Sitelink extensions are one of those easily implemented tools that every charity with a Google Grant should use. They allow you to add additional links to your ad text, and it does wonders for improving your CTR. In fact, I ran a one-month experiment testing sitelink extensions on three campaigns for three different charities and CTR increased on average by 1.8%. That is a HUGE improvement that translated into 1,440 more clicks in a month and was a breeze to set up. Imagine what kind of boost that could have for your Google Grant campaigns.
What are Sitelink Extensions
As mentioned above, sitelink extensions are additional links you can include with your ad text that point to other landing pages related to the search. In the screenshot below, the extensions are highlighted in the red box.
Why Sitelink Extensions Work
Let’s examine the sitelink extensions again and see why they are so effective.
1. Makes Your Ads More Noticeable
The first thing you’ll notice is that the ad with the sitelink extensions is so much larger than the other two. Simply listing those four links adds another four lines of space to your ad, making it stand out. If you think about each of the competing ads as physical billboard signs that are positioned side-by-side, it would be like you having the biggest sign there. The more noticeable you make your Google ads, the more traffic you’ll get.
2. Makes You Look More Legitimate
Having sitelink extensions also makes your ad look more authoritative and legitimate. The reason is because compared to competing ads, yours has an extra abundance of information people can refer to. For example, in the above screenshot all three competing ads have a similar message, “what is Autism?” However, the ad with the sitelink extensions differentiates itself because it has a lot of extra information, like screening tools, characteristics of autism, early signs of autism, and a tool called the CHAT Checklist. This information adds a level of expertise, making it more compelling and more likely to be clicked on.
3. Creates More Places to Click
Speaking of clicking on ads, sitelink extensions also gives searchers more places to click to reach your website. In our example, the first ad has five places for searchers to click on as opposed to one for every competitor. The more chances people have to click on your ad, the more they will. If we thought about your website as a physical store, it would be like having five entrances open instead of one.
4. Adds More Relevancy to Your Ad
Instead of having to follow one link to a destination, people can now find where they want to go right from the Google search page. It’s the difference between having to use two clicks vs. one click to find the information you want. The distinction may seem trivial, but even one less click makes finding information faster, which is a benefit searchers value.
Start Using Sitelink Extensions
Given all the ways that sitelink extensions help make your ad more noticeable, you should see immediate improvements to your CTR. This will not only increase your clicks and ad spend, but also CTR which, by the way, has the additional benefit of improving your quality score. The setup is very simple and you can find instructions here. So get started on sitelink extensions today.
If your charity has added sitelink extensions and has experienced positive gains, I’d love to hear your stories. Leave me a comment below on what impact it has had on your Google Grant campaigns.
