Manual vs. Automated Extensions in AdWords

Ad extensions are way to extend your ads with useful information and added functionality. They can help tremendously with click through rates, and improved ROI. Ad extensions can be categorized as manual, or automated.

With manual ad extensions, the advertiser chooses whether to set up and enable the extension. With automated extensions, AdWords predicts when certain extensions might improve your ad’s performance, and enables them automatically. There is no set up required.

Keep in mind, that advertisers do not have much control over ad extensions in general. The most control you have, generally, is to simply set them up and enable the manual extensions. You can also choose to schedule them, and set device preference. But it’s always Google’s discretion for when to show extensions, and which of your either enabled or automated extensions to show. Also, not all extensions are available for all campaign types.

The manual extensions available

Call extensions– call extensions extend your ad with a phone number. If the ad is being viewed on a mobile device, there will be a clickable call button in the ad. On a desktop or tablet computer, users will simply see the phone number.

Location extensions– location extensions help people find your business location. On a mobile device, they can choose to click a call button, or click a directions button.

Reviews extensions– when you create a review extension, you’ll enter either an exact or paraphrased quote that’s attributed and linked to a published source of reviews

App extensions– if your business has a mobile or tablet app, you can link to it by using Extensions

Sitelinks–the Sitelinks ad extension shows links to specific pages on your website beneath the text of your ads–

Callouts–callout extensions let you include additional text with your ads. They are useful to highlight short phrases like “free shipping… Price matching… Call us 24 seven”

Automatic/automated extensions available

Consumer ratings– consumer ratings highlight industry-specific ratings based on consumer surveys

Previous visit– previous visit extensions indicate if a user has already visited your site before–for example, it might say “last visit four days ago”

Seller ratings– seller ratings show a combination of information and reviews next your ad–they may appear for certain businesses when their website, ad, or product listing appears across Google products.

Dynamic Sitelink extensions—this is an automated process where links to your website pages are added below your ad

Dynamic structured snippets– show additional landing page details automatically

Hello. My name is Barry, and I love Google AdWords! Would you like to connect with me? If so, send me an email at this address: