Shutterstock is the new Image Provider for Google Ads [Updated]

October 1, 2018

google adwords shutterstock > Shutterstock is the new Image Provider for Google Ads [Updated]

Updated on Octber 1st, 2018.

Announced today, Google has chosen Shutterstock to be the image provider for all their advertising products for both web and mobile.

Google will be using the ad's copy to suggest matching imagery from Shutterstock collection of over 90 million stock images, that the client can then license and use in their ad. Plus they will be also testing the performance of these photos in ads, to improve the matching system and deliver the best visual resources possible.

Google had a similar deal with Dreamstime last year, but it seems they have now opted for Shutterstock.

Shutterstock's Content and Tech in Google Ads

Google selected Shutterstock not only because of their huge, high quality and varied library of images, but also because of their technology background. Shutterstock's API is very advanced, and allows to integrate and scale their library into other services easy and efficiently.

So from now on, clients to Google's advertising solutions (Adwords, Adsense and Admob) will be enabled to access Shutterstock's pool of images directly from the ad-creating platform.

Powerful Ad Creation in Simple Steps

Google Ad's system is an intuitive solution that helps advertisers run the best performing paid ads. Adding Shutterstock's advanced API allows them to deliver the same service, now aiming at providing the best performing images for each ad.

Shutterstock has presented a fake-case as example of how the new integration works, where they create an ad for a new t-shirt:

Screenshot from Shutterstock's Blog post about Google Ads integration

Ad creation process in Google Ads starts by entering keywords. They recommend to start with broad keywords and take advantage of the A/B testing feature to refine them to include more exact keywords or phrase keywords. It also lets you introduce negative keywords, to make sure no inexact or out-of-focus keyword gets related to your ad.

Screenshot from Shutterstock's Blog post on Google Ads integration

This way you'll be able to brainstorm and get to the best possible keywords, and then work in the ad's copy.

Screenshot from Shutterstock's Blog post about Google Ads integration

Once you've entered your ad's main keywords, Google will apply its technology to programatically match stock photos from Shutterstock's collection to them, suggesting the most accurate imagery to use in your ad. In the example case, this would be one of the matching images:

Screenshot from Shutterstock's Blog post about Google Ads integration

Additionally, Google will be testing the performance of the photos in the ads, allowing you to track how your Shutterstock-powered ads are doing and to work with the ones that best resonate with your target.

Visually Appealing Ads for Your Campaigns

This way, Google Ads users will be able to create strongly targeted ads in a simple and quick manner, assuring you will be getting the best out of your advertising budget. You would end up with an ad that looks like this: