Short answer. additional_image_link carries up to 10 further images of the product, in the same formats as the main image (JPEG, WebP, PNG, GIF, BMP, TIFF); it is optional, and an undersized additional image is not shown rather than disapproving the product. Use it for other angles, details and lifestyle shots, and keep the main image the clean product shot.
| Attribute | additional_image_link |
|---|---|
| Requirement | Optional for each product. |
| Format |
|
Google’s rules for additional_image_link
- Same URL and crawlability rules as image_link.
- Images past the tenth are ignored.
- Lifestyle and promotional shots that would fail as the main image can appear here.
Common mistakes, and the error each one becomes
- The badged or promotional shot placed first, so it becomes image_link instead. → Promotional overlay on image [image_link]
- Dozens of URLs in one row, tripping other channels’ row limits.
Where the value comes from on a connected store
| Shopify | The product’s remaining media, main image excluded, in gallery order, up to 10. |
|---|---|
| WooCommerce | The product gallery images, up to 10, at full size. |
The free feed check reads this attribute from any feed file and reports the defects above; every check is listed.
Questions merchants ask
Do additional images affect approval?
Not for size: Google says undersized ones are simply not shown. A broken URL is still a broken URL, so keep them fetchable.
How are several values written in XML?
Repeat the g:additional_image_link element once per image, up to ten.
Should variants repeat the gallery?
They can. Each row is a product to Google; sharing the gallery across variants is fine, while the main image should show the variant.
Sources
- Additional image link [additional_image_link] — Google Merchant Center Help
- Image link [image_link] — Google Merchant Center Help