Money Rail: Google Adds Photo Extensions to AdWord Campaigns

In more display ad news, Google invites you to join them for a round of “Show and Tell” with a new feature they call Image Extensions.

Like hair extensions, image extensions are all about making you more attractive to others. Here’s how it looks on the page:

Look at that. Makes me want to hop a plane right now and go to Sydney. Really. That wasn’t sarcasm. I mean it.

Says Google,

Image extensions enable you to more accurately convey the body style of a car, the cut of a pair of jeans, or a particular shade of eyeshadow, making your ads richer and more informative so they stand out in a crowded marketplace.

With our quick scan and move on mentality, images are more important than ever. They’re not just easier to process than a block of text, they can easily evoke an emotional reaction and that’s critical for advertising. Three plates of incredible gourmet food is better than one, right? And now that clothing store can show outfits for girls, boys and babies.

My friends at WordStream point out that in order to get these lovely photos, you lose a line of text but it’s worth it. More photos should also cut down on bad clickthroughs. Now customers have a clearer “picture” of what you’re selling.

The only thing bad I can see is confusion for the guy in the number two spot. When laid out on a page, this extended photo ad looks like a header for everything below it. The consumer might not realized that the photos only pertain to the text right underneath it, not the ad under that.

If you’re interested in creating one of these ads, you can fill out this form to join the beta test. After that, you’ll be required to send your photos to Google for approval mainly so they can play with the size and placement and verify that you have the rights to the pics.

I’m looking forward to seeing more of these ads coming online. They do perk up the results page.