Google Ads assets (extensions): which to use and why

Google Ads assets, formerly known as extensions, are additional layers of information that enhance your ads in search results. They increase your ad's footprint in the SERP, give users more context at a glance, and structurally improve CTR. Yet many advertisers leave this low-hanging fruit untouched, setting up only a handful of generic assets or skipping them altogether. In this article, we explain what Google Ads assets are available in 2026, how to use them strategically, and why they are essential for any serious Google Ads campaign.

What are Google Ads assets?

Assets are additional pieces of information that appear alongside or below your main ad text in Google Search (and in some cases on the Display Network or YouTube). Google officially renamed "extensions" to "assets" to align terminology across the ads ecosystem, but both terms refer to the same functionality. You will still hear "extensions" used widely in the market.

The biggest advantage of assets is that they make your ad visually larger in the SERP. A fully equipped ad with sitelinks, callouts and a structured snippet takes up significantly more space than a bare text ad. That extra real estate in the search results makes you more visible, builds user trust, and increases the probability of a click on your ad instead of a competitor's.

Google does not always display assets. The algorithm decides, based on expected performance improvement, whether an asset is shown for a specific query. The more relevant assets you configure, the more options Google has to serve the best combination for each search. This makes a broad, well-populated asset library immediately valuable.

Average CTR increase per asset type

Compared to ads without assets, in 2026

Sitelinks

20%

Callouts

10%

Structured snippets

9%

Call asset

14%

Image asset

12%

Promotion asset

17%

The chart above makes it clear that every asset type contributes to a higher CTR. Sitelinks stand out with an average 20% CTR increase, followed by promotion assets at 17% and call assets at 14%. These are not marginal gains. In a competitive market, the difference between winning and losing in ad auctions can come down to asset quality and coverage.

Assets also positively influence Quality Score. Google rewards ads that are more relevant and informative for the user. More relevant assets signal to Google that your ad is qualitatively stronger, which indirectly leads to better ad positions and lower CPC costs.

Overview of the most important asset types

Below is an overview of the most widely used and highest-impact Google Ads asset types, including when to use them and what they deliver.

Sitelinks

Sitelinks are the most visible and influential assets. They appear as additional clickable links below your main ad and direct visitors straight to specific pages on your website, such as "Pricing", "About us", "Sign up now" or "FAQs". For ToetsJeKennis.nl, sitelinks like "Take a practice exam", "Browse all courses" and "Register today" work exceptionally well: they reduce friction and give users a direct path to the most valuable parts of the site.

Callout assets

Callouts are short text snippets of up to 25 characters that highlight additional benefits or features. They appear as a row beneath the ad text. Examples include "Free trial period", "No hidden fees", "Available 24/7" or "Certified instructors". Callouts are not clickable, but they strengthen trust and reinforce the value proposition of your ad.

Structured snippets

Structured snippets let you display a category header alongside a list of up to ten specific items. For a knowledge platform like ToetsJeKennis.nl, structured snippets are ideal for communicating the breadth of the course catalog at a glance, for example by listing exam categories such as "Driving theory", "BIG register", "VCA" and "Language exams".

Call assets

Call assets add a phone number to your ad. On mobile devices, users can call directly with a single tap. This is particularly valuable when phone contact plays a role in your conversion path. Call assets also integrate well with Smart Bidding: Google can factor call behavior into its bidding decisions.

Image assets

Image assets are visual images that can appear alongside your text ad on certain placements. They make your ad stand out in an otherwise text-dominated environment. Images must be high quality and directly relevant to the advertised service or product.

Price assets

Price assets display a row of services or products with corresponding prices. They are especially effective when you have a clear, competitive offering. Transparency about pricing builds trust and pre-qualifies clicks: users who find the price too high are less likely to click, which improves your conversion rate.

Promotion assets

Promotion assets are designed for time-limited offers and discount campaigns. They display a prominent badge with the type of offer and an expiry date. They create urgency and are especially effective in combination with seasonal campaigns or product launches.

Ads without vs. with assets

Ads without vs. with assets

Impact on visibility, CTR and conversions

Without assets

• Small ad footprint in SERP
• Limited information for the user
• Lower chance of high Quality Score
• No extra navigation options
• Less differentiation from competitors
• Average lower CTR

With assetsRecommended

• Maximum SERP real estate claimed
• Extra context and USPs immediately visible
• Positive effect on Quality Score
• Multiple click paths for visitors
• Strong differentiation from competitors
• Up to 35% higher CTR on average

The comparison is clear. An ad without assets is smaller, less informative, and lacks the extra click paths that help users make faster decisions. A fully equipped ad with assets claims maximum SERP real estate, communicates direct benefits and gives Google more material to work with when optimizing impressions. Advertisers who consistently configure all relevant assets see up to 35% higher CTR compared to those who do not.

Asset types overview table

Asset type	Primary benefit	Best suited for
Sitelinks	Higher CTR, more click paths	All campaigns
Callouts	Reinforce USPs and trust	All campaigns
Structured snippets	Communicate product/service range	Multiple products or services
Call asset	Direct phone accessibility	Local businesses, B2B leads
Image asset	Visual standout	E-commerce, lifestyle products
Price asset	Transparency and pre-qualification	Competitive price propositions
Promotion asset	Urgency during promotions	Seasonal and launch campaigns
Lead form asset	Lower lead threshold on mobile	Lead generation campaigns
Location asset	Local trust and directions	Local and physical businesses

How to set up assets strategically

Assets can be configured at three levels: account level, campaign level and ad group level. Google applies the most specific setting when there is overlap. This gives you flexibility to set universal assets account-wide and refine campaign-specific assets per product or service.

