Google Gemini Setup

Connect Google Gemini to MagicAds — the broadest provider, powering the Copy, Image and Video studios plus the Fashion Studio and Product Photoshoot plugins from a single key.

Introduction

Google Gemini is the broadest and most important provider on the platform. A single key drives:

• Copy Studio — the Gemini text models,
• Image Studio — Google Nano Banana 2 (Gemini 3.1 Flash Image),
• Video Studio — Google Veo 3.1 and Veo 3.1 Lite, and
• the Fashion Studio and Product Photoshoot plugins, which use Gemini as their image/video engine.

Because so much depends on it, the Gemini key is the one most worth configuring first.

How keys are stored

All AI provider keys live in the AI Settings screen and are stored encrypted in the database. There are no .env edits — keys are injected into the drivers at runtime. Users never supply their own key; every generation runs on the admin’s key.

A model only becomes available to users when both are true: the Gemini API key is saved and the model is enabled in the vendor modal. The same key powers Gemini text, Gemini image, Veo video, and the two plugins — you only enter it once.

Before you start

• Admin access to your MagicAds platform.
• A Google account with access to Google AI Studio.
• Billing enabled on the Google project if you’ll use the paid models (notably Veo video).

Part 1 — Get your Gemini API key

1. Open Google AI Studio

   Go to aistudio.google.com/apikey and sign in with your Google account. Accept the terms of service on your first visit.

2. Create an API key

   Click Create API key. Give it a name, then either:

   • select an existing Google Cloud project from the dropdown, or
   • choose Create API key in new project for a clean project.

   Click Create key.

3. Copy the key

   Click the key’s name in the list to open its details, then use the copy icon to grab the full key. You can return to this page to copy it again later.

4. Set up billing for paid models

   The Gemini API has a free tier, but the paid models — especially Veo video — require billing. From AI Studio, open Billing (or the linked Google Cloud project) and add a payment method. Confirm the key’s project can access the Gemini 3.x text models, the Gemini 3.1 Flash Image model, and the Veo 3.1 video models.

   Google charges you directly for usage — this is separate from your MagicAds platform credits.

Part 2 — Add the key in MagicAds

1. Open AI Settings

   In your platform, go to Admin → AI Settings.

2. Open the Google vendor

   Click the Google vendor card to open its configuration modal.

3. Paste the key

   Paste your API key into the API key field. Leaving it blank keeps the existing key unchanged.

4. Enable the models you want

   Toggle on the Gemini/Veo models you want to offer across the Copy, Image, and Video studios, and set each model’s credit cost.

5. Save

   Click Save. The Google card shows as connected and the enabled models appear in their studios.

There is no “test connection” button. To verify, enable a model and run a quick generation in the matching studio.

Part 3 — Supported Google models

Copy Studio

Model	Model ID	Tier	Default credits	Best for
Gemini 3.1 Pro	gemini-3.1-pro-preview	Premium	3	Highest-quality Gemini; long-form, multilingual, complex briefs.
Gemini 3.5 Flash	gemini-3.5-flash	Standard	1	Near-Pro intelligence at Flash speed/cost; strong general pick.
Gemini 3.1 Flash-Lite	gemini-3.1-flash-lite	Fast	1	Fastest, most budget-friendly; high-volume short copy.

Image Studio

Model	Model ID	Default credits	Notes
Google Nano Banana 2	gemini-3.1-flash-image	2	Best overall realism with character consistency, native 4K, strong editing and multilingual text. The default image model. Supports reference-image input.

Video Studio

Model	Model ID	Default credits	Notes
Google Veo 3.1	veo-3.1-generate-preview	12	Film-grade 1080p with native synchronized audio/dialogue in one pass. The default video model.
Veo 3.1 Lite	veo-3.1-fast-generate-preview	6	Faster, cheaper Veo tier for quick iterations; same engine, lower fidelity.

Also used by plugins

• Fashion Studio uses Gemini’s Nano Banana 2 as its image engine and Veo 3.1 Lite for its Create Video tool.
• Product Photoshoot uses Gemini’s Nano Banana 2 as its image engine.

Both read the same Gemini key, so configuring it here also unlocks those plugin features (subject to each plugin’s own settings).

Credit costs shown are the seeded defaults. You can change any model’s cost in the vendor modal. These are what your platform charges users in credits — not Google’s prices.

Part 4 — Make Gemini a default (optional)

In the global section of AI Settings, Gemini is already the default for image and video out of the box (default image model = Google Nano Banana 2, default video model = Veo). You can also set the default copy engine to Gemini, toggle each studio on/off, and control free-tier access there.

Troubleshooting

Symptom	Likely cause	Fix
Gemini/Veo models don’t appear	Key missing or models disabled	Add the key in the Google vendor modal and enable the models, then Save.
Image and copy work, but Veo video fails	Billing not enabled for Veo	Enable billing on the Google project; Veo requires it.
”The payload is invalid.” on generate	Saved key can’t be decrypted (e.g. after an environment change)	Re-enter the Gemini key in AI Settings and Save to refresh it.
Fashion Studio / Product Photoshoot can’t generate	Gemini key not set	Add the Gemini key in AI Settings (those plugins read the same key).
Gemini API errors / 401 / 403	Invalid key or no model access	Re-check the key and that its project can access the Gemini/Veo models.

Keys are stored encrypted and applied at runtime. No .env changes or commands are needed after saving.