Google Ad Extensions
There are many reasons why you should use google ads as part of your marketing strategy. Google Ads is a great tool for increasing leads and finding new customers. It's very flexible, so it's suitable for organizations of all sizes. You also only pay for the ads people click on, so you can get a very high return on investment. Lastly, you get fast, precise results, so you can easily track the success of your campaigns with the simple click of a button.
Google Ads is an excellent software for businesses, but if you want to take your marketing efforts a step further, you can use Google Ad Extensions. With Google Ad Extensions, you can provide your customers with additional information about your business. But the best part is, it doesn't cost you anything extra.
But why do search ad extensions matter, and when should you use them? We'll answer that and more in the content below.
In this blog post, we'll discuss the benefits of ad extensions, the different types of Google ad extensions, and more. Google Ad Extensions is a way to further engage with your customers and encourage them to click on your ad. But if you're using ad extensions, you need to do it right, so continue reading to discover how to incorporate them into your marketing strategy.
What are Google ad extensions?
Google ad extensions are, unsurprisingly, an extension of your ads. So instead of having a small blurb of text under an ad, you get more ad space and can go more in-depth about your business. Google ads extensions can improve your search ads because you can provide more value to the content.
Google ad extensions provide valuable information to a potential customer, such as pricing, product highlights, and Google customer reviews. When potential customers see this information on a search results page, they're more likely to click on the ad.
What are the benefits of ad extensions?
There are many benefits of ad extensions for your business, such as:
They're free
Google ad extensions don't cost anything more than how much you pay for the original ad. So you get more opportunities to promote your business at no additional cost.
More ad space
One of the main benefits of ad extensions is that you get more ad space. The more ad space you have, the more opportunities there are to engage with your customers and grab their attention. You can also include important things about your business in your ad descriptions, like your phone number, location, and website. That way, interested users know exactly how to get in touch with you without even clicking on the ad.
Find qualified leads
Another benefit of good ad extensions is that they can help you find more qualified leads. Only people who are immediately interested in your business upon seeing your ad will click on it. And those users who click on the ad extensions are more likely to click on a landing page once they're on your website, increasing their chances of becoming a purchasing customer.
Improve ad quality
Extensions can also improve the quality of your ads, which in turn can increase your ad rank. Google will automatically increase your ad rank when you use Google ad extensions because it means you have more relevant information in the ad.
Saves money
Lastly, ad extensions can save your business money because better ad quality and a high ad rank results in a lower cost-per-click, and the lower your cost-per-click rates are, the less money you're spending. With ad extensions, you're spending less money but getting more business.
Common challenges of Google ad extensions
While there are many benefits of Google ad extensions, there are also a few drawbacks. One challenge of using google ad extensions is that you have to set them up manually. Manual extensions can be time-consuming and confusing to set up, and you can miss out on quality leads if you don't use the correct keywords in your ads.
Another drawback of Google ad extensions is that they may not always appear on a search page, even if you set them up correctly. For your ad extensions to show up, you must meet a minimum quality score for the ad rank and have a high ad position. If you have a high ad rank and position, your extension ads are much more likely to appear on a Google search.
Another challenge of Google ad extensions you may encounter is getting them to appear on mobile devices. A lot of people do their Google searching on their phones, so if your ads can't appear on mobile phones, you're missing out on a huge opportunity to reach more people.
If your ads don't appear on mobile devices, prospective customers will be more likely to bounce off your ad, decreasing your ad quality and leading to lost sales.
12 types of Google ad extensions
So now that you're familiar with what ad extensions are and the pros and cons of using them for your business, let's discuss the different types of Google ad extensions.
There are several types of Google ad extensions that you can use, and it's crucial to use the correct type for your business's needs. Here are 12 types of Google ad extensions that you may consider using:
Callout extensions
Callout extensions typically have a short text blurb under an ad that explains the most valuable information you want to include.
The ad descriptions of callout extensions are generally 25 characters or less and include things like shipping policies and costs. You want to keep your description short and to the point. You should also use fragments rather than long sentences so users can quickly scan the content and find what they're looking for.
Sitelink extensions
Sitelink extensions include additional links underneath the main ad text. With sitelink extensions, you're allowing users to click on a link to find out more information about your business, like customer reviews or pricing.
The links you include will take users to specific landing pages on your website, so make sure you link directly to your best-performing pages. You also need to have a good amount of existing content on your website for sitelink extensions to succeed. Ensure that you only link to landing pages that are on your website and not another domain.
Image extensions
Image extensions include an image under the ad text. A picture is worth a thousand words; sometimes, a photo can tell users much more than text.
Image extensions are best for highlighting a product or service you offer and evoking emotion because they give potential customers more insight into your business. Just make sure that the images you choose are relevant to your brand and the topics in the ad groups.
Call extensions
Call extensions are your best bet if your goal is to get more phone calls. With call extensions, you'll include your business's phone number at the top or bottom of your ad, giving potential users a perfect opportunity to call you.
Call extensions are ideal if you want to encourage phone calls rather than emails and give customers a direct way to get in touch with you. Just make sure you also have a conversation tracker set up so you can keep track of all the phone calls you have.
