Sitelink Assets (Extensions): Everything You Need to Know

Of the many functions available in Google Ads, there are a few that are my favourites. And sitelink assets – formerly known as sitelink extensions – are at the top of my list.

Why? Because they are so versatile. You can do almost anything with them if you think through your strategy carefully.

For example, you can use the powerful sitelink in your advertising to:

And that’s just the beginning! Sitelink assets can do almost anything.

Best Practices For Using Sitelink Assets Extensions

If you want to get the most out of your site links, you need to think about your intent.

To help you with that, I’m going to outline some sitelink guidelines.

1. Be clear on your objectives. Before you start, you need to think about your goals. What are you trying to achieve with these assets? Are you advertising products or services? Will the asset work well with both branded and non-branded keywords? Your answers to these questions will help determine if your sitelinks are versatile and useful to the searcher.

2. Use sitelinks as part of your larger strategy. Don’t think of your sitelinks in isolation. You should also consider the accompanying ad, landing page, and other assets. Make sure they all work together in service of your overarching strategy.

3. Use a combination of sitelinks. Websites can serve multiple purposes, so make sure you’re using a diverse range. For example, you don’t want to use every sitelink on an ad to promote products for sale. Instead, use a combination. One could promote a product for sale, one could generate leads, one could highlight a new product category, and one could direct potential clients to useful information.

4. Create landing pages for your site links. Ideally, you want to send users to landing pages that are closely related to your sitelink rather than just a regular page on your website.

5. Track and adjust sitelink performance. Setting up site links is not enough. You should also track them to see which links are pulling and which are not. This does not mean that all site links should perform equally (more on this below), but it does mean that they should perform well given their type and purpose.

Why it’s Better To Use A Mix Of Sitelink Assets

Let’s dive deeper into this idea of ​​using a mix of sitelinks by looking at an example.

In a new client account, we created four different types of sitelinks:

The “What?” Sitelink with the “Speak to an Engineer” sitelink has excellent performance when we measure by CTR. While we need more data before making any changes, I predict we’ll eventually swap out the sales-y “Speak to an Engineer” link for something else.

Not surprisingly in this case the educational link (“What?”) is performing better than the sales-y link (“Talk to an Engineer”). The product is a new, cutting-edge robot that not many people know about, yet. They want more information before talking to someone.

Screenshot by the author, January 2023

By using a mix of sitelinks, and evaluating the performance of each one, we gained a lot of valuable information that helps guide our strategy for this account. So it is always a good idea to go with a mix of site links. You never know what you’ll find!

Sitelink Assets Examples

Now, let’s look at some specific examples of sitelink assets in Google Ads.

Example 1: Chromatography

Screenshot from Google, January 2023

Application Search: This advertisement is for a high-tech product that can be used in a wide variety of applications. (Chromatography is a laboratory technique for separating mixtures.) So it might make sense to put “request search” in sitelink here. It helps potential clients find what they want.

Sign up and Save Big: Good site link for lead generation and potential income.

Technical Support: I’m not a big fan of putting technical support on websites. Technical support seems to be more focused on existing users rather than potential users. But who knows, they might want to help existing users get technical support through their advertising.

Instructions and Posters: Again, this sitelink is a bit unusual, but it may be appropriate for this product. People may be downloading branded posters and putting them up in their workplaces. If so, it’s a great way to build brand awareness.

Example 2: Neuroscience Courses

Screenshot from Google, January 2023

I love everything about these site links! Advertising is being used to reach people in every stage of the buyer’s journey.

For people who are close to your commitment:

Example 3: Neuroscience Degrees

Let’s look at another example from the world of neuroscience education: this time for a neuroscience degree program.

Screenshot from Google, January 2023

In contrast to the previous two examples, the sitelinks in this ad are not as strong.

Academic Insights: This sitelink appears to be more suitable for a broad term search, such as a school name search. If the searcher is looking for a specific degree program (similar to the intent based on the term and the ad), the site links should be related to that particular degree program.

Scholarships: Just like the sitelink above, “Scholarships” doesn’t seem to be very helpful either. The topic of scholarships is important – but it probably doesn’t need to be addressed until the person decides that this school is a good fit.

Example 4: Code Security

Next, we look at two Google search ads for code security products.

Screenshot from Google, January 2023

The site links in these two ads look like typical assets you would find for SaaS, cloud-based or technology companies. They click through to lots of helpful information, such as product plans and success stories.

I especially like the most popular sitelink Risks in the second ad. It results in a helpful article that would be great for attracting top-of-funnel leads.

On the flip side, I’m not a big fan of the Blog sitelink in the first ad. “Blog” is only very descriptive or helpful.

Still, there are no right or wrong site links here. And it would be interesting to test my theory that blog content is not a top performing asset!

Sitelink Assets Are More Than An Afterthought

I hope I’ve conveyed to you how useful and flexible sitelinks can be when created with specific objectives that align with your broader strategy.

So don’t create your sitelink assets as an afterthought.

Because if you give them the careful consideration they deserve, they will serve you well.

Note: Google sitelink assets were previously called sitelink extensions and were renamed in September 2022.

