What Are Google Ads Extensions

Originally published: December 04, 2021 10:21:42 AM, updated: March 06, 2023 12:13:58 PM

Extensions provide more information to your ad, giving customers more reasons to choose your company. These can boost the click-through rate of an advertisement by several percentage points. Call buttons, location information, links to specific portions of your website, additional content, and more forms are available in extension formats.

How do Google Ads extensions work?

To improve the performance of your advertisement, Google Ads customizes the type of extension that appears in response to each Google search. As a result, it's a good idea to use a few of the available extensions that are relevant to your company's aims.

Extensions allow you to add more content to your ad, increasing its prominence and visibility on the search results page. As a consequence, you receive more bang for your buck with your ad. Extensions not only improve the total number of clicks on your ad, but they also provide additional and interactive ways for potential customers to communicate with you, such as a phone number for making calls or maps for directions to your actual location.

The majority of the extensions are manual and need setup. However, if Google Ads predicts that adding extensions to your ad will boost its performance, it may do it automatically. The automatic extensions do not appear among your options when setting up manual extensions because they do not require any setup.

Recommended video: Google Ads Tutorials: Ads & extensions

Types of Google Ad extensions

Here are the types of manual ad extensions currently available to Google Ads users:

1. Sitelink extension

The blue links that display beneath a Google search result are known as sitelinks. They are called "sitelinks" because they link to other pages on the same website shown in the search result.

Sitelinks appear on search engine result pages to assist users in quickly locating relevant information and web pages. They appear in both organic and paid search results.

Here's an example of a sitelink extension for an ad:

Types of sitelinks

Sitelinks have developed over time, and Google now displays them in a variety of ways. The number of sitelinks and their placement in the search results will vary.

Some sitelinks may contain outlines or photos. Sitelinks can alternatively be displayed as a carousel or with the option to expand them.

In general, there are two sorts of sitelinks that Google displays these days:

Search ads: Underneath each search ad, at least two sitelinks will be displayed. On desktop, you can have up to 6 links, and on mobile, you can have up to 8 links.

Video ads: When videos are played on mobile devices, at least 2 sitelinks appear beneath the adverts on YouTube. You have the option of displaying up to 4 sitelinks.

2. Callout extension

Words or phrases that show below your ad's description text are called callout extensions. They allow you to put more information about your products or services in your adverts. Using callout extensions, you may strengthen your text advertising by emphasizing unique offerings to shoppers, such as free shipping or 24-hour customer service.

The advantages of callout extensions

First and foremost, why should you be concerned? What impact do callout extensions have on the performance of your ads?

Because callout extensions take up more real estate in search results, they can be used to boost click-through rates. Callout extensions are frequently used to highlight value propositions, discounts, key points, and next steps in addition to enhancing click-through rates. This extra data aids the viewer in making a decision or taking action.

3. Structured snippet extension

Extensions that showcase specific parts of your products and services are known as structured snippets. These snippets are made up of two parts: a header (such as Colors) and a few values (for example, Green, Black, Herbal, etc.).

The structured snippet header possibilities are limited to the list provided by Google, and each header type will only appear if Google's algorithm determines that it matches the searcher's purpose.

For example, if someone looks to "buy apple lightning to USB cable 2m," he most likely knows exactly what he wants to acquire. In this situation, Google is unlikely to display a structured snippet because the searcher already knows what he wants to buy.

A customer looking to compare the best lightning cables for iPhones, on the other hand, is learning about the product options and hasn't decided (yet) which one to buy. It makes it logical to present the different product types, models, or brands that a store sells to this searcher.

You can add numerous data points (headers) to Google Ads so that the search engine can show the prospect the most relevant structured snippet based on his query intent.

Recommended reading

How to Retarget Site Visitors in Google Ads

Google Ads Automated Rules

What are Google Smart Campaigns

Smart Bidding vs. Manual Bidding in Google Ads

Search Network Campaign with Display Expansion on Google Ads

What is a Good CTR for Google Ads

The Ultimate Guide to Google Ads

4. Image extension

Advertisers can utilize image extensions to supplement their existing text ads with rich, relevant pictures. Image extensions can assist advertisers in driving success by providing engaging graphics of products or services that complement the content of their text ads.

How does image extension work?

When your image extension appears on the Google search results page, potential purchasers will see the following:

• Your headlines
• Your descriptions
• Your URL
• Your image

5. Call extension

A call extension is a Google Ads ad extension that displays your phone number alongside your ad and encourages potential customers to call you directly. This can appear as a "click-to-call" button on mobile devices.

What is a call extension, and how does it work?

Call extensions are one of numerous "ad extensions" available in Google Ads, and they add your phone number to your SERP ad. Depending on the size and structure of your account, you can add these phone numbers at the account level, campaign level, or ad group level.

These call extensions, however, do not always appear. Google selects extensions that it believes will most likely boost the ad's success. Furthermore, Google has a minimum Ad Rank requirement that your advertising must meet in order to appear, and your ad must appear high enough on the SERP. Only the top position advertisements (usually 1 and 2) are able to show extensions since Google only has a limited amount of page real estate above the organic listings to show ads.

