Callouts in Google Ads are ad extensions that allow you to add short descriptive phrases to your text ads on the search network. In simple terms, a callout is an additional piece of text that appears below your ad to highlight information or benefits related to your products or services. For example, you could include callouts such as “Free shipping” or “24/7 customer support” to promote exclusive offers to potential customers. These extensions help make your ad more complete and informative by providing details that don’t fit in the main headlines or descriptions.
From a practical standpoint, callouts enrich your ads without the need to create new, separate ads. Google Ads allows you to add multiple callouts at the same time (usually 2 to 4 at a time per ad), increasing the amount of information visible in the SERP (search results page). This extra space is valuable because it allows you to highlight the strengths of your offer compared to your competitors and makes your ad more appealing to the user. Callouts are useful in both B2C (business to consumer) contexts, to emphasise promotions and benefits for the end customer, and in B2B (business to business) contexts, to highlight certifications, experience or other key elements that can influence business purchasing decisions.
In summary, a callout is an additional text extension to the ad that is not clickable but provides additional information. Let’s now take a closer look at the characteristics of these assets and some practical examples to understand how they are used.
Callout characteristics: additional, non-clickable text
From a technical point of view, callouts appear as short additional texts next to the ad descriptions. Each callout can contain a maximum of 25 characters (in languages such as Italian and English), so it is important to be concise and to the point. Unlike other extensions (such as sitelinks, which are clickable and lead to specific pages on the site), callouts do not have a link: users cannot click on them separately, but can read them to obtain more details about the offer. This means that their main purpose is informative and persuasive, rather than aimed at getting additional clicks.
Another key feature is the display mode. On desktop devices, the different callouts in an ad all appear on a single line, separated by bullet points (•) or dashes – basically a sort of horizontal list. On mobile devices or tablets, however, callouts can be displayed at the beginning of a new line, in the form of a short paragraph below the ad, to fit the smaller screen. In any case, Google can display a certain number of callouts at the same time (up to a maximum of 10 callouts per ad, if space allows and if that many have been set). However, it is worth bearing in mind that it is unlikely that so many will be displayed at once: the actual number of callouts shown depends on the available space and other factors such as relevance and performance.
Callouts can be added at account, campaign or ad group level, offering flexibility in organisation. If we add callouts at account level, they will apply to all campaigns; at campaign level, they will apply to the groups in that campaign, while at group level they will be specific to that ad group. In case of overlap (e.g. callouts set both at campaign level and for a specific group within it), the more specific callouts will prevail: those in the ad group will override the general ones in the campaign for the ads in that group. This hierarchy allows you to use generic callouts (valid for the entire company) and more targeted callouts for individual products or services.
Finally, a clarification: callouts should not be confused with other Google Ads extensions. In particular, they have nothing to do with call extensions (which are used to display a clickable phone number to call the company), and they are also different from structured snippets. The latter show a category (e.g. “Services:”) followed by a list of specific items, while callouts are free phrases chosen by the advertiser. It is important to clarify these differences in order to use each type of extension correctly in your own context.
Practical examples of callouts in campaigns
To better understand how callouts appear and what they can communicate, let’s look at some practical examples. Let’s imagine we are managing a campaign for an online electronics store. In addition to the standard ad titles and descriptions, we could add callouts such as “Free shipping”, “30-day returns” and “24/7 support”. These short phrases highlight elements that can convince the user to choose our ad: free shipping encourages purchase without extra costs, the possibility of returns reassures the user about satisfaction, continuous support highlights customer service, and reviews indicate the store’s reliability and popularity.
Another example: if we were promoting a B2B service (e.g. a consulting firm), the callouts could highlight aspects such as ‘Personalised consulting’, ‘Over 20 years of experience’, ‘Customers in 15 countries’, ‘ISO 9001 certification’. These messages, although short, communicate to potential business customers that our company has experience, international reach, certified quality and offers tailor-made solutions. In B2C contexts, on the other hand, we could focus on callouts that are more oriented towards immediate benefits: for example, a clothing chain could use ‘New Spring Collection’, ‘Discounts up to 50%’, ‘Eco-sustainable materials’, ‘Shop in the centre of Milan’. These highlight new products, convenience, ecological values and local presence.