Location extensions
Location extensions are ideal for businesses that have brick-and-mortar stores and want to encourage interested users to shop in person.
With location extensions, you'll put the location of your store at the bottom of the ad. When users click on the location on their mobile phones, it will open up a link to a map app.
Location extensions are ideal if you want to showcase your store's location, phone number, business hours, etc. Local extensions can pop up on local search results to appeal to people in the area so the ad will get more clicks.
They also pair great with a Google business account but make sure you keep your profile up to date, so customers know how to contact you.
Affiliate location extensions
Affiliate location extensions are similar to location extensions, but instead of linking to your own website, they direct users to other sites that are authorized to sell your products or services.
This type of ad extension is great if you work with a retailer who sells your products so you can encourage interested customers to shop at those websites as well as your own. Affiliate location extensions are ideal for manufacturers who want to give their customers options.
App extensions
App extensions are ideal if you have a mobile app for your business. With an app extension, an ad for your app will appear on a Google search page, encouraging users to click on the install button. If you use app extensions, make sure you link to your website on the headline text and the app in the app store. This allows users to choose whether to download your app or learn more about your business on your website.
Price extensions
With price extensions, you'll highlight the prices of your products and services directly on the ad. A price extension is an upfront way of letting interested users know how much your products and services cost so there are no hidden fees when they checkout.
Price extensions are the way to go if you have a tiered pricing system or multiple service packages and want to be transparent with your customers.
Structured snippet extensions
Structured snippet extensions highlight specific aspects of your business that you want potential customers to know. Structured snippets are a great way to provide more information to users and give them a sneak peek into what your business sells.
Just make sure you only include high-quality content in your structured snippets that you know will interest customers. It's also crucial to choose the correct header for your business. Some common headers include service catalog, amenities, and courses, so choose one that appropriately communicates what your business offers.
Promotion extensions
Consider using promotion extensions if you have an upcoming promotion and want to get customers excited about it. Promotion extensions are a great way to display your sales and get your name out there for interested customers.
With a promotion extension, you basically will highlight a current deal you have going on at the bottom of your ad, and it will direct people to the sale. This type of ad extension is great for back-to-school sales, Black Friday sales, or any time of the year when stores often do promotions.
Automated extensions
There are two types of automated ad extensions, dynamic extensions and seller rating extensions, that can help your ads perform better. With dynamic extensions, Google will create the ad using your website data, internal sources, and existing content.
With seller rating extensions, Google will display a seller rating score with a 5-star rating icon underneath the ad. Including seller ratings is a great way to increase trust with your customers because they know how other people feel about your products or services.
Both of these extensions can improve the performance of your ads and help them rank higher.
Lead form extensions
Lead form extensions are a recent addition to Google ad extensions, but they allow people on SERPs to contact your business directly from the ad.
This will save users a lot of time because they don't have to visit your website to get in touch with you. They can submit their personal information from the ad, which means you can contact them immediately. The interested user can submit information like their name, email, and phone number. While lead form extensions are still in Beta, it's definitely something to pay attention to as it helps convert more qualified leads.
How to get started with ad extensions
To get started with ad extensions, you first need to have a Google Ads account. Once you make an account, click on the Ads & extensions tab on the left navigation bar. Then, choose Extensions and click on the All dropdown.
Once you click on the All dropdown, you'll see the different types of ad extensions that are available. Choose the type you want to use for your ad and click on the + button.
Once you've decided on the type of ad extension you want to use, you have to choose the level of the extension. The different levels are account, campaign, or ad group. You should work with your ad extensions individually to ensure they actually get shown on search pages. You can customize the ads for each campaign or group at this step.
You can also create a new ad extension or use existing ad extensions. Using an existing ad extension can save you a lot of time because your Google Ads account automatically saves any information you've put in.
After you've set up an ad extension, you'll then be able to use the advanced ad extension options. This is an essential step because it's where you can customize your ad even more. These advanced ad extensions can help to optimize your ads to ensure they get clicked.
With the advanced ad extension options, you should select the scheduling of your ad, including the start date and end date. You should also choose Mobile under device preferences, so your ads appear on mobile devices. Remember to read the Google guidelines on mobile to ensure that your business ranks well.
So, when should you use an ad extension?
Every business utilizes Google ads in some form. Advertising can help you find quality leads and drive business growth. But if you really want your Google ads to be successful, you need to take it further and use ad extensions.
Ad extensions are basically free real estate and give you more opportunities to display additional information about your business. You should use ad extensions to promote your business and generate sales.
If you want to learn more about Google ad extensions and how they can benefit your business, you can use Mailchimp.
Mailchimp is a marketing platform that can help you with everything from retargeting ads to using Google tag manager so you can create the best possible ads for your business. With Mailchimp, you can learn about Google Adsense and Adwords, which you can use to make more money online.
Mailchimp offers a variety of helpful tools and resources that business owners can use to analyze their ads and track metrics to expand their reach. Mailchimp is an all-in-one platform for all kinds of business owners and can help you optimize your advertising strategy so you can find quality leads and drive business growth.