Featured Image: Thaspol Sangsee/Shutterstock

How do you write a sitelink description?

Once you have established sitelinks, they will appear below your ad text giving your users up to eight additional links to click. Sitelinks have three elements – one headline (link text) and two description lines. The headline is displayed as clickable text and has a 25 character limit.

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How do I create a text sitelink?

What is sitelink text extension? What is a Sitelink Extension? Sitelinks are additional links that you include in your PPC (pay per click) ads to take people directly to specific pages on your website. Here’s an example: They’re a type of Google ad extension (now called ad âassetsâ). They show additional information on your ads.

Are site links clickable? Unlike call-out extensions, site links are clickable. Direct people to the most relevant landing page that can help increase your conversion rate. Highlight certain benefits and features, for example, you offer free shipping. Push other products and services you provide.

How can I get Google sitelinks?

How do I create a sitelink?

You can add sitelinks at the “account”, “campaign”, or “ad group” level. You specify the link text (what people see) and the URLs (the pages they click on). In some cases, Google may supplement your sitelinks with a description that you have provided about those pages.

How does Google determine site links? Sitelinks are links from the same domain that are clustered together under a web result. Our systems analyze your site’s link structure to find shortcuts that save users time and allow them to quickly find the information they’re looking for. Note: The actual appearance of search results may differ.

How many sitelinks should you have?

For sitelinks in search campaigns, at least two sitelinks will appear on the desktop. But you can also display up to six site links. On mobile phones, at least one sitelink will be visible. And you can display up to eight.

How many sitelink extensions does Google recommend per campaign? The maximum number of sitelinks that Google will display is 4 on desktop devices and 6 on mobile devices. Make sure you have at least this number in each ad group/campaign or your sitelinks may not show.

What does a sitelink text look like?

Site links (shown in the red rectangle below) consist of three elements: one headline (also known as the link text) and two lines of description. Sitelink extended headlines have a 25 character limit for most languages ​​and appear as blue clickable text on desktop and mobile.

What should I put in my sitelink text? You specify the link text (what people see) and the URLs (the pages they click on). In some cases, Google may supplement your sitelinks with a description that you have provided about those pages.

What is sitelink text? The term speaks for itself – sitelinks are links to different pages on your website. Once you have established sitelinks, they will appear below your ad text giving your users up to eight additional links to click. Sitelinks have three elements – one headline (link text) and two description lines.

How do sitelinks appear?

Google sitelinks appear under the first search result on search engine results pages (SERPs). They are internal links to the website, and are briefly described. Sitelinks are often found when doing a brand search and help the user navigate around your website.

How do I display sitelinks in SERP? Under Appearance Search, click Sitelinks. In the ‘for this search result’ box fill in the URL that you don’t want a specific link site URL to be displayed for.

How does Google determine site links? Sitelinks are links from the same domain that are clustered together under a web result. Our systems analyze your site’s link structure to find shortcuts that save users time and allow them to quickly find the information they’re looking for. Note: The actual appearance of search results may differ.

What is a function of a sitelink extension?

Microsoft Advertising Sitelink Extensions are additional links you can include in your ads that take customers directly to specific pages on your website.

Where are sitelink extensions? Creating a Sitelink Extension Click Ads & extensions in the page menu on the left, then click Extensions. Click the plus button, select âSitelink extension,â and then from the “Add to” drop-down menu, select the level you want to add the sitelink to (account, campaign, or ad group). Fill out the sitelink text and URL.

Why are site links important? Sitelinks help homeowners jump directly to the Web pages they are most interested in, essentially “pre-navigating” those Web sites. Rather than entering the target website from its home page, the user can immediately jump straight to the ‘Products’ or “Contact Us†pages.

What are sitelink extensions for?

What is a Sitelink Extension? Sitelinks are additional links that you include in your PPC (pay per click) ads to take people directly to specific pages on your website. They are a type of Google ad extension (now called ad âassetsâ). They show additional information on your ads.

What is a sitelink extension? Sitelink Extensions are additional links in your ads that take people to specific pages on your website. For each campaign, you can enter up to 10 sitelinks. By default, the sitelinks are set at the campaign level, however, you can also set Sitelinks at the ad group level.

What are the benefits of sitelink extensions Google ads? The benefits of sitelinks are obvious: you can direct people to more pages on your site from the same ad, without paying a premium. Using sitelinks can also help to improve the click-through rate (and subsequently Quality Score) and allow you to create a different experience for searchers.

What’s a benefit of using the sitelink extension quizlet?

Benefits of sitelinks: Increased engagement: Adding sitelinks can boost the average click-through rate (CTR) of your ad, including a search for one of the advertiser’s brand terms.

What is the purpose of sitelinks? Sitelinks are links from the same domain that are clustered together under a web result. Our systems analyze your site’s link structure to find shortcuts that save users time and allow them to quickly find the information they’re looking for.

What is one benefit of using the sitelink extension? Sitelink extensions use more ad space on SERPs, so your ad takes up more of the page and attracts more attention. Sitelink extensions also increase CTR, because users have more options for web pages that will answer their queries. Additional benefits for your PPC campaigns include: Detailed analytics data.