Note how in all these examples, the callouts complement the information in the main ad without repeating it. It is essential to avoid duplicating in the callouts what already appears in the title or description of the ad. Instead, callouts should be used to add detail and value: distinctive features, specific offers, competitive advantages, guarantees or any extra information that can capture the attention of the user. The key is to think about what could further convince the reader to consider our offer and condense it into a few effective words.
What are callouts for: advantages and benefits
We have seen what callouts are; now what are they for in practice and what benefits do they bring to Google Ads campaigns? In general, callout extensions are designed to make ads more effective in a number of ways. Let’s look at the main advantages of using them in our online advertising campaigns, bearing in mind that they apply to both consumer-facing (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B) activities. (B2B).
First of all, callouts enrich the advertising message with additional information. This means that when users see our ad, they can immediately understand what we offer and what our strengths are, even before clicking. In a sense, callouts anticipate answers to possible user questions (e.g., are there shipping costs? Are there any special offers available? What makes the company unique?). An ad with callouts looks more complete and professional, which can increase user trust. By communicating more useful information at a glance, you improve the user experience right from the search phase: those looking for a product or service see that your offer has certain features or advantages and will be more inclined to consider it seriously. This applies both in B2C (where users may appreciate discounts, promotions or guarantees) and in B2B (where they may value certifications, years of experience, dedicated support, etc.).
Another key benefit is the potential increase in the CTR (Click-Through Rate) of the ad. The CTR measures the percentage of people who click on the ad compared to how many see it. Having more information and visible value thanks to callouts makes the ad more appealing, and typically leads to a higher percentage of users clicking on it compared to an ad without extensions. Studies and field experience confirm that the use of ad extensions (including callouts) improves click-through rates and the overall effectiveness of campaigns. For example, an ad that displays ‘Money Back Guarantee’ and ‘Priority Support’ in addition to the standard text may receive more clicks because the user already has two concrete reasons to be interested, unlike a generic ad that does not mention these benefits.
Increasing your CTR not only benefits you in terms of traffic, but also has a positive impact on your campaign’s Quality Score and Ad Rank. Google Ads, in fact, evaluates ads that get good user engagement positively. In particular, a higher expected CTR and a more relevant ad can raise your Quality Score. In addition, Google’s algorithm considers the expected impact of extensions (such as callouts) when calculating Ad Rank, which determines the position of your ad and the cost per click. In other words, using callouts effectively can help your ad appear in higher positions without having to increase your bid, because Google recognises that the ad, enriched with useful extensions, offers a better experience for users. It’s a virtuous circle: well-crafted callouts → more clicks and quality → better positioning → even more visibility and potentially clicks, and so on.
An additional advantage of callouts is that they do not involve any direct additional costs. Google does not charge for activating or displaying callout extensions; you only pay for the actual clicks on the ad (as usual for PPC campaigns). Therefore, adding callouts is a zero-cost move that can only bring benefits in terms of performance, without any additional financial risk. Of course, you need to invest some time in thinking about and writing effective callouts, but once they are set up, they automatically contribute to every impression of your ad.
To summarise the key benefits: greater visibility, more useful information provided to the user, increased CTR, improved quality score and Ad Rank, all at no extra cost compared to a standard ad. For any advertiser, whether operating in the consumer or business market, these extensions are a valuable tool for enhancing advertising campaigns on Google.
Improved visibility and click-through rate
As highlighted, one of the main objectives of using callouts is to improve the visibility and appeal of the ad, resulting in a higher click-through rate. From a visual standpoint, an ad with callouts takes up more space on the search results page: by adding lines or segments of text below the ad, it becomes more prominent than other ads that do not have them. A “bigger” ad catches the eye and implicitly conveys a sense of completeness and relevance. This increased presence on the SERP can make all the difference, especially in competitive industries where many ads are vying for the user’s attention – having more content displayed can mean standing out from the crowd.
