As an online advertiser, there are quite a few tools that you can use to increase your conversion rates and ROI. One such tool is Google Ads extensions. At first sight, search ad extensions may not seem significant, but they can make a world of difference to your search ad campaigns. In this article, we’ll explore why search ad extensions matter, their various types, and how they affect your ad performance.
Why are search ad extensions important?
Search ad extensions can give you an added advantage over your competition. By using ad extensions, you can provide more information about your product or service in a concise and relevant manner. These extensions make your ads more visible and compelling and increase CTR (Click Through Rate).
Moreover, your ad can occupy more real estate on the search engine results page (SERP) with the same cost. Research shows that ads that include extensions have a higher perceived relevance, improve click-through rates, and boost conversions.
What are search ad extensions?
Search ad extensions are extra snippets of information about your business that gets added to your search ads. This additional information typically appears underneath your main ad copy, such as your website’s link, phone number, ratings, reviews, and more.
Google Ads extensions come in different formats, and each serves a different purpose depending on what you are trying to achieve. Here are some of the critical ad extension types:
Location extensions
Location extensions are useful for businesses that operate in physical locations. These ads are location-specific and include your business’s address, along with a map pin on the SERP. It also provides directions to reach your store’s physical location. This ad extension is highly effective for small and mid-sized businesses looking to target customers in their locality.
Call extensions
Call extensions enable customers to call your business directly from their mobile devices, which increases the likelihood of conversion. This extension is highly effective for businesses that want to prioritize phone calls over website traffic. It is also useful for campaigns that run outside of business hours, when your website may not be operational.
Sitelink extensions
Sitelink extensions are additional links that appear underneath your ad to guide users to different pages on your website. This extension can provide customers with more information about different services or products that your business offers. Using sitelinks can also improve ad click-through rates by providing more opportunities to carry out a call-to-action.
Callout extensions
Callout extensions add an extra layer of information about your products or services. You can use it to add more detail about your products’ features, benefits, promotions, and more. Callout extensions improve ad performance by highlighting key aspects of your business and increasing relevance to search queries.
Structured snippets
Structured snippets are ideal for businesses that offer various ranges of products or services. Instead of using a callout extension to highlight various categories of the business, the structured snippet adds pre-defined categories as links. These categories lead directly to the website’s landing pages, providing potential customers with a more tailored experience. By improving ad relevance, you can increase conversions and lower cost-per-clicks.
Why use ad extensions to Google Ads?
Google Ads extensions provide additional information about your business and products directly on the SERP. This extra knowledge can draw the attention of potential customers and persuade them that your business is the right choice. Without ad extensions, your ads may not stand out, and your competitors may take most of the clicks and conversions.
Moreover, the use of ad extensions can improve ad rank, meaning that they can give you a better position and visibility on the SERP. In turn, this can improve your Quality Score, resulting in lower CPC (cost-per-click) and improved ad performance.
How do search ad extensions affect my ad’s performance?
Adding search ad extensions is one of the best ways to improve ad performance significantly. Extensive research shows that ads with extensions have a higher CTR and conversion rate than those without them. By using ad extensions, your ad gains extra visibility and relevance with the potential customers you are targeting. Here are some ways that ad extensions impact ad performance:
Increase in Click-Through-Rate (CTR)
Ad extensions make your ad bigger and more visible, which increases the chances of users clicking on it. Ads with extensions usually have a higher CTR, which ultimately leads to a better conversion rate and improved ad performance.
Improved Relevance
Ad extensions add an extra layer of data that makes it easier for users to understand what your business offers. This enhances the relevance of your ad and offers a better experience to users. Google’s algorithms also reward ad relevance, meaning that your ad will also rank higher, leading to better ad performance and improved ROI.
Better Return on Investment (ROI)
Ad extensions improve the conversion rate, which increases the probability of conversions with the same marketing budget. Hence it directly impacts the ROI of your advertising campaign.
Conclusion
Indeed, search ad extensions matter a lot in influencing the customers and contributing to your ad campaign’s success. Ad extensions can provide additional information about your offerings, increasing relevance, visibility, and ultimately ROI. Therefore, it is essential to understand them well and use the right ones to achieve your campaign’s desired results.
References
- Google. (2021). Choose your extensions. Available at support.google.com/google-ads/answer/2375499?hl=en.
- Google. (2021) Learn how Ad rank works. Available at support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1752122?hl=en.
- Rajamanickam, A. Indiaano, V., & Bibin, P. (2018). Search Advertising: Role of Ad Format and Ad Extensions on Ad Performance. Journal of Promotion Management, 24(2), 296-316. doi.org/10.1080/10496491.2017.1401874.