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Effectively Using Google Ads Callout Extensions

Everything I know about Google Ads began in June, when our buddy Ben—an SEO whisperer with a caffeine addiction so severe it’s funny—sat us down at our favorite grubby diner. Over stacks of pancakes, he tossed out how his recent project saw a 30% increase in click-through rates just by adding callout extensions to their Google Ads. “It was like magic,” he said, smirking over the rim of his sixth coffee. So, we thought, if Ben could sprinkle some additive sorcery over his ads, maybe we could too.

What are Callout Extensions, Anyway?​

Alright, here’s the skinny — like the skinniest skinny latte you can imagine. Callout extensions are those short snippets of text that appear with your Google Ads. Simple, right? These little guys—like the bonus fries at the bottom of your take-out bag—add extra oomph by highlighting what makes your services or products unique. No clicks are required on them; they’re there to complete your ad's already magnificent appeal.

When Ben explained how they worked, he doodled on a napkin — “It’s like adding extra bullet points to your offer,” he said, gesturing with his pen and accidentally flinging some syrup onto the page. It wasn’t the clearest illustration, but somehow, it clicked.

Setting Them Up Like a Pro (or Ben)​

We decided to dive headfirst and set up our account with these magical callouts, and boy, did we mess it up the first time. Not to worry—we found the groove eventually, and here's how you can too, minus the syrup stains on your notes:

  1. Open Google Ads: Life-changing journeys often begin with a simple click. Head over to your Google Ads dashboard. Ours is littered with campaigns both glorious and slightly embarrassing.

  2. Choose Your Campaign: Pick an ad campaign that needs some jazzing up. We chose our campaign for our monthly pie-eating contest because, honestly, who doesn’t love pie?

  3. Go to Extensions: On the left panel, you’ll see 'Ads & Extensions.' Click on it, then choose 'Extensions.'

  4. Add Callouts: In the endless list of options, callouts are your way to shine. Click the plus button (+) to add a new callout extension. We added “Fresh Ingredients” and “No Contest Fee” (free pies, remember?).

  5. Keep it Snappy: Each callout has to be less than 25 characters. Be concise. Be clever. We may have spent way too long squeezing our verbose descriptions into tiny quips.

  6. Save and Review: Hit 'Save,' and do a quick jig in your living room. Or just review it calmly. Your choice. Then, look over everything to ensure it all makes sense—unlike when Ben misquoted our tagline.

Happy Accidents and Known Triumphs​

After setting them up, we waited. And while we waited, we wondered if we’d see results as spectacular as Ben’s. Spoiler alert: we did. Traffic surged like an unexpected tidal wave during a desert monsoon, proving those little snippets were more potent than their petite nature suggested.

It turned out that learning about Google Ads callout extensions was more than just biting the bullet point. It was about discovering new ways to communicate—and sometimes silently competing with Ben—while sharing creative, bite-sized stories with the world. So there you have it: callout extensions and pancakes, both best consumed with a little bit of patience and a dollop of humor.