In terms of CTR (Click-Through Rate), callouts contribute by adding specific reasons to click on the ad. Each callout is a potential point of persuasion: if the user was undecided about clicking, reading something like “20% off prices” or “Team of certified experts” in our ad can provide the decisive stimulus. Various campaign analyses have shown that callout extensions tend to significantly increase the average click-through rate of ads, often in synergy with other extensions. This is because they better respond to the user’s search intent: for example, if someone searches for “SME management software price”, an ad that shows the callout “30-day free demo” in addition to the title and description responds more precisely to the user’s implicit interest in trying the product at no cost, and is therefore more likely to get clicked than an ad without this prominent information.
It should be noted that a higher CTR is not an end in itself, but fuels the virtuous circle of Quality Score. Google rewards ads that get high click-through rates (relative to their position and competing keywords) because this indicates relevance and usefulness. As a result, improving CTR with callouts has a twofold effect: more qualified traffic to the site and an improvement in campaign quality parameters, potentially leading to lower costs per click in the long run and a better ROI.
More informative and persuasive ads for the user
From the user’s point of view, callouts make the ad more informative and persuasive at first glance. A standard text ad in Google Ads consists of fairly short headlines and descriptions; with callouts, we have the opportunity to add context and details that enrich that message. This means giving potential customers more reasons to choose us. For example, a user might appreciate seeing immediately that we offer ‘Dedicated support’ or ‘Certified secure payment’ – information that reassures them and makes them more likely to click.
In addition, callouts allow you to customise your message based on your target audience. Since we can enable or disable them at the specific campaign level, we can use different callouts for different segments. Let’s say you have a company that offers both consumer and business services: you could create a campaign aimed at consumers where the callouts highlight, for example, “10% off your first subscription” and “Instant chat support”, while in a B2B campaign, the callouts could be “Dedicated business consultant” and “Scalable enterprise solutions”. This way, each audience sees messages that are more relevant to their needs, increasing the likelihood of engagement. Adapting callouts to the context (seasonality, type of offer, geographic audience, etc.) makes them a flexible and targeted communication tool.
A well-enriched ad is also more persuasive: callouts can tap into additional emotional or rational levers. For a B2C e-commerce site, phrases such as ‘Satisfaction guaranteed’ or ‘100% made in Italy’ can inspire trust and local pride; for a B2B service, callouts such as “7/7 priority support” or “Customers: Fortune 500” convey reliability and prestige. All this happens even before the user clicks or visits the site: in short, we are already communicating distinctive values and benefits under the ad. In an age where attention is a rare commodity, providing key information to the user immediately is essential: callouts serve precisely to condense this information in a visible and immediate way.
Finally, don’t forget that an ad that is more useful and richer for the user is also viewed positively by Google. The goal of Google Ads is to satisfy user queries by showing relevant, high-quality results (including sponsored ones). By using callouts, we are contributing to this mission by offering ads that better inform and guide users towards the right choice. This can translate into a competitive advantage: if competitors do not use callouts or do not do so effectively, our ad will stand out much more and is likely to achieve better results in terms of clicks and conversions.
How callouts work and when they are displayed
After exploring the definition and benefits, it is important to understand how callouts work behind the scenes: i.e. under what circumstances they are actually displayed in ads and according to what criteria Google displays them. Although setting up a callout is relatively simple for the advertiser (as we will see shortly), the actual display behaviour depends on certain rules and automated factors within the Google Ads system.
First of all, it should be clarified that adding callouts does not guarantee that they will always be displayed with the ad. Google Ads dynamically decides whether and which extensions to show for each ad auction, based on what it believes will provide the best performance and user experience. In general, if your ad has achieved a high ranking (e.g., in the top results at the top of the page), it is more likely to show callout extensions. Ads that appear in the top positions of the SERP often display more extensions (callouts, sitelinks, snippets, etc.), while those in lower or secondary positions may show fewer or none. Google prioritises user experience: if space is limited (e.g. on a mobile device) or if the ad has a low ranking, it may omit some extensions to avoid cluttering the page.
The order, length and performance of the callouts we set influence the likelihood of them being published. For example, if we have entered six different callouts, they may not all be displayed at the same time: Google may show two or three at a time. Which ones are shown may depend on their priority order (those at the top of the list are more likely to appear), their length (callouts that are too long may be cut or excluded if there is limited space), and their historical performance, if available. This last point means that, over time, if Google finds that certain callouts contribute to a better CTR, it may prefer them over others in subsequent instances. In practice, the system automatically optimises which extensions to show in order to maximise the effectiveness of the ad.
