GDN Ad Sizes And Formats – The Ultimate List

When it comes to Google ads, every company either wants to run display ads to gain customers or retarget on the Google Display Network. Whatever your goal is, you need to create specific ads for it. One major advantage to display advertising is that you can go beyond simple text to designs, animations, images, colors, etc to effectively convey your message to the audience.

This ultimate ad guide to GDN Ad Sizes and Format will get you your answers from what size you should choose for your display ads to how many slides, what you should be adding, and what you need to do to get better performance.

1. Ad Size Guide for Google Display

Google Display ads are available in many sizes, with the main sizes listed below.

If you’re wondering how much ad sizes matter in order to choose one, remember that ad sizes are really important. They have a direct influence on the performance of your campaign and choosing a less popular ad size will consequently end up in your campaign performing poorly.

In order to gain better results for your campaign, it’s necessary to choose ad sizes that are popular when it comes to display ads. These sizes are 300×250, 728×90, and 160×600 ad units. Along with these, 180×150 ad size is also included in the universal IAB designed ad package standard. Ad sizes also matter according to countries e.g. in Russia the 240×400 is popular, in Sweden 980×120, and so on.

2. Technical Demands

Whether your ad is static or animated, Google Display Network requires them to be 150KB or smaller. Animation or interactive ads can not exceed 15 seconds, with or without loops.

GIF ads with multiple frames need to have up to 5 frames per second. Flash ad speeds can go up to 20 frames per second or lower and they need to have a clickTAG variable set.

3. Types of Format and Their Acceptance

There are three types of ad formats:

• Static: accepted in JPEG, JPG, PNG, and GIF (one slide) formats.
• Animated: can be uploaded in GIF or SWF formats.
• Interactive: different from animated as they require action from users and can only be uploaded as SWF.

Animated and interactive ads are the most efficient compared to static, as motion on the page attracts attention instead of being avoided. Although, too much animation has the tendency to make the ad look cliche. Furthermore, there are more websites accepting static ads than those with motion.

Whichever ad format you choose, keep your audience and their engagement experience in mind so that you can get the results you need.

4. Ad Display Content

Google Display Network ads require a few rules to be followed. You can’t use blurry images or flashy backgrounds. Moreover:

• The entire banner has to be used for content; you can’t use multiple copies.
• You can not deceive users to click on your ad, i.e don’t mimic the website’s texts, displays, dialogue boxes, or error messages.
• Your ad must have the feel of an ad instead of mixing with the theme of the website; ad contrasting colors to make your ad stand-out.
• Images and animations can be animated as long as they exist on your website.

5. Restricted Categories

While you’re allowed to display a huge variety of ads, there are some sensitive and restricted categories that you can not advertise:

• “Anti” or violent concepts or ads against an organization, person, group of people, or a protected group distinguished by race or ethnic origin, color, national origin, religion, disability, sex, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
• Offline or online gambling or related products.
• Websites consisting of malware or malicious software.
• Illegal drugs, legal or synthetic highs, herbal drugs, chemicals, and compounds with psychoactive effects, drug paraphernalia, or aids to pass drug tests.
• Escort, prostitution, or adult sexual services.
• Alcoholic beverages, wine, beer, and spirits.

Tips for Making a Great Display Ad

Now that you know about ad sizes, ad formats, and what content you’re allowed and not allowed to use in your ads, let’s discuss what makes a good display ad good.

1. Customers

Focus on your customers. You’ve obviously studied them enough to know who you’re targeting, and you know what they like to see and what they will choose to avoid. Cater to their likes, attract them toward your ad with the content they prefer to see not what you want them to see.

Use elements, features, benefits, and show them in a way that will grab your audience’s attention. Mention what you’re offering to them in order to incite action.

2. Designs

Use design formats that attract not repel your users. Too much text or too flashy designs will jeopardize your campaign. Keep your designs simple and don’t use too many or too bright colors. Appeal to your audience’s aesthetics, don’t overdo it in an attempt to grab attention.

3. A Good CTA

Use call-to-actions in your ads, and make them look good. Your viewers won’t take action if they’re not being asked, and they will definitely not take action if you ask them coldly. Motivate them to take action with your CTA.

4. Branding

Stay true to your brand, use your logo, color themes, and send your message according to your brand’s tone. Make the user experience positive. Showing the customers one thing and landing them to something entirely different will ruin your authenticity instead of building trust.

5. Test!

Each business has its own approach to display ads, if you don’t know yours you never will unless you try. Test different display ad formats, experiment with your audience, keep testing until something finally clicks.

While display ads are a good way to approach old and new customers, it all depends on what you’re doing with the ad you’re making. Ad sizes aren’t the only important part. Your format, the ad background, text, content, themes, right down to the CTA, every single step matters into deciding whether your campaign will be a success or not. And even if it isn’t a success, you’ll learn what you did wrong and how you can do things differently to get it right the next time. Good luck!