Google Demand Gen ads now feature landing page screenshots
Google now lets you automatically add screenshots of landing pages in Demand Gen campaigns. This new feature is designed to boost engagement.
- The feature appears as a checkbox option labeled “Show a screenshot of your landing page in your ads” and is reportedly enabled by default for some advertisers.
Who benefits:
- Companies with visually appealing websites.
- Advertisers looking to A/B test visual preview creatives against standard formats.
- Campaigns focused on demand generation video ads, where visual elements are crucial.
The catch. The landing page screenshot becomes part of the ad creative itself, making the visual quality of destination pages even more critical to advertising success. This visual preview capability could also significantly impact click-through rates and user expectations, as potential customers can now see what awaits them before clicking.
Why we care. This update could be a game-changer for first impressions. By showing landing page screenshots in ads, Google sets a visual expectation before the click, making design quality more critical. The better the page looks, the more likely users are to engage. For brands with strong visuals, it’s a chance to stand out earlier in the customer journey, attract more qualified clicks, and cut down on wasted ad spend.
What they’re saying. Landing pages “should always be on point when spending on Google Ads,” and this feature raises the stakes for landing page design, according to Thomas Eccel, head of Google Ads at agency JungvMattIMPACT, on Linkedin.
Bottom line. So far, the feature only appears in lead gen video ads, but it could roll out more widely if it’s successful.
What to watch. How this feature impacts conversion rates, whether users respond positively to seeing landing page previews before clicking, and if Google expands this capability across its broader advertising ecosystem.
