AdWords Ad extensions provide extra information for potential customers. They enhance your standard Ad to include additional business info and lead to higher CTRs. The extensions appear alongside your Ad on Google.com and most times across the display network. I wouldn’t recommend coming right out on your first day and launching Ad Extensions but if you can use account history and what has worked for you in the past, you can leverage Ad Extensions to match your target market’s needs and make more money.
Displaying the perfect message, image, product, address or phone number will not only lead to a better CTR but it can also lead to huge conversion percentages. The extensions help differentiate your offerings from the competition and occupy a larger market share.
Ad extensions can be created within your Campaign Settings tab under new or existing campaigns. Below I will review the 6 types of extensions and how you should be implementing them into your campaigns.
Location Extensions
Location Extensions put your business location on the map, literally. This option is great for reaching local customers as it merges your business address information with relevant Ad text. Location Extensions attribute relevant location-specific information to your Ads for users interested in or physically near a particular geographic area. Users must expand the plus box to view the map but including business address information within your Ad text can minimize the click throughs while still providing visibility into your location. This option is a must have for all brick and mortar stores. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve turned to Google for the most convenient oil change or the nearest sushi spot.
Call Extensions
Call Extensions let advertisers include their business phone numbers in text Ads. Call extensions have different features depending on the different types of devices you are targeting.
For mobile phones I recommend using the Click to Call option. With this feature your number is displayed alongside your location extension and upon clicking the number displayed, your mobile phone will immediately dial the phone number you have provided. Imagine searching “Chinese Food San Diego” on your mobile phone. A number of locations would appear and as soon as the customer recognizes the most conveniently located option all they have to do is click and ShaBOOM. They have dialed and reached your fabulous establishment and can go about bombarding the to-go menu.
For those Ads displayed on tablet devices and laptops I recommend using Google forwarding numbers. With this option Google displays a unique phone number that forwards to your actual business number. Google keeps track of the phone calls redirected to you and you pay for the call using the bid per call option. It is currently set at $1 per phone call. Yes, Google has monetized a way for online searchers to call you.
Seller Rating Extensions
Seller rating extensions in E-Commerce are huge. Seller ratings extensions display user submitted reviews and ratings next to your AdWords Ads. The ratings reflect the buying experience with the actual business vs. actual products. All things held equal, the Ad that actually displays positive ratings and reviews gets the business. It serves a signal to potential customers that this website is legitimate. The integration is automatic but there are few requirements. You must have at least 30 reviews, a rating of 4 stars or above on Google Product search and your campaign must be opted into Google Search.
Social Extensions
Social extensions are again a positive signal to your potential customers. The social extension lets you share your +1’s between your AdWords Campaigns and your Google+ page. Any +1 you receive on your actual page will immediately be annotated within your AdWords campaigns and Ads. Google goes a step further and if a friend of your potential customer has already +1ed you, your AdWords Ad will appear with their name next to it further strengthening the social proof of your business. If you have’t built our your presence on Google+yet, now would be a good time to start.
Ad Sitelinks
In addition to your main landing page, Sitelinks allow you to display links to additional pages of your website. They appear below the text of an Ad and let customers quickly click to the key sections of your website that they may be looking for. You can implement promotions or drive traffic to your most profitable products all through one singular Ad. Simply put, Sitelinks give you extra room or links to match searcher intent with the goods or services you provide.
Product Extensions
Product Extensions are a must have for E-Commerce merchants. They allow you to use your existing Google Shopping feed to highlight relevant products in your AdWords Ads. When your Ad appears and your Google Shopping feed contains a product that is relevant to the search query, product extensions may display the images, titles, and prices of your closet matching products alongside your Ad. As seen below. The best part is that when a searcher clicks on the image for that product, the user is taken directly to the landing page for that product specified within your Google Shopping feed. Meaning, Google automatically links the landing page all of your products to your product extensions Ad. Note: You can also add the “Adtype” column to your datafeed to differentiate between product Extensions and product listing Ads.
Ad Extensions can push your campaigns over the top. If you aren’t using them or haven’t tested them you probably still have Jeremy Lin on the bench. They can get complicated but dedicating a little time and maintaining a close watch can lead to monumental gains. Extensions give your Ad that extra push and if you take the time to match search intent with your extensions, that push is worth the big bucks.