Ad Sitelinks is a feature in Google AdWords which allows for the display of up to six additional web links below an ad in the search results. Sitelinks are incredibly easy to set up and use for any campaign, though most effective on brand terms, where all six Sitelinks will show due to the high quality score and relevance. As there is no downside to using Sitelinks, it’s surprising to see so many ad campaigns that still do not use them.
While you will often find that Sitelinks do not receive much click activity, there are numerous indirect benefits to including them in your campaigns:
1. Improve Click Though Rate – Sitelinks can add a fair amount of real estate to your ad, especially when there are six links relevant enough to show on three additional lines. Sitelinks also add relevant keywords or sub-categories that can speak directly to the user’s query. This increased visibility as well as relevancy can have a very positive impact on a campaign’s CTR.
2. Inform a User About Your Site – Using call–to-actions or menu options as Sitelinks can provide users with additional information about your site. What types of product you offer (i.e. – women’s clothing, sneakers, and sleepwear) or what the appropriate next steps are for them on the site (i.e. – Request a Free Brochure, Download Our Software, or Purchase a Product).
3. Extra Characters for Ad Text – Sitelinks can be used as an extra line of copy for your ad text. Often 70 characters are not enough to communicate your competitive advantages or product features. You can use the text in site links as an extension of your ad copy if necessary.
4. Promote Sales Without Resetting QS – Promoting a weekend special or a summer sale within ad text comes with the harmful effect of resetting the ad’s quality score. Especially when working with short-term promotions, this disadvantage will often outweigh the advantages of including the sale in your ads at all. Sitelinks can be changed at any time with no negative effect on quality score or performance history. They can be a great way to quickly get the word out.
Sitelinks can make a great addition to any paid search campaign. However, it is also important to remember the significance of some of the other ad extensions, as a campaign can only have one. For a campaign with no ad extensions, Sitelinks can provide a quick boost. As with any paid search campaign, testing is critical and Sitelinks should definitely be a priority if you haven’t tried it yet.
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