Crafting the perfect Google Ads often requires a bit of science. For many successful ad campaigns, creators incorporate search ad extensions in their ads. But why do search ad extensions matter if they’re optional features on the Google Ads platform?
At Bear North Digital, a leading ecommerce PPC agency, we have years of experience working with Google Ads (formerly Google AdWords), so we know about the AdWords extension importance and how to effectively use them in ad campaigns. Consult our guide below to learn more about search ad extensions and the benefits they offer.
What Are Search Ad Extensions and Why Do They Matter?
With ad extensions, you can give potential customers more information about your business, services, and products directly in the ad. Search ad extensions are a popular feature on Google Ads because they focus on enhancing ad visibility by providing extra information that encourages viewers to take some type of action, like a call or message.
A typical Google Ads ad format features a headline, a brief description of a business, product, or service, and a URL for a website or landing page. You can add valuable details and a better call-to-action to your ads by adding ad extensions, which Google Ads has plenty of.
So why do search ad extensions matter? Your marketing efforts using ad extensions on the Google Ads platform will improve the effectiveness of your search ad campaigns. Extension benefits include a higher click-through rate and conversions, which will improve your brand’s online visibility and your business’s bottom line.
How Search Ad Extensions Work
When a person types a phrase or word into Google relating to your ad, Google Ads will consider details about the user and the keyword intent. If the algorithm thinks an extension will help your ad perform better and be useful to the person, the extension will automatically show up in your ad.
Google Ads has many search ad extensions to choose from. Incorporating extensions manually to ads further enhances your advertisements, increasing the likelihood of a successful marketing campaign and generating sales leads. However, Google Ads also offers automated extensions that the platform will include in ads automatically if it predicts the search ad extension will improve the ad’s performance.
Most ad extensions work well with all ad types across Google Ads, but some only work when people query Google on laptops or desktops.
Ad Extension Costs
While exploring the answer to “Why do search ad extensions matter,” you might wonder if the extensions affect the budgeting of Google Ads campaigns. Every campaign differs, and budgets should reflect your business’s specific needs. Still, ad extensions can affect your ad spend.
Since Google Ads consists of a pay-per-click marketing platform, you must pay for your ads each time a visitor clicks on it. You also have to pay for interactions that your ad extensions generate.
For example, if you have a message extension that allows potential customers to text your business through the ad, you will get a charge for it when someone engages with it. However, you don’t have to worry about paying for impressions with automated search ad extensions.
Top Ad Extension Benefits
Incorporating search ad extensions in your ads has many benefits. For instance, you’ll have to pay for ad clicks, but the extensions themselves are free. They let you promote your brand to target audiences without an additional cost.
Ad extensions also prove effective for sourcing qualified leads. Your ad might be good enough for Google to feature on search engine results pages. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean the audiences viewing and clicking on the ad will become potential customers.
A qualified lead means someone who actively engages with your business by calling or writing your business and is likely to become a paying customer. Proper use of search ad extensions increases your ad’s visibility online and encourages people to take action on your website or landing page.
Other benefits of ad extensions are:
- Higher ad rankings
- Greater return on investment for digital marketing
- Improved ad copy quality
- Better click-through rate
- Good Google Quality Score
Types of Automated Ad Extensions
Ad extension types vary according to manual and automated functions and purposes. Depending on your ad copy and intent, you could benefit from using several of these automated search ad extensions.
Dynamic Sitelink Extension
A dynamic sitelink extension puts additional links at the bottom of a Google Ads text ad. The purpose of this extension is to bring potential customers to specific pages of your website.
Google Ads bases this extension on popular links and pages relevant to a person’s search query. Since it directs web traffic to specific places, the extension also improves the user experience.
Automated Call Extension
This automated search ad extension works well for any business with a phone number customers should call. When you add this extension to your campaign, Google Ads will automatically include your phone number within your ad whenever it gets an impression on a mobile device. The automated call extension allows people to click it and automatically call the business.