1. Start at account level with universal callouts and sitelinks relevant across all campaigns, such as "Customer support", "About us" and brand-specific USPs.
2. Refine at campaign level with assets specific to the campaign theme: an exam preparation campaign gets different sitelinks than a skills training campaign.
3. Personalize at ad group level for maximum relevance: an ad group targeting driving theory exams gets sitelinks like "Practice driving theory exam" and "View pass rate".
4. Add time-based assets such as promotion assets for launches or special periods, and pause or remove them once the promotion ends.
5. Monitor asset reporting in Google Ads. Each asset receives a performance rating: "Best", "Good", "Low" or "Unrated". Replace consistently low-rated assets with new variants.
6. Connect assets to conversion tracking: call assets and lead form assets in particular require correct conversion tracking to measure their full impact. Consider server-side tracking for the most accurate data.

Assets within Performance Max and Responsive Search Ads

Google Ads has shifted strongly toward automated campaign types in recent years. Within Performance Max (PMax), assets play a central role: they form the building blocks from which Google automatically assembles ad combinations across all available channels. Text, images, logos and video are combined into the best-performing ad variants per user and context.

For Responsive Search Ads (RSA), the same principle applies on a smaller scale. Google tests combinations of headlines and descriptions and optimizes based on the Ad Strength score. More assets mean more variation options for the algorithm, leading to better Ad Strength scores and better results. Make sure you provide at least eight to ten unique headlines and three to four unique descriptions per RSA, combined with all relevant external assets.

Case study: ToetsJeKennis.nl

ToetsJeKennis.nl results after full asset implementation

Measured after 60-day campaign with all relevant assets

+31%

CTR increase

-18%

CPA decrease

8/10

Average Ad Strength

+27%

More conversions

ToetsJeKennis.nl is an online knowledge platform offering exams and practice materials for a range of certifications and driving licenses. At the start of the partnership, only two asset types were active: generic callouts and a single sitelink set. The ads were compact, lacked specific navigation options and left significant SERP space unused.

After a thorough asset audit, we implemented the following additions:

• Six unique sitelinks per campaign, including "Start practice exam now", "All driving theory courses", "View pass guarantee" and "Customer reviews"
• Eight callouts with specific USPs such as "Trusted by 50,000+ candidates", "Always aligned with CBR standards" and "Unlimited practice"
• Structured snippets with the header "Exams" and items including "Driving theory", "BIG register", "Forklift", "VCA" and "Scooter theory"
• Image assets featuring recognizable visual content aligned with the ToetsJeKennis.nl brand identity
• Promotion assets timed to the launch of new exam modules

After sixty days of measurement, the data showed a consistently positive picture: 31% higher CTR, 27% more conversions and an 18% drop in CPA. The average Ad Strength score rose to 8 out of 10. This result demonstrates that assets do not just have a cosmetic effect: they deliver direct, measurable impact on campaign performance. The improved Quality Score also led to lower CPC costs, making the available budget more efficient.

Asset implementation checklist

• Set up at least four sitelinks per campaign, each with a unique destination page
• Write at least six callouts that reflect genuine USPs rather than vague marketing language
• Add a relevant structured snippet if you offer multiple products, services or categories
• Activate a call asset if phone contact is relevant to your conversion path
• Upload high-quality image assets aligned with your brand identity
• Prepare promotion assets for launches and seasonal moments
• Check asset performance ratings monthly and replace low-scoring assets consistently
• Configure assets at the correct level (account, campaign or ad group) for maximum relevance
• Ensure conversion tracking is correctly set up for assets that generate direct conversions
• Align your asset strategy with your Smart Bidding approach for synergistic optimization

Frequently asked questions about Google Ads assets

What is the difference between an asset and an extension in Google Ads?

There is no functional difference. Google officially renamed "extensions" to "assets" in 2022 to align terminology across the advertising ecosystem. Both terms refer to the same functionality: additional information blocks attached to your ads to make them larger, more informative and more effective. The Google Ads interface uses the term "assets", but you will still encounter "extensions" frequently in the market.

Are Google Ads assets always shown?

No. Google determines based on expected performance improvement whether an asset is displayed for a specific query. Factors such as ad position, competition, screen format and expected user relevance all influence whether an asset appears. This is precisely why you should configure as many relevant assets as possible: the more assets Google has available, the higher the chance that an optimal combination is always shown. Quality and relevance of your assets are decisive.

Do assets cost extra money in Google Ads?

Assets are free to set up. You only pay when someone clicks on an asset, and click costs are comparable to those of the main ad. In practice, well-configured assets indirectly lower your average CPC because they contribute to a higher Quality Score. A higher Quality Score leads to better ad positions at lower cost per click. Assets are therefore not only free to implement; they can also result in lower advertising costs over time.

How many assets should I set up per campaign?

More is better, provided the assets are relevant and high quality. As a minimum, we recommend four sitelinks, six callouts, one structured snippet and one call asset where applicable. For Performance Max campaigns, Google needs more assets: aim for at least five headlines, five descriptions, ten or more images and at least one video. The richer the asset pool, the more variation options the algorithm has, and the better the ultimate results. Check performance ratings monthly and replace underperforming assets with new variants consistently.

Which asset delivers the most CTR improvement?

Sitelinks are consistently the most impactful asset type for CTR improvement. They expand ad real estate most visibly and give users multiple click options immediately. In 2026, data shows that ads with sitelinks achieve an average of 20% higher CTR compared to equivalent ads without sitelinks. Promotion assets follow in second place with an average 17% CTR increase, followed by call assets at 14%. The exact impact varies by industry, campaign type and competitive pressure, but activating sitelinks is always the first priority when building out your asset strategy.