Another factor is the device used by the user. As mentioned above, on desktop computers, callouts are separated by dots and presented on a single line, while on smartphones and tablets they take on a “block” format below the ad. This means that on mobile devices, they may also be displayed differently in terms of quantity: for example, on small screens, one callout per line (similar to a vertical list) is sometimes displayed to make it easier to read. In addition, ads at the top of the page (above the fold) tend to show extensions more frequently, while if the ad appears at the bottom of the page, Google may omit callouts for priority reasons (at the bottom of the page, the user often already has several organic results above and space is limited).
It is important to know that we can plan the display of callouts during certain periods or days. Google Ads offers scheduling options for extensions: for example, we can set a “Valentine’s Day Offer” callout to be active only in February, or ensure that certain callouts only appear on weekends. This scheduling feature allows you to align callouts with temporary promotional campaigns or business hours (for example, “Customer service until 8 p.m.” may only make sense to show when customer service is actually online until that time). Using scheduling wisely helps keep your callouts always relevant and up to date, avoiding showing expired offers or irrelevant information at certain times.
Another aspect of how this works to consider is the existence of dynamic callouts. Google Ads can automatically add system-generated callout extensions, drawing on information from your website or other sources, if the advertiser allows it. Dynamic callouts are additional text that Google creates and displays autonomously alongside your ads, without you having to set them up manually. The idea is that the system identifies key points of your offer and highlights them, giving you ‘more opportunities to display assets with your ads,’ as indicated in the guide. For example, Google might add a dynamic callout such as “Book without a credit card” for a hotel if it finds that information on the website. It should be noted that these automatic extensions appear at Google’s discretion and are not always under our direct control, although we can disable them if we don’t think they’re appropriate. In any case, knowing that they exist makes us understand how much Google strives to always show relevant information: if we do not provide manual callouts, it may try to generate its own to improve the ad.
Finally, regarding costs and rules: as already mentioned, the use of callouts does not incur additional costs per impression or display. You only pay for clicks on the main ad, never on the callouts (which, as they are not clickable, do not generate direct clicks). From a regulatory standpoint, callouts must comply with the same editorial policies as Google Ads: no prohibited content, no excessive special characters, no inappropriate capitalisation, etc. In addition, each callout should ideally make sense on its own and not be too generic. Google may reject duplicate or unclear callouts. For example, using callouts such as “Best of all” or “Number one” may not be accepted because they are too promotional and unverifiable, whereas “Winner of the 2023 XYZ award” would be a concrete and acceptable statement. It is therefore good practice to follow the quality guidelines: keep messages short, clear, specific and truthful.
Where callouts appear on search pages
Callouts appear alongside text ads on the Google search network, and their position is immediately below the main ad block. When looking at an ad on the SERP, we usually see the title (in blue), the URL displayed in green (or black, in the new interfaces) and two lines of description. Callouts appear immediately below these components, as an additional extension. On desktop, as mentioned, they appear on the same line separated by a bullet or median point (•) between each one. For example, an ad might look like this:
Ad Title – www.sito.com
Ad description promoting the product or service offered by the advertiser, highlighting a key message.
Free shipping • 24/7 support • Satisfaction guaranteed or your money back
In this example, the bold parts represent three callouts added to the ad, separated by the • character. Note how they are distinct from the description: even if the description ended with a full stop, the callouts would appear separately with their own bullet point. This makes them easily recognisable as additional, specific information.
On mobile devices, however, the typical presentation is slightly different: callouts are often wrapped, one after the other in a vertical list (sometimes introduced by a short grey keyword, such as “·” or similar, to indicate the start of the list). As a result, the ad on mobile devices may take up more vertical space, with each callout appearing on a separate line or two lines if short. For example, on a smartphone screen, we might see:
Ad title
www.sito.com
Description of the promotional ad in the mobile version, perhaps a little shorter.
• Free shipping
• 24/7 support
• Satisfaction guaranteed
Here, each callout is preceded by a bullet point (•) and arranged on separate lines, making the list clear and easy to scan. Of course, the exact way callouts are displayed on mobile may vary slightly depending on Google’s layout at the time, but the bottom line is that they are still displayed as a list of benefits below the ad.