Dynamic Structured Snippet Extension
When you enable this extension, Google will quickly assess your page content and display additional details from the site onto your ad. The extra content shows up as a snippet, which lets people quickly scan the content to understand your business and its offerings. The dynamic structured snippet extension can enhance performance because people can easily review information.
Dynamic Callouts
Similar to a snippet, the dynamic callout extension provides extra information about a business, but it isn’t a clickable feature. As such, you don’t incur any additional costs for this extension.
A dynamic callout is a fantastic feature that puts your services and products front and center to target audiences. When someone queries a search relating to a list of services and products on your website, the extension will automatically produce the search results with that list from your site.
Automated Location Extension
If you struggle to connect with potential customers within your service area because few people know your business’s location, the automated location extension is for you. It incorporates your address, a map, and the estimated distance to your business from the user’s location.
These details will show up after a person clicks the ad extension for more details from your website. In some cases, you might also have a call button with the automated location extension to make it easier for people to get in contact with your enterprise.
Automated Message Extension
Sometimes, consumers don’t want to communicate with businesses via a phone call. A text message offers an excellent and effective alternative to phone calls.
The automated message extension makes it easy to receive texts from potential customers. As long as your website includes details about wanting visitors to contact your business by text, the Google Ads platform will automatically include the message extension to encourage people to send messages to your business.
Review Extensions
Why do search ad extensions matter? Options like the review extension make it easier for viewers to consider your business as a credible authority figure in your industry using customer reviews.
By adding this extension, you can take a snippet from a glowing review or testimonial from a previous customer and insert the quote into the ad. Many consumers rely on reviews, ratings, and testimonials to find reliable local businesses, so this is a great extension.
Automated App Extension
If your business has an app for a service or for selling a product, your ad may include an automated app extension to encourage viewers to download your application. People will only see this extension when they click your ad through their mobile device, where they would download and use the app. With this extension, you will pay by the click.
Seller Ratings Extension
The seller ratings extension functions much like the review extension in how it leverages details from a business’s past clientele. When your ad features a high consumer rating, you’ll stand apart from your competitors by showing viewers the satisfaction of past customers, which helps your business solidify a positive reputation. People will appreciate seeing the value of your products, services, and skills in an ad.
With a seller ratings extension, you only have to worry about paying for ad clicks, not the extension. This makes it a great extension to use if you want to improve your click-through rating.
Previous Visits Extension
Sometimes, people visit sites more than once. Frequent visits could mean the user is a customer, a potential customer, or a website visitor curious about the company.
This extension shares information with users who visit your site multiple times. The details may include the date of their last visit or their number of site visits. The previous visits extension is good for online navigation.
FAQs About Search Ad Extensions on Google Ads
How Can You Implement Search Ad Extensions in Your Ads?
When you’re ready to implement search ad extensions, you should first learn your target audience and the type of information they would deem valuable. Next, you should explore different search ad extension types to determine which options would work best for your business, business goals, and ad intent. It may be helpful to test different extensions to see how they perform for your advertisements.
How Many Search Ad Extensions Should Your Ads Have?
Your Google Ads ad can have up to eight extensions. However, Google recommends having a minimum of three extensions to have a significant click-through rate impact on the ad.
What Is the Best Way To Use Ad Extensions?
You always want to optimize your search ad extensions by using relevant keywords for your ad and its landing page. The ad copy should include concise language that gets straight to the point about your unique product, service, value, and abilities. Always include call-to-action phrases to encourage viewers to take action, like making a call to the business or submitting an online query form.
Stay Ahead of the Competition With Bear North Digital
Now that you understand the answer to “Why do search ad extensions matter,” you can maximize your Google Ads campaign’s potential, and Bear North Digital is here to help. As a prominent, well-respected digital marketing agency, we tailor our services to accommodate our clients’ unique needs. Our marketing experts can handle everything from Googe Ads conversion set-ups to search engine optimization.
At Bear North Digital, we operate in the spirit of excellence, delivering measurable results using innovative digital marketing strategies. Call (218) 216-8692 and request your consultation with our Bear North Digital team.
