Brief a YouTube Shorts Full-Bleed Image Ad Without Buying a Video

A YouTube Shorts full-bleed image ad brief should commission a vertical static image, not a shortened video. Specify the finished artwork, supporting ad copy, destination page and paid-use licence before the creator shoots.

Google’s September 2026 Demand Gen update says viewers can visit a landing page with a single tap on Shorts image ads when advertisers upload 9:16 full-bleed images. That is the format to name in the brief—not simply “portrait creative.” Google’s announcement

Lock the format before production

As of 14 October 2026, Google’s Demand Gen specifications list these limits and recommendations:

Item	Put this in the brief
Asset	Static 9:16 image for YouTube Shorts
Recommended dimensions	1080 × 1920 pixels
Minimum dimensions	600 × 1067 pixels
File format	JPG or PNG
Maximum image file size	5 MB
Safe zones	Use Google’s linked 9:16 safe-zone guidance and check the ad preview
Supporting copy	Single-image ad headlines: maximum 40 characters; descriptions: maximum 90 characters

Google says the safe zones for 9:16 images are similar to those for 9:16 videos. It also recommends reviewing ads in the platform preview rather than treating example mockups as exhaustive. Demand Gen image specifications Supported image formats

Full bleed does not mean putting important content against the edges. Ask for artwork that fills the vertical canvas, while keeping the product, face, key claim and essential text clear of interface overlays. Make preview approval part of delivery rather than inventing a universal pixel margin.

Google’s broader Shorts guide also allows square and portrait static images with an enhanced background. That eligibility is not the same specification as the announced 9:16 full-bleed one-click experience. Its video-length, sound and timed CTA advice should not become requirements for a static-image commission. Shorts asset guidance

An example brief you can adapt

The following is an illustrative commuter-bag campaign, not a platform-mandated creative formula.

Brief field	Example instruction
Objective	Drive purchases of the commuter bag through its product page.
Audience	Commuters looking for an everyday work bag.
Placement	Demand Gen single-image ad intended for YouTube Shorts; media buyer confirms placement settings.
Visual	Creator holding the bag in a believable departure-for-work setting. Product remains clearly identifiable at phone size.
Message	Show what the bag holds, using the actual product and contents rather than unsupported capacity claims.
Deliverables	Two separately composed 1080 × 1920 JPG layouts: one packed-bag view and one carrying view. Deliver each with the approved text overlay and as a clean, text-free export: four files total, each no larger than 5 MB.
Copy	Headline: “Pack for the working day.” Description: “Explore the commuter bag and choose your colour.” Brand supplies final CTA selection.
Destination	The bag’s product page, showing the same product and available colours.
Approval	Brand approves the concept before shooting; one consolidated revision round covers the agreed concept. Media buyer checks the final Shorts preview.
Example licence	Brand-account paid advertising on YouTube Shorts in the US for 90 days from first paid use. No creator posting, other placements or AI alteration included.

The brand should also supply its business name and square logo for campaign setup; Google lists both as required single-image ad assets. These are not automatically part of the creator’s design scope. Single-image ad requirements

Treat the clean exports as additional files in the scope. If the buyer also wants square, 4:5 or landscape versions, list them separately. A crop may need a new composition to keep the product and message usable.

Make the image understandable without a sequence

Google encourages mobile-oriented, social-first creative that fits surrounding organic Shorts and recommends authentic creator assets. For this static brief, translate that into a recognisable situation and a legible product—not an instruction to fake an unsolicited customer review. Google’s creative guidance

Give each image one job. A packed-bag view can demonstrate organisation; a carrying view can show appearance and scale. Neither needs a dense paragraph of benefits. Ask the creator to capture enough space around the subject for layout adjustments, then inspect the finished artwork at phone size.

Keep any endorsement truthful. Do not turn brand-written copy into “I use this every day” unless that accurately describes the creator’s experience. For US campaigns, FTC guidance says endorsements must reflect the endorser’s honest opinion and cannot make claims the marketer could not legally make. FTC endorsement guidance

Separate production, rights and campaign results

Quote the shoot, finished layouts, clean exports and revision allowance separately from the paid-use licence. State whether source files, extra crops and reshoots are included. A change of product, setting or concept after approval should trigger a new scope discussion.

The licence should name the advertiser, channels, territory, duration and permitted edits. If the campaign may also run on Gmail, Discover or other inventory, agree that broader use rather than burying it under “Google ads.” Creator-account permissions are a separate question; see usage rights versus whitelisting.

Before launch, the media buyer should confirm the uploaded ratio, preview, final URL and conversion tracking. Test the two visual concepts with the same offer and destination, and judge them against the campaign’s purchase objective—not video watch time.

One-click access reduces a navigation step; it does not guarantee sales. The announcement’s 40% conversion figure concerns Gmail, not Shorts, so it does not belong in a Shorts performance promise. Google’s announcement and data note