6. Lead for extension

Advertisers can use Google lead form extensions to add a lead generation form right to a search ad. The functionality places a call to action earlier in the purchasing process, saving the consumer time and enhancing conversion rates.

Lead forms are the most recent addition to Google's search ad extensions. Sitelinks, callouts, structural snippets, and one-click dialing are all included, and they appear just below search advertising, like other extensions.

Consider lead form extensions as Google Ads' equivalent of LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms. Both use an inline lead capturing tool to replace a standard landing page experience. Naturally, the goal is to lessen the user's friction.

7. Location extension

Location extensions can assist customers in finding your locations by providing your advertising with your address, a map to your site, or the distance to your business. People may then click or tap on your extension to get more information about your location on your location page, which has all of the most important company data in one spot. A phone number or a call button may be included in location extensions so that users can simply contact your company.

Campaigns on the Display Network can now use location extensions. By boosting foot traffic to stores, location extensions on Display help you close the loop between online ads and offline sales.

8. Affiliate location extension

Assume you're offering your goods and services through a chain of stores. Affiliate location extensions might help you reach out to additional customers as they consider where and what to buy. This comprehensive tool can also assist you in locating neighboring stores that sell your product, allowing you to reach out to new clients.

When should the Affiliate location extension be used?

If you're a producer who sells items or services through retail chains, you should consider adopting this extension. Instead, if you want to promote your own company, you should use location extensions.

9. Price extension

Price extensions can increase the value of your Search Network text advertising by offering you a larger display for your services and product variety, as well as directing them to what they're looking for on your site.

On desktop and mobile, price extensions appear below your text ad and give you additional room to tell them more about what your business has to offer. They appear as a stack of eight cards that customers may flip through to see various alternatives and costs. People can go straight to the item on your site that interests them from your price menu.

10. App extension

You can link to your app from your text adverts using app extensions. People will either click on the headline of your ad to go to your website or the link to your app. App extensions are an excellent approach to provide users access to both your website and your app through a single ad.

How does app extension work?

App extensions promote your app by displaying a link to your app below your ad. This link will take searchers to the app store's description of your app (Google Play or the Apple App Store). The headline of your ad will still take you to your website if you click on it.

11. Promotion extension

Promotion extensions can enhance the value of your Search Network text advertising by emphasizing your specials and promotions for those looking for the greatest deals your company has to offer.

How does a promotion extension appear?

Promotion extensions appear below your ad in a simple, easy-to-read manner, catching the attention of your potential buyers.

The special event you choose, such as "Back-to-School" or "Mother's Day," shows next to your promotional text as a prominent label.

The extension also shows up to two lines of text with information about your offer. Because your promotion extensions stand out from the primary ad text, potential shoppers can readily discover the discount. When someone clicks on the extension, they are taken straight to the special deal on your site that they are interested in.

Promotion extensions can display your offers on the Search Network in different formats, including mobile and desktop. They show up as advertisements at the top and bottom of Google search results.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Google ad extensions should I use?

The magic number is 4, so ensure you have at least that many enabled for each campaign. Google will use up to 4 ad extensions for each given ad auction.

Keep your extensions current by altering text and link URLs whenever you change sales, special deals, or product offerings. Don't set it and forget it.

How many can Google ad extensions show at once?

You can have up to six callout extensions at once in addition to your ad text when callout extensions appear on your advertising.

Which ad extensions can serve automatically?

The ad extensions that can automatically deliver include sitelink, callout, and structured snippets.

Do ad extensions cost money?

The addition of extensions to your campaign is free.

Can ad extensions be scheduled?

You can set your extensions to only display at certain times of the day or over a certain period of time. For instance, you may set call extensions to appear only when your company is open to receiving calls.

Do ad extensions influence ad rank?

A significant update to Google's Ad Rank algorithm was made public, which affects the placement of sponsored search advertising on each SERP and how much each advertiser must bid in the ad auction.In a nutshell, Google now bases Ad Rank on the availability and effectiveness of ad extensions.

Are ad extensions automated?

Google Ads automatically produces and displays an automated extension below your ad when it is anticipated to enhance your ad's effectiveness.

The majority of automated extensions can appear with any advertisement. However, others only appear on desktop and laptop computers.

Final thoughts

That was a lot of information to take in! "Well, which ones am I supposed to include to optimize my ad performance?" you might be thinking now that we've covered the basics of Ad Extensions.

If you're feeling a little confused by your options, fear not, my friend, because I've got some excellent news for you: When your ad is assessed to have a high enough ad rank, Google automatically determines which extension or combination of extensions will be most advantageous to your ad's performance.

This means that it would be foolish not to include all relevant Ad Extensions and leave it up to Google to decide how and when to display them! But, as I indicated at the outset, quality over quantity is the name of the game, so don't go crazy with your Ad Extensions just because you can.

With that said, I believe you are prepared. So go ahead and Extend your horizons!

Got any questions? Ping me on Twitter.