- May 11, 2026
- 37
- 5
- Awards
- 5
- First Name
- Darren
Google is testing a new advertising format called Vehicle Top Ads, which allows automotive manufacturers to display vehicle images, pricing, trims, and features directly within Google Search ads.
The format is currently in beta and is available in Canada, the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.
One important distinction: these ads are currently designed for OEMs rather than individual dealerships.
However, I think there are some interesting implications for dealers.
1. More competition for search visibility
If manufacturers begin displaying visually prominent vehicle ads at the top of search results, what happens to the visibility of dealership websites competing for those same model-related searches?
2. Changes to the customer journey
Consumers may increasingly interact with vehicle specifications, pricing, and imagery directly within Google's search results before visiting a dealership website.
3. Greater importance of local SEO
As Google introduces more advertising formats into automotive search results, dealerships may need to place even greater emphasis on local search visibility, model-specific landing pages, inventory optimization, and high-intent searches such as "[Model] for sale in [City]".
4. Potential changes to dealership PPC strategies
It will be interesting to see whether this format eventually expands beyond OEMs and how it might affect dealership advertising performance.
My question for the DealerRefresh community:
Do you see Vehicle Top Ads as another opportunity for manufacturers to capture attention earlier in the buying journey, or could they eventually create additional challenges for dealership visibility in Google Search?
Source: Google Automotive Model Feeds On Search Ads (Vehicle Top Ads) (Beta)
The format is currently in beta and is available in Canada, the U.S., Australia, and the U.K.
One important distinction: these ads are currently designed for OEMs rather than individual dealerships.
However, I think there are some interesting implications for dealers.
1. More competition for search visibility
If manufacturers begin displaying visually prominent vehicle ads at the top of search results, what happens to the visibility of dealership websites competing for those same model-related searches?
2. Changes to the customer journey
Consumers may increasingly interact with vehicle specifications, pricing, and imagery directly within Google's search results before visiting a dealership website.
3. Greater importance of local SEO
As Google introduces more advertising formats into automotive search results, dealerships may need to place even greater emphasis on local search visibility, model-specific landing pages, inventory optimization, and high-intent searches such as "[Model] for sale in [City]".
4. Potential changes to dealership PPC strategies
It will be interesting to see whether this format eventually expands beyond OEMs and how it might affect dealership advertising performance.
My question for the DealerRefresh community:
Do you see Vehicle Top Ads as another opportunity for manufacturers to capture attention earlier in the buying journey, or could they eventually create additional challenges for dealership visibility in Google Search?
Source: Google Automotive Model Feeds On Search Ads (Vehicle Top Ads) (Beta)
