Google Ad assets or ad extensions are additional pieces of information that can be added to a Google Ad to make it more useful and relevant to potential customers. These extensions can appear alongside an ad’s main text and provide additional information about a business, such as location, phone number, or other details that can help users make a decision.
Ad extensions can help improve ad performance by making ads more informative and engaging to potential customers. They can also help increase ad visibility by taking up more space on the search engine results page. Advertisers can set up ad extensions in their Google Ads account and customize them to best meet their business needs.
Google Ads Ad Extensions are of two types:
- Manual Assets
- Automated Extensions
Manual Extensions are extensions, which require a bit of manual set-up. You have to set it up yourself. Google-based on which extensions might improve your ad’s performance predicts automatic extensions. These, naturally, are set up automatically and require no extra work from the advertiser.
How to add an Ad Extensions?
Firstly, you need to create a Google Ads Campaign. After creating a campaign, click on the Ads & assets section and select Assets.
Click on the + sign you will see all assets (extensions). From here you can select your suitable asset.
To check automated extensions added by Google Ads click on AUTOMATED EXTENSIONS.
Google Ads Manual Extensions
Manual extensions in Google Ads are extensions that are added manually by advertisers to their ads. These extensions can provide additional information and details about a business, such as a phone number, address, or links to specific pages on the business’s website.
Before you begin
Keep these best practices in mind as you choose and set up your extensions:
- Use every extensions relevant to your business—extensions are free to add and they’ll only show if they’re predicted to improve your ad’s performance.
- Consider adding 4 or more extensions. For example, you could add site links, callouts, structured snippets, and one additional extensions of your choice.
- Manual extensions can be added at the account, campaign, or ad group level in Google Ads, and they can help to improve the visibility and effectiveness of ads by providing additional information and options for potential customers.
Here are the different manual ad extensions that can support users to achieve their goals:
⇒ Sitelink Extensions
Sitelink extensions can add more links to your ad, which can take more customers to the specific pages of your website. When someone clicks on your links, it takes them right to that page, which contains what they want to know or buy.
Sitelinks will appear differently, depending on the device; like mobile, tablet, and computer.
On a mobile or tablet device, the Sitelink extensions can show up to 8 links, which appear side-by-side on a single line. Here is an example of what the extensions can look like with the site links inside the red box on a mobile or tablet:
You can include 2 to 6 site links, which can sometimes also include short descriptions. On a computer Sitelink extensions shows 2 to 6 links, which may appear on the same line or with a description of up to two lines like:
⇒ Callout Extensions
Callout extensions are used to promote additional product features, business highlights, or services.
Any short phrase that describes something special about your service or offers can be added as callout extensions to help your ad stand out. They can also be used to highlight special offers and promotions. For example:
You can add up to 2 to 6 callouts in addition to the text of your ad. On the computer, the callout extensions are separated by dots and listed on a single line. On mobile and tablet devices, it is wrapped in paragraph form.
⇒ Structured Snippet Extensions
Structured snippet extensions, allows you to highlight specific features of your products or services with a header and list of values.
On the computer, structured snippet extensions can show up to 2 headers with text. On mobile and tablet, it shows only one header with text.
⇒ Call Extensions
Call extensions can be used to add a phone number to your ads. They give mobile users or devices with a calling facility, the option to click to call directly to your business. This can significantly increase the click-through rates of your sites.
Remember that, Ads may set up automated call extensions when your website has a phone number and your business goals include getting people to call you.
Placing a phone number in ad text is against Google policy, which may lead to disapproval of your ad. Call Extensions is the easiest way to add a phone number to the ad.
Scheduling call Extensions is also important. By scheduling it, you can set your business hours as a specific time to answer the call.
⇒ Lead Form Extensions
Lead form extensions are the same as the contact form that you use on your website. Without the hassle of going to the webpage to fill up the contact form, the users can directly share their information and query in the lead forms in your ad.
This extension is one of the best ways to collect leads. But its creation is not as easy as you think. First of all, you need a ‘privacy policy’ page on your website. Then you need to accept the terms of service by Google and proceed to create your lead form.
⇒ Location Extensions
Location extensions can show your address in ads to help people find your locations easily by maps or distance to your business. By clicking on your ad extensions, people could get details about business locations, hours, photos, directions, etc.
As you can see, this helps the ad stand out, shows that the advertiser is a local business, gives the searcher an idea about where the company is located, and gives directions, in case they would like to visit the person.
Location extensions may also include a phone number or call button so that users can easily call your business. It can show your business location differently depending on the device – mobile and computer also in various formats on Search Network, Display Network, and Google Maps.