Regarding ad positions on the page, callouts are most commonly visible when the ad is in the top sponsored results at the top. If our ad appears in the top 3-4 above the organic results, it is very likely that it will be able to display callouts (provided that we have set them up and that Google considers them relevant to that search). Conversely, for ads that appear at the bottom of the page (sponsored at the end of the results) or in lower positions, Google often limits the extensions shown. This is because the lower part of the page is often given lower priority, and Google may opt for more “streamlined” ads. Therefore, to maximise the use of callouts, it is also important to aim for high positions with a good Ad Rank, so that the algorithm considers our ad worthy of displaying all extensions.
Once the ad is published with callouts, the user will see them and can draw information from them, but remember: they cannot click directly on the callout text. If they are interested in the ad as a whole, they will click on the title or URL as usual. Afterwards, in Google Ads reports, we will be able to see that the ad had certain impressions with extensions and the total number of clicks, but not specific clicks on the callouts (since they do not exist). However, we can evaluate the comparative performance of ads with or without active callouts to understand the benefit they bring. Google Ads provides extension-level metrics, such as the number of impressions in which the callout was shown and any associated increase in clicks/CTR. By monitoring this data, we can deduce which callouts work best and whether it is worth adding or modifying some to further improve performance.
Factors influencing the publication of callouts
The publication of callouts depends on several dynamic factors. We have mentioned the quality score and the position of the ad: the more competitive the ad is in the auction (i.e. the higher its Ad Rank), the more “space” Google will give it by also showing the extensions. But there are other elements to consider:
- Number of callouts set: if we have created many (e.g. 8-10 different ones), Google will rarely show them all together. It will try to choose the most relevant or effective ones. Sometimes it may alternate them in different impressions, especially if it is collecting initial data on their performance. It is advisable to set up at least 4 different callouts to get good coverage, but avoid including too many generic ones; it is better to focus on the most important ones.
- Callout length: Although each callout can be up to 25 characters long, this does not mean that using all the space is always optimal. Shorter callouts (e.g. 12-15 characters) may allow Google to fit more of them on a single line on desktop. If, on the other hand, all callouts are at the limit, there may only be space for 2-3 instead of perhaps 4. Furthermore, on mobile devices, extremely long callouts would be truncated. It is therefore advisable to balance brevity and clarity: sometimes two incisive words work better than a long sentence. For example, writing “Express delivery” (13 characters) might be preferable to “Delivery within 24 hours” (18 characters) if we want to fit in one more callout.
- Relevance to the query: although not explicitly stated, it is reasonable to assume that Google is more likely to show callouts that contain terms relevant to the user’s search. For example, if the user searches for “PC technical support Milan”, and our ad has the callouts “24/7 support” and “Based in Milan”, these are very relevant and are likely to be displayed. If, on the other hand, we have a generic callout such as “High quality guaranteed”, it may be considered less relevant to that specific query and Google may omit it in favour of others or none at all. This suggests that including relevant keywords in callouts (where possible and natural) may increase their frequency of publication.
- Historical performance: Over time, Google collects data on how users interact with the ad when certain callouts are present. If it notices, for example, that our ad gets a very good CTR when it shows the callout ‘Transparent prices’ and less when it shows ‘Market leader’, it may start to favour the former. This happens fairly automatically: it is the Google Ads machine learning system that works to improve results. For advertisers, this means giving it some time and being patient at the beginning: try out various callouts, let them run, and then optimise by keeping the ones that seem to work best (based on the available data).
- Other extensions in use: if we also have other extensions on the same ad (e.g. sitelinks, snippets, call extensions, price extensions, etc.), Google may have to choose which ones to show based on space and device. There is a kind of “competition” between extensions: they cannot always be displayed all together. For example, on a desktop ad, we may see sitelinks and callouts, but not snippets, or vice versa, depending on what is most useful for the query. In general, Google tries to show the best-performing combination of extensions. If we believe that callouts are essential for a particular campaign, we should monitor that they are actually being displayed and perhaps reduce other extensions if they are taking up all the space. However, combining multiple types of extensions often produces the best results (for example, callouts + sitelinks together greatly enrich the ad), so the key is to test and find the right balance.
