- Definition
- Ad assets, formerly called ad extensions, add extra content to a search ad such as sitelinks, callouts, calls or locations.
In plain words
Assets are the extra pieces around a search ad: links to specific pages, short callout phrases, a phone number, an address, prices or a logo.
Google used to call many of them extensions. When they show, they make an ad bigger and more useful.
Why it matters for brand and paid search teams
On brand searches, assets decide how much of the page an ad occupies. A brand ad with four sitelinks pushes other results down; a competitor's ad with a strong offer in a callout can pull attention.
Assets can also carry claims or links that need review, for example a sitelink labeled with a brand's product name that leads to a competitor's page.
How it works
Google describes assets as content that makes up an ad with useful business information. Types include sitelink, callout, structured snippet, image, call, location, lead form, price, promotion, app, business name and business logo assets.
Assets show only when they are predicted to improve performance and the ad's rank is high enough. Ads in higher positions get the first chance to show them. Google can also create some assets automatically.
For sitelinks, Google says an ad can show up to 6 on desktop and up to 8 on mobile, with link text of up to 25 characters in most languages, and that at least two are needed for them to appear.
Example
Northstar's brand ad for northstar.example shows four sitelinks on desktop in Chicago: Boots, Jackets, Returns and Store locator. On mobile in the same city, only two show.
A competitor's ad shows a callout "Free 2-day shipping" on some checks and none on others. Neither difference means an advertiser changed anything.
Fictional brands and domains, for illustration only.
Common mistakes and misconceptions
Assets always show with the ad. They show only when predicted to help and when the ad ranks high enough.
Two observations of the same ad must look identical. Assets and combinations vary by search, so observations can differ.
Assets are free to click. Google says adding assets has no cost, but clicks on them are charged like clicks on the ad, with some exceptions.
How to monitor it in Ads Lighthouse
Ads Lighthouse saves the title, description, displayed URL, destination URL and position of each ad. It does not save every asset, such as sitelinks, callouts, images or call buttons.
If an asset matters for a case, save your own dated record of it alongside the observation. The displayed URL and destination that Ads Lighthouse keeps are still the core of most reviews, because they show whose ad it was and where it led.
Frequently asked questions
Are ad extensions and assets the same thing?
Mostly. Google now uses the word assets for these additions, and also for the headlines and descriptions that make up an ad.
Does Ads Lighthouse record sitelinks?
No. It saves the headline, description, displayed URL, destination URL and position of each ad, not its sitelinks or other assets.
Why does my brand ad show fewer sitelinks on mobile?
Assets show when they are predicted to help and the ad ranks high enough. How many fit and show varies by device and search.
Official sources
Sources checked on .