When people think about advertising on Google, they often think about search ads or display banners. But there’s another channel that can be just as powerful: Gmail Ads. These are ads that appear directly in a user’s inbox, blending in with the surrounding emails but expanding into full promotions when clicked.
In 2025, Gmail Ads are no longer a standalone campaign type. Instead, they exist as a placement option within Google’s newer campaign formats, such as Demand Gen and Display. If you want to show ads inside Gmail, you need to understand how these campaigns work and how to set them up properly.
This tutorial will walk you through everything step by step: what Gmail Ads are, how to create them in Google Ads today, creative requirements, targeting options, and optimization strategies.
What Are Gmail Ads?
Gmail Ads are native-style ads that appear inside the Gmail inbox. They start as a collapsed teaser at the top of the Promotions tab or Social tab. When a user clicks, the ad expands to look like an email with images, calls to action, and links.
Why do advertisers use Gmail Ads?
- They reach people in a personal space where they are already reading and responding to messages.
- They are highly visual, which makes them stand out compared to text-heavy search results.
- They can be cost-efficient because they run as part of Google’s Display and Demand Gen inventory.
For businesses, Gmail Ads work well for generating leads, promoting e-commerce offers, or re-engaging people who have already interacted with your brand.
Gmail Ads in 2025: Where They Fit in Google Ads
A few years ago, you could set up Gmail Ads as a specific campaign type. That is no longer the case. Google has shifted Gmail inventory into broader campaign types.
Today, Gmail Ads can appear through:
- Demand Gen campaigns: The main campaign type for visual ads across YouTube, Discover, and Gmail.
- Display campaigns: You can narrow placements to Gmail if you want more control.
This shift means you need to think about Gmail as one part of a larger campaign strategy rather than a separate channel.
Step-by-Step: How to Create Gmail Ads in Google Ads
Here’s the exact workflow for creating Gmail Ads in 2025 using Google Ads.
Step 1: Start a New Campaign
- Log in to Google Ads.
- Click the blue “+ New Campaign” button.
- Choose a goal such as Sales, Leads, or Website traffic.
Step 2: Choose the Campaign Type
- Select Demand Gen if you want Gmail alongside YouTube Shorts, Discover, and other visual placements.
- Select Display if you want more control and prefer to specifically target Gmail as a placement.
Step 3: Set Targeting and Placements
- In Demand Gen, Google automatically shows ads across surfaces, including Gmail.
- In Display, you can go to Placements and add mail.google.com to focus on Gmail only.
Step 4: Build Your Audience
- Add your targeting preferences. Options include custom segments (keywords, URLs, apps), remarketing lists, Customer Match, demographics, and in-market segments.
- For Gmail Ads, remarketing and Customer Match lists tend to perform especially well.
Step 5: Create the Ad Creative
Your ad will appear as a collapsed teaser and expand when clicked. You need:
- Headline and description: Keep them clear and benefit-driven.
- Logo and images: High-resolution visuals that look clean in inbox format.
- Expanded ad content: The “email-style” ad that appears after a click. This can include images, text, call-to-action buttons, and links to landing pages.
Step 6: Set Budget and Bidding
- Decide on daily budget and choose a bidding strategy (Target CPA, Maximize Conversions, or manual CPC for testing).
- For new campaigns, Maximize Conversions is a simple place to start.
Step 7: Review and Launch
- Double-check targeting, creative, and placements.
Publish your campaign and allow time for learning before making major changes.
Gmail Ad Formats and Creative Specs
Your Gmail Ad has two states:
- Collapsed Ad (preview): This is what users see in their inbox. It usually includes a headline, description, and a small image.
- Expanded Ad: When someone clicks, the ad opens into a full-page format. This can include a hero image, multiple CTAs, or even product listings.
Recommended creative specs:
- Headline: Up to 25 characters.
- Description: Up to 90 characters.
- Images: At least 600×600 pixels for the main image. Use high-quality JPEG or PNG files.
- Logo: 120×120 pixels or higher.
Best practices:
- Keep your headline clear and focused on value.
- Use visuals that feel native to the inbox rather than overly flashy.
Include one clear CTA in the expanded version to avoid confusing users.
Targeting Options for Gmail Ads
One of the biggest strengths of Gmail Ads is its targeting flexibility. You can use:
- Remarketing lists: Re-engage people who visited your website.
- Customer Match: Upload email lists and find similar users.
- Custom segments: Target based on keywords, competitor URLs, or specific apps.
- In-market and affinity audiences: Reach people actively researching or with long-term interests.
- Demographics: Age, gender, parental status, income.
Tip: Start with remarketing or Customer Match for quick wins. Once you see performance, test broader custom segments.
Measuring Gmail Ad Performance
To know if your Gmail Ads are working, focus on the right metrics:
- Impressions: How many inboxes your ad appeared in.
- Click-through rate (CTR): How many people expanded your ad.
- Clicks to site: How many people clicked from the expanded ad to your landing page.
- Conversions: Track purchases, sign-ups, or other goals.
Set up conversion tracking in Google Ads or GA4, and use UTM parameters on your URLs to analyze Gmail performance separately.
Best Practices for Running Gmail Ads in 2025
Here are some proven strategies to maximize results:
- Start narrow: Use remarketing or Customer Match before going broad.
- Test subject lines: The collapsed ad works like an email subject line, so test multiple versions.
- Refresh creative often: People check their inbox daily, so stale ads wear out quickly.
- Limit frequency: Avoid bombarding the same users; set frequency caps where possible.
- Use strong offers: Discounts, free trials, or exclusive deals perform well in Gmail.
Troubleshooting: Why Aren’t My Gmail Ads Showing?
Sometimes campaigns don’t deliver in Gmail as expected. Common issues include:
- Audience too small: Remarketing or Customer Match lists need enough users to serve.
- Creative errors: Ads may be disapproved if images don’t meet size or policy requirements.
- Overly narrow targeting: If you stack too many filters, your ads won’t get traction.
- Budget and bids too low: If you’re underbidding, Gmail placements may not win auctions.
Check placement reporting in Google Ads to confirm whether your ads are serving on Gmail.
Gmail Ads vs Other Google Formats
It helps to understand where Gmail Ads fit compared to other options:
- Gmail vs Discovery Ads: Discovery covers Gmail plus YouTube and Discover feed, making it broader. Gmail-only is more focused.
- Gmail vs Search Ads: Search is intent-driven, Gmail is awareness and mid-funnel.
- Gmail vs Display Ads: Gmail is more native, blending into inboxes, while Display covers banners across millions of sites.
If your goal is direct response from people who are already engaged with your brand, Gmail Ads can be a strong complement to search and display.
Conclusion
Gmail Ads remain a unique way to reach people directly in their inboxes, even though they’re no longer a standalone campaign type. In 2025, you set them up within Demand Gen or Display campaigns, giving you more flexibility but also requiring a broader strategy.
By using high-quality creatives, starting with strong source audiences, and tracking performance closely, Gmail Ads can deliver cost-effective results for lead generation, e-commerce, or brand awareness.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but they run inside Demand Gen and Display campaigns rather than as a separate type.
Yes, with Display campaigns, you can add mail.google.com as a placement to focus only on Gmail.
There’s no fixed minimum, but $20–$50 per day is a reasonable starting point for small tests.
They work for both, but lead generation tends to see quicker wins thanks to strong offers in inbox format.
Use at least 600×600 images, 120×120 logo, 25-character headlines, and 90-character descriptions.
