Quick answer: upload display ads at 150 KB or less as JPG, PNG, or GIF, and build the six sizes that cover most inventory: 300×250, 728×90, 336×280, 320×50, 300×600, and 160×600. Animation must stop within 30 seconds.

Why a handful of sizes dominate

The Display Network accepts roughly twenty uploaded dimensions, but a small subset appears across the majority of placements. The 300×250 medium rectangle runs on both mobile and desktop and fits in-content slots; the 728×90 leaderboard sits at the top of desktop pages; the 320×50 mobile leaderboard is the phone equivalent. Building the full twenty before the six work is wasted effort.

The size table

Size Name Placement Notes
300×250 Medium rectangle In-content, mobile + desktop Most common size
728×90 Leaderboard Top of desktop pages Desktop in practice
336×280 Large rectangle In-content, desktop Larger than 300×250
320×50 Mobile leaderboard Mobile, top/bottom Phone standard
300×600 Half page Sidebar, desktop Room for a story
160×600 Wide skyscraper Sidebar Legacy but common
320×100 Large mobile banner Mobile Optional
970×250 Billboard Top of page Optional, high impact

The 150 KB cap

Every uploaded image ad, including HTML5, must be 150 KB or smaller. The constraint is tight enough that a full-bleed photograph at 1080 px will not fit — effective display creatives use flat color blocks, a single product image, and one line of copy. If the file will not compress, the composition is too busy.

Animation and clarity

Animated GIFs must stop within 30 seconds and run slowly enough to read; the practical pattern is three frames that land on the final message. Static creatives often perform as well because they load instantly and the viewer sees the complete message at once.

Display creative as a launch set

A product launch on the Display Network is the same six-size set plus a 1200×630 OG image and 1080 square social graphics. Neatico generates the banner sizes together from one product description, so the 300×250 and the 728×90 share the same composition rather than rebuilding each by hand.

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common Google Display ad size? 300×250, the medium rectangle. It runs on mobile and desktop in in-content slots and reaches the widest inventory.

What is the file size limit for Google display ads? 150 KB for uploaded images, including HTML5. Compress aggressively and use flat color blocks.

Can display ads be animated? Yes, GIFs are accepted, but the animation must stop within 30 seconds. A short three-frame loop is the practical limit.

Is 728×90 mobile-friendly? Not in practice; it is a desktop leaderboard. Use 320×50 for phones. The social media image sizes hub covers the related feed specs.

Choosing the sizes that carry the work

Display campaigns rely on a handful of high-reach sizes alongside a long tail of less common formats, so prioritize the responsive and standard banner dimensions that appear across most placements. Keep file size and safe margins in mind, with the message away from the edges. A Social Kit style approach can rebuild the same creative at the real pixel dimensions rather than scaling one banner, and the caption and brand stay consistent across the set.