image_link>
<g:additional_image_link>http://www.example.com/image3.jpg</g:additional_image_link>


For format API information, please see Content API for Shopping.

Guidelines

Follow these guidelines to make sure that you submit high-quality data for your products and get the best performance from your ads.

Minimum requirements

These are the requirements that you'll need to meet to show ads for your product. If you don't follow these requirements, we'll disapprove your product and let you know on the Diagnostics page of your Merchant Center account. 

  • Meet the requirements for the image_link [image_link] attribute with a few exceptions. The additional image can:
    • Include product staging or show the product in use.
    • Highlight parts of the product without showing the entire product.
    • Include graphics or illustrations.
    • Show parts of a bundle instead of showing all products in the bundle. When you submit a custom bundle of products, use the is_bundle [is_bundle] attribute.
    • Display the entire multipack. When you submit a custom multipack of products, use the multipack [multipack] attribute.

Best practices

These are best practices that can help you go beyond the basic requirements to optimise your product data for performance. 

  • Follow the best practices for the image_link [image_link] attribute.  
  • Submit images that meet the size requirements. If you include images that are under the minimum size requirements (explained in image_link [image_link]), your product won't be disapproved, but your images won't be shown.
  • Use additional images to show the product from different angles or the product being used. For example, if the main image shows product packaging, including images of the box contents in the additional images can help users better understand what they are buying.

Examples

Product with one additional image
Product Sofa
image_link [image_link] http://example.com/image1.jpg (only the sofa on a white background)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/image2.jpg (the sofa with two pillows and a living room setting)
Product with three additional images
Product Ring
image_link [image_link] http://example.com/ring1.jpg (only the ring on a white background)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/ring2.jpg (only the ring on a white background from a different angle)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/ring3.jpg (the ring on a model wearing a matching outfit)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/ring4.jpg (the ring inside its gift box packaging)

An example showing how additional images can appear alongside the main image

Product Pie tin
image_link [image_link] http://example.com/image1.jpg (only the pie tin on a white background)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/image2.jpg (the end product – a slice of pie on a plate)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/image3.jpg (the baker holding the finished pie in the tin)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/image4.jpg (the pie tin in close-up showing the finished pie)
Bundle
Product Camera body with a bag and lens
is_bundle [is_bundle] yes
image_link [image_link] http://example.com/camerabundle1.jpg (all products in the bundle on a white background)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/camerabundle2.jpg (only the camera body on a white background)
Multipack
Product Bar Soap 3-pack
multipack [multipack] 3
image_link [image_link] http://example.com/soap1.jpg (only one bar of soap on a white background)
additional_image_link [additional_image_link] http://example.com/soap2.jpg (three bars of soap on a white background)

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