The essentials
- Definition: assets (formerly extensions) are pieces of information added below the ad: sitelinks, callouts, snippets, call, location, price, image, form; they are free, only the click is charged.
- Measured effect: an ad with sitelinks, callouts and snippets gets a CTR 10 to 25% higher than the same ad without assets, and a better rank at an equal bid.
- Useful minimum: four sitelinks, four callouts, one structured snippet, plus call or location depending on the business.
- Watch out: automated assets (created by Google) are switched on by default and should be reviewed every month.
Since 2022, Google Ads has called “assets” what everyone still calls ad extensions. The principle has not changed: enriching the text ad with links, arguments, a number, an address or an image, to take up more space on the page and give more reasons to click. What has changed is the growing share of automatically generated assets and the way Google chooses which ones to display. Here is the full list, their effect, and an order of priority by type of business.
How assets are displayed
You create assets at account, campaign or ad group level; the most specific level takes precedence. At each auction, Google decides which ones to display according to the position of the ad, the device and its performance prediction. An ad in fourth position rarely shows more than two assets; an ad in first position on mobile can show four or five. Assets are taken into account in the ad rank: at an equal bid and Quality Score, the ad with relevant assets comes first; the mechanism is described in the Quality Score.
The list of assets in 2026
| Asset | Example | Main effect | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sitelinks | 4 to 8 links to pages of the site, each with 2 lines of description | Widens the ad, directs to the right page; +10 to 20% CTR | Essential |
| Callouts | 4 to 10 short arguments (25 characters): “Free quote”, “Delivery in 24 h” | Reinforces the argument without a link | Essential |
| Structured snippets | A header (Services, Brands, Types) and a list of values | Shows the breadth of the offer | Essential |
| Call | Phone number that is clickable on mobile | Direct conversion for services; call tracking possible | High for services |
| Location | Address taken from the Google Business Profile listing | Directions, distance, opening hours; +5 to 10% local CTR | High for local |
| Image | Square or landscape visual | Catches the eye on mobile; reserved for accounts with a history and a compliant site | Medium |
| Price | A list of offers with prices | Filters out unqualified clicks | Medium |
| Promotion | Dated discount | Useful during commercial periods | Occasional |
| Lead form | Form filled in within Google without visiting the site | High volume, quality often low | To be tested with care |
| App | Link to a store | Installation | Specific |
The “seller ratings” and “message” assets have gone; ratings now appear through the Merchant Center or business listing ratings. The linked listings are described in Google Business Profile.
Which to switch on for your business
| Business | Priority assets | To avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Tradesperson, home services | Call with tracking, location, callouts (emergency, quote, guarantee), sitelinks to the services | Lead form (poorly qualified contacts), price if the rates vary |
| E-commerce | Sitelinks to the categories, promotion, price, image, “Brands” snippets | Call, unless customer service is a selling point |
| B2B services | Sitelinks (case studies, pricing, demo), callouts (references, certifications), “Services” snippets | Location, unless the business is regional |
| Retail with a point of sale | Location, call, sitelinks (opening hours, click and collect), promotion | Lead form |
| Regulated profession (health, law) | Call, location, “Specialities” snippets | Promotion and price, often banned by professional rules |
Automated assets: controlling them rather than putting up with them
Google generates on its own initiative sitelinks, callouts, snippets, images taken from the landing page and “dynamic assets” assembled from the site. They are switched on by default at account level. On a well-structured site they are correct; on a site with old pages or expired promotions, they display false information. Three precautions:
- Open the automated assets report every month (Assets, then Automated) and flag the ones to remove.
- Turn off automated images if your page visuals are not of advertising quality.
- Create your own assets for each type: manual assets take priority over automated ones when they exist.
The same reflex applies to responsive ads, for which Google can also generate headlines if the “automatically created assets” option is on; the review is part of the routine described in creating a campaign that performs.
Measuring the contribution of assets
The Assets tab shows, for each asset, the impressions, clicks and conversions obtained while it was displayed. Two useful readings: the CTR of the ad with and without a given asset (the “This click” segment, which isolates the clicks on the asset itself), and the conversion rate of the sitelinks, which reveals which secondary pages interest visitors. A sitelink with a high CTR and a low conversion rate points to a page to improve, not an asset to delete. Call tracking goes through the call asset with a Google forwarding number; it counts calls of more than 60 seconds (an adjustable duration) as conversions, which feeds Smart Bidding with real signals; see Smart Bidding.
How GreenRed helps
Rather than juggling several tools, GreenRed's Google Ads module brings these metrics together in a single dashboard, compares them over time and tells you which actions come first. You can try it free, with no card, from the Pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Do ad assets cost anything?
No. Creating and displaying assets costs nothing; only the click is charged, at the same price as a click on the ad headline. A click on a sitelink or on the call asset counts as an ordinary click. The benefit is a higher CTR and a better rank at an equal bid.
Why are my assets not showing?
Google decides at each auction which ones to show, according to the position of the ad, the device and its performance prediction. An ad at the bottom of the page shows few assets or none. Also check that the asset is approved and attached at the right level; an asset rejected for non-compliance stays invisible with no obvious alert.
How many sitelinks should you create?
At least four per campaign, ideally six to eight, each with its two lines of description. Google displays two to six depending on the placement. On mobile, sitelinks can take up the whole screen; they must point to pages other than the main destination of the ad.
Does the lead form replace a landing page?
Rarely in a satisfactory way. The form built into Google generates more contacts but less qualified ones, because the user has not seen your offer in detail. It suits simple offers with a team able to call back quickly. For a complex quote or a high-value service, a landing page with a form remains preferable.