Google have started an experiment that will see it placing visual ads within the image search results

“What we’re announcing today is a new suite of image-related experiments. We’re pairing images with images for the first time–display ads with image search,” stated R.J. Pittman, Product Management Director.

Google has made plenty of money off text ads appearing next to web search results but are now working to build up and develop the display ads on the image search results.

R.J. Pittman said that there is a “direct connection” between image search and commerce, at an event held at Google’s Mountain View headquarters. “If we can align the nature of the images from the advertisers with the nature of the images from Image Search, it will help users find more of what they’re looking for. You’ll see that these renderings show a fairly seamless user experience rather than just a stack of ads across the top.”

Similar to the text ads found in the web search, the ads are set aside from the natural results and are highlighted with a pale yellow background. Google is saying they want these ads to be useful for its users.

There is no confirmed date as to when these new image ads will be introduced but Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Search Products and User Experience has estimated 2009