⇒ Affiliate Location Extensions
Affiliate location extension helps people to find nearby stores that sell your product through retail chains. Hence, if you are a retailer and selling through a retail chain, an affiliate location extension will help people to find stores nearby them that sell your product.
Above is an example of affiliate location marketing. It shows the nearby store location, which sells your product. On mobile, the person can tap to get directions to the store.
⇒ Price Extensions
Price extensions can be used to show your offers, services, or list of products with their prices. It appears below your text ad on the search result page, which gives more information to customers without visiting your website. On mobile or computer, it can show up to 8 cards below your text ad.
The price extensions will directly take people to the page on your website when they click on your ad with the price menu.
⇒ App Extensions
App extension allows linking your app to the text ad. This can allow people to go to your website by clicking on the headline of your ad and downloading your app with the app extension provided below your text ad.
App extension appears only on devices like mobile and tablets. By clicking on the app link, it will directly take them to the app store, whether it be the Google App store on android or the apple app store on iOS.
⇒ Promotion Extensions
Promotion extension can be used in your text ads to highlight your offers, sales, and promotions. It can be used to attract more people to your business by giving the best offers in your ad.
Promotion extension displays up to 2 lines of text that include promotion details.
When someone clicks or taps on the extension, they go directly to the special offer that interests them on your site. Promotion extensions appear on all devices in different formats. On the google search result page, an ad appears at the top and bottom of the page. It can be used on special occasions.
⇒ Image Extensions
As its name suggests, an image extension is used to add an image to your ad. Google Ads allows you to share an image up to 5120KB that reflects in square form as shown below.
This extension is most beneficial for businesses that offer products or services that are affected by their looks. Eg. Apparel, electronics, construction, cleaning, etc.
While adding image extension make sure you follow all Google’s guidelines for image extension. Blurry, cropped, and images with text or logo overlays are not allowed.
⇒ Business Name and Logo Extension
The Business Name & Logo Extension in Google Ads is a new feature that allows you to display your brand’s identity prominently. By incorporating your business name and logo directly into your ads, you can instantly grab the attention of potential customers, reinforcing brand recognition and trust.
This extension helps your ads stand out in search results, making them more appealing and recognizable. When users see your logo and business name, it adds credibility and helps them connect with your brand even before clicking on the ad.
It’s a powerful way to strengthen your brand presence and make your ads more impactful.
To enable this extension, you’ll need to go through Google’s advertiser verification program. This program confirms a business’s identity and operations. You’ve got 30 days to begin the verification process and an additional 30 days to complete it. The person in charge should be a Google Ads account admin familiar with your business and how it advertises on Google Ads. This person is usually from the business or its marketing agency.
Google Ads Automated Extensions
Google Ads Automated Extensions are additional pieces of information that can be automatically added to your Google Ads based on your account’s data and performance. These extensions are generated by Google’s algorithm and do not require any manual setup from advertisers.
- Dynamic Sitelink extensions: These are additional links that can appear below the main ad copy and direct users to specific pages on the advertiser’s website.
- Dynamic structured snippet extensions: These provide more detailed information about the products or services being advertised.
- Automated location extensions: These automatically display the business location information in the ad based on the user’s location or search terms.
- Dynamic callout extensions: These highlight specific features or benefits of the product or service being advertised.
- Seller rating extensions: These display the business’s overall rating based on customer reviews.
- Dynamic Image Extension: This extension allows advertisers to automatically show a relevant image alongside their ad.
- Longer Headlines Automated Extension: This extension automatically adds a third headline to the ad to provide more information and increase the ad’s visibility.
Benefits of Ad Extensions
Here are some of the key benefits of using ad extensions:
- Increased click-through rates (CTR): Ad extensions can provide additional information and options for potential customers, which can make the ads more appealing and relevant. This can result in higher CTRs, as customers are more likely to click on ads that provide the information they are looking for.
According to Google, you can increase your CTR by 10-15%. - Improved ad rank: Ad extensions can also improve an ad’s quality score, which is a factor that Google uses to determine ad rank. By providing more relevant information to customers, ad extensions can help to improve the ad’s quality score, which can result in higher ad positions and lower cost-per-clicks (CPCs).
- Enhanced visibility: Ad extensions can make ads more noticeable and prominent on the search results page. This can help to increase brand awareness and attract more clicks to the ad.
- Increased conversions: Ad extensions can also help to improve the conversion rate of an ad. By providing customers with additional information and options, ad extensions can help to encourage customers to take action, such as making a purchase or contacting the business.
