How to Create Google Shopping Product Images for Black Friday 2026: Promotional Text, Discount Graphics, and Merchant Center Rejection Checks

Conclusion: Google Shopping product images are not Black Friday posters. The main image submitted to image_link should show the product fully, without any obstructions, promotional text, or watermarks, and must match the specific variant in terms of color, material, pattern, etc. Promotional information such as “Black Friday,” “25% OFF,” or “Free Shipping” should be presented through price fields, promotions, or separate ad creatives, rather than being embedded directly into the product data image.

Black Friday image division: image_link demonstrates “what is being sold”; additional_image_link adds perspective and details; lifestyle_image_link showcases real-life scenarios; while off‑site ad images handle discount slogans, promo codes, and countdowns.

This article is aimed at cross-border sellers who use Shopify or independent websites to connect with Google Merchant Center. Its goal is clear: before Black Friday launches, completely separate product data images from promotional ad images, reducing the risk of Text on image rejection, and ensuring clear file and URL guidelines for future image replacements.

I. What are the core rules for Black Friday Google Shopping product images?

The product image rules of Google Merchant Center can be summarized in one sentence: Images must accurately and unobstructedly showcase the current product, while promotional information belongs in the product data and promotion system. No matter how polished the visual, if it overlays prices, discounts, CTAs, watermarks, or later-added store logos, it may be deemed Text on image.

1. Do not embed these Black Friday elements into the image_link

• Event names like “Black Friday” or “Cyber Monday”;

• Discount percentages, strike‑through prices, final prices, and countdown timers;

• Action buttons such as “Buy Now” or “Shop Now”;

• Free shipping, extended warranties, free gifts, and service details;

• Later‑added store names, logos, watermarks, barcodes, or borders.

Here, it’s important to distinguish between two types of text. Labels, brands, and specifications already present on the packaging belong to the genuine product appearance; whereas red tags, promo codes, and store logos temporarily added for big sales are overlay layers. Do not use off‑site ad designs as Shopify’s primary product images and then sync them to Google.

2. After removing text, also verify that variants match

Not having promotional text does not automatically make an image compliant. image_link It must still display the actual product being sold, with colors, materials, patterns, and quantities matching the current variant. A blue version cannot mistakenly use a green product image; likewise, the main image for bundled products should clearly show buyers exactly what items are included.

Google’s official image_link documentation emphasizes both product relevance, correct variants, and the absence of promotional overlays. During Black Friday, the most common mistake isn’t having insufficient “festive” imagery—it’s having sellers ask a single image to simultaneously serve both product identification and promotional messaging.

II. How should four layers of Google Shopping image assets be divided during Black Friday?

The actionable decision rule is: images in Google product data are responsible for proving “what is being sold,” while ad images explain “why buy now.” Once separated, product images can be reused consistently, and campaign copy can independently adapt to different dates, discounts, and channel allocations.

1. additional_image_link is used to clarify aspects not fully explained by the main image.

additional_image_linkUp to 10 supplementary images can be submitted. These are suitable for showing the back, sides, material close-ups, packaging contents, and product usage states, or even just highlighting specific parts of a set. Each image should serve a distinct purpose; avoid re-submitting the same angle with different backgrounds.

2. lifestyle_image_link includes scenes but still must not contain promotional text.

lifestyle_image_linkUsed to showcase how the product appears in real-world settings—such as furniture placed in a room, clothing being worn, or a group of products displayed within an entire scene. While more atmospheric than the main image, it remains subject to restrictions against promotional overlays. Event-related text, pricing, and discount codes must stay confined to off-site ad variations.

III. How to create four layers of Black Friday assets from a single original product image?

1. First, encode the SKU’s immutable attributes into a product identity card.

Record the product’s outline, color, material, pattern, packaging text, number of accessories, and visible structural elements. The number of buttons on a speaker, the eyelets on a shoe, the pump mechanism on skincare products, and label placement—all constitute unchangeable product facts. All subsequent images will reference this approved original image as the standard identity.

2. Create a base master image without any promotional elements first.

The master image focuses solely on background removal, basic lighting, and necessary flaw corrections—without adding Black Friday branding or fabricating “more attractive” components. During approval, zoom in to inspect edges, labels, reflective surfaces, zippers, caps, and connection points. AI may adjust the environment, but it cannot redesign the product itself.

3. Generate detailed images and real-life scenes separately from the master image.

Once the main image passes inspection, proceed to produce side views, material close-ups, packaging details, and lifestyle scenes. When using PixPix for background replacements or scene expansions, keep the product body separate from its surroundings, consistently referencing the same master image. A beautiful background alone does not qualify; only when the product’s structure remains unchanged does it pass.

Product images generated by generative AI should retain metadata that identifies their digital origin, such as IPTC. DigitalSourceTypeDo not actively remove such metadata when exporting, compressing, or processing through a CDN.

4. Finally, copy a Black Friday branch exclusively for advertising purposes.

The off-site advertising branch can include Black Friday details, discount percentages, promo codes, and call-to-action buttons; however, the file name and storage directory must be kept entirely separate from Merchant Center images. It is recommended to use the following naming convention:

• sku123_gmc_main_v02.jpg: Google main image;

• sku123_gmc_additional_detail01.jpg: Google supplementary detail image;

• sku123_gmc_lifestyle01.jpg: Google lifestyle image;

• sku123_bf2026_meta_4x5.jpg: Off-site Black Friday advertising image.

