How to Get Started with Shoppable Hotspot Ads

Shoppable ads have transformed digital advertising, offering a seamless and interactive way for users to explore products directly within an ad. These ads enable users to browse, interact, and access more details, without leaving the ad experience. No extra clicks or distractions. To stay ahead in the evolving landscape, it’s essential to understand the latest trends in advertising technology.

So, how do you create effective shoppable ads? And why should you use them? Let’s break it down.

What Are Shoppable Ads?

Unlike traditional ads, shoppable turns passive viewing into active shopping. And that’s why they’ve become a go-to strategy for modern marketers. Clickable Hotspots allow users to tap on products and learn more instantly – though purchasing may require navigating to an external store. Lets take a look at a shoppable ad:

Traditional ads rely on users remembering a brand and searching for products later. This process is slow, depending on users navigating multiple steps, each of which increases the chance of losing a sale. Shoppable removes those extra steps, making the shopping journey faster, smoother, and more effective.

How Do Hotspots work? 

One of the most powerful elements of shoppable ads is the hotspot—a clickable (or tappable) area that makes an ad interactive. Hotspots can highlight multiple products, reveal additional details, or provide direct purchase links within the ad itself.

Most ads that invite the user to buy something are created using simple CTA buttons (like “Shop Now”), which function as a direct link to a product page. A CTA isn’t a hotspot but it is one of the most common ways to direct the user to shop.

To create a more immersive experience, advertisers often go beyond simple links and use interactive hotspots that engage users without leaving the ad.

Triggering Overlays or Pop-Ups (Product Info in-Ad)

A more immersive approach involves opening an overlay or pop-up right within the ad itself. When a viewer taps a hotspot, a panel appears over the asset to display key product details—such as images, pricing, or color variants—without forcing them away from the ad.

Multi-Product Hotspots (Carousel or Multiple Click Zones)

Hotspots aren’t limited to a single product. In fact, many retailers showcase multiple SKUs or styles in one ad by tagging each item. Tapping any hotspot can open the relevant product details, or users can browse a mini-carousel within the ad.

This approach is especially popular in fashion or home décor ads, where viewers often want to explore entire looks or collections at once. By showcasing multiple products in a single experience, brands can cross-sell more effectively and keep audiences engaged.

Lightbox ad type for an advanced shopping experience

NEXD’s creative management platform supports in-ad panels through the use of the Lightbox ad type. That means, when clicked on the ad a webpage or an online shop page can open within an ad without having to navigate to a different tab or window. Because viewers can browse product info without leaving the ad, the path to purchase feels more seamless. Here is an example of the lightbox ad type:

Why Shoppable Ads Work

If boosting engagement and conversions is your goal (and let’s be honest, when isn’t it?), shoppable ads are a game-changer. They combine all the goodies (storytelling, interactivity and seamless product exploration) to create a shopping experience that drives real results.

Here’s why they work so well:

Higher Engagement

Interactive content holds attention longer, increasing time spent with your brand. Unlike passive ads, shoppable encourages users to interact, making them more likely to remember your brand and take action.

Discover 5 ways interactive video ads drive engagement.

Seamless Shopping

No need to leave the ad. Users can explore products or watch demos, eliminating friction and keeping the experience smooth.

Increased Conversions 

Every extra step in a traditional sales funnel risks losing a customer. With shoppable, the buying process is streamlined, leading to higher purchase rates and fewer drop-offs.

More Personalization 

With hotspots, you can showcase multiple products within a single ad. This lets users choose what interests them most, leading to a more tailored experience.

Stronger Brand Recall

Interactive experiences aren’t just fun—they’re memorable! Users are more likely to remember and revisit a brand that engages them in a meaningful way.

Also, you can run a brand lift study before and after your campaign to gauge the effect your shoppable ads have. Learn more about running brand lift studies with NEXD’s survey layout.

Better ROI 

With more engagement and higher conversions, shoppable ads deliver stronger performance metrics compared to traditional ads.

5 Steps to Creating a Shoppable Hotspot Ad With NEXD

1. Select Your Creative and Access the Extras Panel

• Choose the creative where you want to add hotspots.
• Open the Extras panel to begin customization.

2. Add and Customize Hotspots

• Add up to 6 hotspots per creative.
• Upload and position the hotspot media asset in the designated slot.
• Adjust position and scale within the cropper.
• Add hotspot hints, place them on the ad, and customize their animation (pulse, fade, or none).

3. Finalize Hotspot Settings

• Add a close icon for each hotspot and adjust its position and scale.
• Choose hint gestures and close icons from pre-made options or upload custom ones.
• Set the overlay color and adjust opacity for the best visual effect.

4. Track Performance & Optimize

Once your ad is live, tracking performance helps you refine and improve.

Key metrics to watch: 

• Click-through Rate (CTR) – Are users clicking the Hotspots?
• Time Spent on Hotspots – How engaging is the ad?
• Conversion Rate – Are clicks turning into sales?

🔬 A/B Testing Tip: Try different Hotspot placements, CTAs and assets to see what works best.

⚡ Supported Ad Formats: Hotspots work on infeed, interstitial, interscroller, expandable, and Lightbox ads. They are not compatible with VAST, VPAID, or responsive ad types.

Ready to Create Your First Shoppable Ad?

With NEXD’s Hotspot feature, making your ad interactive, mobile-friendly, and high-converting has never been easier. If you want some inspiration for creating shoppable ads with hotspots, here are some examples from our Ad-Gallery:

1. Grohe
2. Chinese New Year
3. Crate & Barrel