In conclusion on how callouts work: we can configure them as we like, but Google Ads will determine when and how many to show based on context and performance. Our job is to provide good callouts, keep them relevant and up to date, and optimise them over time. By doing so, we will enable the system to make the most of them in our campaigns.
How to implement callouts in a Google Ads campaign
Now that we understand the value of callouts, let’s move on to the practical part: how to implement callouts correctly in Google Ads campaigns. Implementation can be divided into two aspects: on the one hand, the technical procedure for adding callouts through the Google Ads platform, and on the other, the best practices for writing and managing these elements effectively. We will examine both, so that you can take action on both an operational and strategic level.
At the platform level, Google Ads makes it fairly easy to add callout extensions. From the account panel, simply navigate to the “Ads and assets” section (formerly called “Ads and extensions”) and then open the “Assets” or “Extensions” tab. Here you will find the option to create a new asset of the “Callout” type (sometimes translated as “Callout extension”). By clicking on ‘+ New asset’ and selecting Callout, a field will open where you can enter the text of the callout you want to add. You will also need to choose at what level to apply this callout: you can select Account (valid for all ads in the account), Campaign (valid only for a certain campaign) or Ad group (valid for that specific group). This choice will depend on the scope of the message: if the callout is generic for the entire company (e.g., ‘Free delivery for orders >£50’), we can put it at the account or campaign level; if, on the other hand, it is something specific to a product line (e.g., ‘2-year warranty’ perhaps only for the premium line), we will add it to the relevant ad group.
Once you have decided on the level and text, simply save. You can create multiple callouts one after the other, repeating the operation until you have added all the ones you need. Google Ads allows you to reuse existing callouts: for example, if you have already created a ‘24-hour support’ callout in another campaign, you can simply associate it with the new campaign without rewriting it from scratch, using the ‘Use existing’ option. This helps maintain consistency and save time if certain messages are valid for multiple campaigns.
After adding the callouts, it is advisable to use the preview function to see how they will appear. The platform offers a simulated view of the ads on desktop and mobile. Here, we can check whether the callouts are displayed correctly, whether they are too long (in the preview they will be truncated with “…”), or whether the order makes sense. Remember that the order you enter is indicative: it will not always correspond to the actual display order, but it is still best to put the most important callouts first. For example, if “Free shipping” is your main selling point, you would enter it as the first callout on the list.
Another step in implementation is the scheduling of callouts, if necessary. As mentioned, in the advanced editing section of each callout, we can set start and end dates, or time slots when the callout should be active. We use this feature to ensure that callouts are always appropriate: for example, we activate “Last days of sale” only for the final period of the sale, or we set “Support until 6pm” not to appear at night when support is closed, so as not to mislead users. Proper planning avoids embarrassing situations (such as promoting a discount that has already expired) and maintains the credibility of the ad.
Finally, with callouts implemented, we double-check our campaigns as a whole: it is good practice to perform a consistency check. We verify that callouts do not repeat information already present elsewhere in the ad or in other extensions. We also make sure there are no conflicts: for example, if a callout says “Free shipping” but then on the website shipping is only free above a certain threshold, it would be better to specify this or not use it indiscriminately across all campaigns. Consistency and honesty in messaging are key to maintaining user trust and complying with Google’s policies.
Tips for creating effective callouts
Technically implementing callouts is only half the battle: the other half, perhaps the most important, is writing effective callouts and managing them well. Here are some tips and best practices for getting the most out of these extensions.
- Be specific and concrete: Given the limited space available (25 characters), every word counts. It is best to use specific phrases that offer real, tangible information. For example, “24-hour delivery” is more effective than “fast delivery” because it gives a concrete parameter. Similarly, “50+ models available” sounds more specific and interesting than “Wide range of products”. Users appreciate clarity: a callout should make it clear exactly what benefit or feature you offer.
- Highlight your unique strengths: Think about what sets you apart from your competitors. If everyone in your industry offers free shipping, that message loses its impact (although it is still worth reiterating). But if you have something unique – for example, ‘Free customisation’, ‘100% organic materials’, ‘Awarded Best Service 2024’ – put that in a callout. Callouts are the ideal place for Unique Selling Propositions (USPs), i.e. the value promises that only your company can make (or that give you a competitive advantage).