IV. Where should Black Friday discounts be placed in Google Shopping?

1. Directly reduce the price by specifying sale_price and its effective date.

During Black Friday, when applying direct price reductions, keep the regular price in price while submitting the promotional price to sale_price and indicating the validity period in sale_price_effective_date. The landing page and checkout prices must also match. Strikethrough pricing and promotional labels are managed by Google based on product data and eligibility criteria—there’s no need to include them directly in the product image.

price: [常规价] [货币]
sale_price: [黑五活动价] [货币]
sale_price_effective_date: [ISO 8601 开始时间]/[ISO 8601 结束时间]

For detailed field usage, refer to Google's official documentation on sale_price.

2. Use promo codes and conditional promotions under Promotions.

Promo codes, fixed-amount discounts, percentage-based discounts, or promotions targeting specific product collections should be handled through Promotions. Shopify sellers can synchronize supported pricing and promotions via the Google & YouTube app, ensuring that promotional information flows into the product and promotion systems rather than being confined to pixel-level tracking.

Google’s guidelines for Shopify pricing and Promotions clarify the division of responsibilities between these two approaches, while the “Large-Scale Shopping Event Promotion Preparation Guide” outlines pre-event checks for products, discounts, and disqualification risks.

V. How do you fix a "Text on image" rejection in Merchant Center?

1. Identify the actual data source controlling image_link.

1. Access Products in Merchant Center via

   and open "Needs attention."

2. Filter

   to locate Text on image , then download the list of affected products.

3. Record the product ID, variant, current image_link and data source.

4. Confirm whether the URL originates from a Shopify product image, the Google & YouTube app, a file feed, a supplemental data source, or an API.

Temporarily updating the image on the Merchant Center page alone is insufficient. If Shopify or scheduled feeds continue to submit outdated URLs, the next synchronization could reintroduce the incorrect image. The fix must address the root source that truly controls the image field.

2. Replace with a clean image and submit a new unique URL.

Re-export images without promotional text, watermarks, or obstructions, ensuring correct variant information. Google’s official guidelines clearly outline the crawling schedule: when a new image uses a new URL, it typically gets crawled within 3 days; however, if the image content has changed but the URL remains unchanged, the system may take up to 6 weeks to recognize and re-crawl the updated image.

The new URL should be publicly accessible to both Googlebot and Googlebot-Image, without requiring login, and must not be blocked by robots.txt, temporary signatures, or hotlink protection. After submission, check the data source processing results to confirm that Merchant Center is indeed reading the new address.

3. Wait for the status to refresh, but do not repeatedly overwrite the same file.

After image repair is complete, changes may take 24–72 hours to appear on the "Needs attention" page. At this point, verify the new image URL, the data source processing logs, and the product details; avoid continuously uploading files with the same name. Google’s “Text on image” repair guidelines outline separate processing paths for individual products and bulk uploads.

VI. Pre‑Black Friday 2026 Google Shopping Product Image Review

• Main image: The product must be fully displayed, without any Black Friday promotions, discounts, pricing, free shipping information, buttons, watermarks, or additional logos.

• Variants: Colors, materials, patterns, quantities, and other product attributes must match the original listing.

• Supplementary images: Each image should capture a different angle, detail, packaging contents, or usage scenario, with a maximum of 10 images.

• Lifestyle images: Scenes must be realistic, with the product as the visual focal point, and no promotional text or borders.

• AI metadata: Images generated by generative AI must retain appropriate attribution labels such as DigitalSourceType.

• Discount data: price、sale_price、event timing, landing pages, and checkout prices must all align consistently.

• Material isolation: External Black Friday ad images must not be mapped into Google’s image fields.

• Replacement method: When updating old images, submit a new unique URL and ensure it can be publicly crawled.

• Final status: Data source processing completed successfully, the product details now display the updated image, and related issues have been resolved from “Needs attention.”

If time permits only one task, first thoroughly clean up Shopify’s main product image and Google’s image_link . Promotional visuals can wait; the real priority before Black Friday is addressing losses caused by products being rejected due to poor-quality images.

VII. Common Issues with Google Shopping Product Images During Black Friday

1. Can the words “Black Friday” be included in the additional_image_link?

No. Supplementary images may showcase different angles, usage scenarios, local details, and packaging contents, but they must still comply with product image requirements. Discount text, store stickers, and event CTAs should remain in external advertising materials and not be submitted to additional_image_link.

2. Can a promo code be placed in the lifestyle_image_link?

No. Lifestyle images are intended to demonstrate how the product is used in real-world settings, not serve as promotional banners. Promo codes, pricing, action buttons, and Black Friday copy should instead be presented through Promotions, price fields, or separate ad creatives.

3. What should I do if Shopify has synced the Black Friday poster as the main image on Google?

First, confirm which product image the Google & YouTube app is currently displaying, then replace that position with a clean master image. The Black Friday poster can still be used for homepage banners, emails, and ads, but avoid using it in places where it would overwrite images linked to Merchant Center.

4. Can AI-generated Google Shopping product images be used?

Yes, but the image must depict an actual product—do not alter variants, structure, quantity, packaging, or accessories. Additionally, images created by generative AI must retain their corresponding digital source metadata. Visual appeal comes second; accurate product identification takes priority.

5. The text has already been removed, so why does it still show “Needs attention”?

First, check whether Merchant Center is still reading the old URL. A new URL requires crawling and status processing; if you continue using the original URL, cached old images may persist. Before Black Friday, when you need to clearly signal an update, exporting a new file and submitting the new URL is the most straightforward approach.

VIII. Official Resources from Google Merchant Center

• Image link [image_link]

• How to fix: Text on image

• Additional image link [additional_image_link]

• Lifestyle image link [lifestyle_image_link]

• Sale price [sale_price]

• About sale price and promotions for Shopify users

• Get ready for big shopping events with sales and promotions