Google Expands Video Ads Across Search, Shopping, and Image Tabs

Google quietly dropped a new help document titled About Video ads across Google surfaces, offering a detailed look at its next evolution of shoppable video ad formats, following teasers at Google Marketing Live and months of experimental rollouts.

Details:

• These new video ads are part of Performance Max campaigns, allowing brands to include high-quality video assets that appear across:
  • Google Search
  • Google Image Search
  • Google Shopping
  • Discover feed

• Only available in the U.S. and Canada right now.
• The ads are designed for users in early stages of the buyer journey, showing up in more “browsy” placements to encourage product discovery.

Why we care. Google is expanding video ads into high-traffic surfaces like Search, Image, and Shopping, areas traditionally dominated by text and static visuals. This opens new opportunities to engage users earlier in the buying journey with immersive, brand-forward content. By integrating video into Performance Max campaigns, brands can increase visibility and drive stronger consideration.

What Google is saying. “These ads are effective to engage users… and may inspire potential customers earlier in their shopping journeys to learn about your brand.”

• “We’re now testing this new format to give businesses the ability to share video content alongside product information for a truly interactive experience.”

Zoom out. Google’s move follows a broader trend among platforms like TikTok, Amazon, and Pinterest to merge video with ecommerce.

What’s next. While the feature is still in testing, expect a broader rollout as Google collects performance data. Brands in eligible regions should prepare by optimizing video content tailored for search-specific discovery moments.

Bottom line. Video is no longer just for YouTube. Google is turning its traditional search results into a video-powered shopping engine, starting with Performance Max.