- Maintain a consistent and professional tone: Even though callouts are short, they are part of the ad and therefore part of your brand’s communication tone. Use language that is consistent with the rest of the ad (formal or informal depending on the context, but since we are writing in a formal style, we will presumably use a professional tone in the callouts as well). Avoid using ALL CAPS (not allowed, except for acronyms) or too many exclamation marks. A callout should not be a shouted slogan, but useful information in a nutshell. For example, “Dedicated customer service” is better than “Best customer service!!!”. The latter would not even be approved due to the excessive punctuation.
- Do not duplicate information that is already present elsewhere: Make sure that each callout adds something new. If you have already written “20% off” in the ad title, there is no point in having a callout with the same phrase. Instead, add a complementary detail, such as “20% off until the end of the month” if that deadline was not in the title. In general, callouts should complement the message, not repeat it. This also applies to other extensions: if you have a structured snippet ‘Categories: X, Y, Z’, avoid a callout that repeats one of those categories; if you have a sitelink ‘Special Offers’, you may not need a callout ‘Deals of the Day’, unless it specifies something more.
- Use all necessary callouts (without overdoing it): Google recommends including at least 4 callouts to ensure that there are always several to display. We can add more, but typically 4-6 well-thought-out callouts cover most informational needs. Adding 10 could result in redundant or ineffective messages. In short, it’s better to have a few good ones. Of course, if there are 8 really important things to say, add them all – but do so judiciously. Keep in mind that if you really have a lot of strengths to communicate, it may be better to divide them into several extensions: for example, some in callouts, others in snippets structured under a certain heading, and still others in additional elements (such as the Highlights extension, if available, or in the sitelink descriptions). Clarity wins over quantity: users absorb 2-3 main concepts from an ad, not ten. So let’s focus on those.
- Update and rotate callouts periodically: Campaigns should not be static. If you’ve been pushing a message for a while (e.g., ‘New product launch X’), it may no longer be relevant a few months later, and it may be better to replace that callout with something else. Do a periodic (monthly or quarterly) check of your active callouts and ask yourself if they are still relevant and delivering results. You can also try rotating different messages to see which ones work best. For example, during the Christmas period, you could test callouts such as “Free gift wrapping” vs “Guaranteed delivery before Christmas” and see which one attracts more clicks. Experimentation is the key to continuous improvement in PPC campaigns.
- Consider the device and overall length: If you notice from your data that most of your traffic is mobile, think about how your callouts will look on smartphones. You may want to shorten some of them for a cleaner look. For example, instead of “24/7 customer service”, on mobile you could simply use “24/7 support” (removing the word “customer” if you need the space) without losing any meaning. Also, put the most important concepts in the first callouts: on mobile, only 2 or 3 are sometimes displayed, so make sure they contain the essential information. The subsequent ones, if cut off, will be ‘extras’ that do not compromise the main message.
- Use callouts for both B2C and B2B campaigns: As already highlighted, these extensions are versatile. In a B2C context, they are excellent for promoting elements that appeal to consumers (price, promotions, convenience, guarantees, new products, etc.). In a B2B context, they can be adapted to emphasise professional value (e.g. “+100 business customers”, “Dedicated business support”, “Reduce costs by 30%”). Don’t make the mistake of thinking that callouts are only for promotional offers; even in more ‘serious’ B2B marketing, there is always something to highlight that can be summed up in a short sentence and make you stand out from your competitors. So incorporate them strategically into all your campaigns, tailoring the content to your target audience.
By following these tips, we will be able to create effective callouts that significantly improve our campaigns. Remember that, although they are relatively small elements in the context of an entire digital marketing strategy, callouts can have a significant impact on the outcome of an ad. Often, the difference between a user ignoring an ad and clicking on it is one word that grabs their attention or responds to their need. Paying attention to those few words in your callouts can translate into more clicks, more conversions and better results for your business.
