Put Your Clients on the Cutting Edge With 3D Google Ads

By Sean Brooks on Oct 21, 2021

The online advertising landscape has undergone dramatic changes. Today’s Internet users face an increasing volume of content coupled with a decreasing attention span. With little patience for what isn’t interesting to them, these users are difficult for advertisers to reach.  Enter a new eye-catching technology: the new 3D ad format from Google called Swirl. This groundbreaking product opens the door to a new type of advertising: user-interactive three-dimensional ads.

Ads have had to evolve along with their audiences. The static banner ad no longer dominates web pages as it once did. Instead, the rise of video advertising content has driven engagement to new levels thanks to its quick delivery of product information. Video supports such diverse content opportunities that there are always new and creative ideas for your agency to explore on behalf of your clients.

So, it makes sense that 3D ad technology is on the upswing—and for any agency that provides Google advertising services, it’s a can’t-miss tool.  With marketing research already revealing the effectiveness of these ads and their popularity with Internet users, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to offer this exciting opportunity to your clients.

Let’s look at everything that digital marketers should know about this format and what it could mean for your client campaigns.

What Is a 3D Ad? About Google 3D Swirl

3D ads are just what they sound like: a virtual, interactive 3D environment as a web ad. The goal of a 3D ad is to offer users an exciting way to interact with ads that goes beyond passive viewing. Originally released in beta in 2019, Google’s 3D ad platform Swirl had its first public release in 2020.

Inspired by the interactivity of touchscreens, Swirl lets users interact with ads in multiple intuitive ways. That interaction could mean tapping to expand an exploded view of a product or rotating a 3D model to see it from every angle. Zooming in on a detail or using robust animations to demonstrate features are also possible. 3D ads provide a miniature virtual space for users to interact with to learn about brand-driven opportunities.

How Your Clients Benefit From 3D Ads

The client appeal is obvious: with a 3D ad, your client’s target audience enjoys an experience much closer to physically examining a product in person. Even a 3D ad for a service invites additional attention because of its interactive element. As a result, these ads have several benefits for clients who engage you for Google advertising services.

Aside from the wow factor of this 3D technology, here are the selling points that you need to know.

3D Ads Offer Rich Product and Service Data

The interactive nature of Swirl creatives means that your client’s target customers can learn about a product from within the ad. Earning traditional ad clicks is difficult; catching a user’s attention with an interesting animation is much easier. It is an opportunity to show how a client’s product or service offers something unique, solves a problem or meets a need.

3D Ads Create Excellent Cross-Platform Engagement

Google designed Swirl ads to work well no matter which platform a potential customer uses to view them. 3D ads retain their attractive form and function whether you view them on a mobile device, tablet or traditional desktop computer. With active support and development from the Google team, Swirl is set to become an entrenched presence in the Google advertising services family.

3D Ads Generate Better Brand Engagement

The unique nature and interactivity of these ads attract curious users and enable 3D ads to outperform 2D ads on a significant scale. One of Google’s initial partners, the pet food company Purina, reported more than six times as many engagements with their 3D ads compared to traditional formats. That’s an easy sell to clients who are eager for improved ROI.

How to Build 3D Ads: A Quick Overview

Designing and implementing a 3D ad campaign isn’t entirely the same as designing a regular search engine marketing campaign. To offer 3D functionality, you need a 3D model—and more than that, you need a model with a level of detail that can support the interactivity that you’ve envisioned with your clients. It’s not as straightforward as snapping a few photos with a nice SLR and turning the files over to a graphic designer.

There are enterprise software solutions for 3D modeling, such as Autodesk’s Maya, but specialized 3D photography studios operate now as well. Depending on the size of the product, professional solutions may be ideal for developing a model that will look appropriate in a Swirl creative. The right solution will vary based on your client’s demands, budget and campaign goals.

Once you have a 3D model file in hand, it’s time to create the ad in the Google Swirl studio. This extensive process offers marketers a high degree of control over the look and feel of the ad. There are even options for triggering different ad states based on user interactions with the webpage. For example, the ad might animate and display controls as it scrolls into view on the page.

How to Effectively Offer These Services Today

Swirl and 3D ad creation offer businesses the opportunity to make a lasting impression on users while improving the ROI of paid ad campaigns. The creation of a robust 3D ad can be a complicated process with multiple factors to consider, and many marketing agencies do not have staff in place with the skills to succeed immediately in this new space. However, that doesn’t mean success with 3D advertising is out of reach.

With white label Google advertising services from Umbrella, your team can focus on what matters most: serving clients with high-value insights. While your business continues to deliver quality results that exceed client expectations, we deliver the support that you need to secure powerful results in this emerging space. Extend your team’s capabilities with our holistic approach to generating positive outcomes for your clients.

Open the door for your agency to offer 3D advertising to your clients today and put your team back on the cutting edge. Contact Umbrella today to discover how to start using 3D ads.