Google’s “Smart Cropping” may be trimming your Shopping Ad images

Some advertisers are noticing oddly cropped product images in Google Shopping ads — and it turns out Google Merchant Center’s “Smart Cropping” feature is behind it.

Why we care. Smart Cropping, enabled by default, uses automation to zoom in on what Google determines is the most relevant part of a product image. While the goal is to improve ad visuals, the result can sometimes be awkwardly cropped images that don’t match the uploaded product photos.

The backstory. An email from Google explains that there’s no option in the Merchant Center UI to disable Smart Cropping. Advertisers must instead contact Google support to have it manually turned off for their account.

The tip-off. Zato Founder Kirk Williams first raised the issue after spotting unusual ad visuals despite correctly formatted image uploads. He shared the finding on LinkedIn — and Google’s response — with the PPC community.

The bottom line. If your Shopping ads look off, Smart Cropping could be the culprit. Check your visuals and reach out to Google support if you want the feature disabled.