Monitoring and optimising callouts over time
Implementing callouts is a great step, but the work doesn’t stop there. It’s important to monitor the performance of your callouts and optimise them over time to ensure they continue to meet your goals. Google Ads provides extension-level data: for example, we can see how many impressions a particular callout has accumulated and, indirectly, how it is affecting the ad (if an ad with callouts has a higher CTR than when those callouts do not appear). We can also filter campaign data to see metrics “with extensions” vs “without extensions”, helping us quantify the overall contribution of callout extensions.
Looking at this data, we might notice, for example, that a specific callout is almost always shown (a sign that it is probably performing well or is very relevant), or that another is rarely displayed. In the latter case, we might ask ourselves: is it too long? Not relevant enough? Does it compete with other messages? Perhaps it is worth modifying or replacing it. Continuous optimisation is just that: testing variations, eliminating what doesn’t work and enhancing what does. For example, if we find that the callout “10% off your first order” is driving a lot of clicks, we might decide to highlight it in the main ad text or expand it into a dedicated landing page, knowing that it attracts interest. Conversely, if a callout such as “Payment in instalments available” does not seem to attract attention (perhaps because it is not relevant to that product), we could replace it with a different message, such as “Installation included” if applicable.
It is also useful to do some controlled testing: for example, use one set of callouts for a month, then try changing one or two the following month and see if the metrics improve or worsen. This A/B testing approach over time helps us identify the best callouts. However, keep in mind that other factors may influence the results (seasonality, budget changes, competition), so isolating the effect is not always easy; but large differences in callout performance usually become apparent.
In addition, monitoring allows us to discover new opportunities. For example, we may realise that many users are looking for a certain attribute of our product/service that we did not include in the callouts. If we notice in related search queries that the word “warranty” often appears and we didn’t have a callout about warranty, we could add it. Google Ads and Google Analytics offer insights into queries and behaviour that we can translate into new, relevant callouts.
In conclusion, implement and forget is never the ideal strategy in Google Ads. Callouts, like other campaign components, need to be monitored over time. The good news is that once you have established a monitoring routine (e.g. a monthly review of extension reports), the work involved in optimising callouts is not too burdensome, but it can give you that incremental advantage that, when added up over the course of a year, means better use of your budget and more conversions.
Final considerations
In this article, we have explored in detail what callouts are in Google Ads, highlighting their nature, the benefits they bring and how to implement them effectively in advertising campaigns. We have seen that callouts (or callout extensions) are short additional texts that enrich search network ads by highlighting key features, offers or strengths of the business. Their main purpose is to inform and persuade: by immediately giving users more reasons to choose our ad, they improve visibility and click-through rates, contributing to the success of the campaign.
We have analysed how callouts are integrated into ads, both visually (on desktop as sentences separated by dots, on mobile often in a list) and at the algorithm level (with Google deciding when to display them based on relevance and performance). It is essential to remember that callouts do not incur additional costs, but can positively influence metrics such as Quality Score and Ad Rank, making our ads more competitive without increasing investment.
On a practical level, implementing callouts requires a few simple steps in the Google Ads interface, but doing it “correctly” requires strategy: you need to choose the right messages, keep them up to date and consistent with the other information in the ad. We have provided tips on how to write effective callouts – from being specific and focused on your unique strengths, to using a professional tone and not being redundant – and how to manage them over time through testing and constant monitoring.
Whether you operate in the B2C sector selling retail products or in the B2B sector offering professional services, callouts are a versatile and powerful tool. They can highlight a wide range of values, from price to quality, convenience to reliability, adapting to what is most important to communicate in your industry. In an age where users make quick decisions by scrolling through a page of results, having complete ads that are rich in relevant information is a significant competitive advantage.
In conclusion, the correct use of callouts in Google Ads is a best practice that we highly recommend in every search network campaign. As we have seen, they fully respond to an informational intent: they help users better understand our offer even before they click, and at the same time help us advertisers get better performance from our campaigns. By carefully crafting callouts – choosing targeted text, monitoring their effectiveness and optimising them over time – we can maximise the impact of every impression and take a further step towards the success of our online marketing initiatives. Together, as marketing experts and Google Ads users, we can make the most of these small but powerful elements to make pay-per-click advertising more efficient and profitable for both sellers and searchers.
