What is a Google Ad Callout?
A great Google Ad isn't just about a catchy headline, it's about providing the right information at the right time. Callout extensions are a simple but powerful tool for doing exactly that, letting you showcase your business's best features directly within your ad. This guide will walk you through what callouts are, why they're essential for your campaigns, and how to set them up for success.
What Exactly Is a Google Ads Callout?
Google Ads callouts are short, non-clickable snippets of text that appear below your ad copy. Think of them as bullet points for your ad, offering a quick, scannable overview of your key selling points, benefits, or promotions. Each callout has a 25-character limit, encouraging you to be concise and impactful.
For example, an ad for an online shoe store might feature callouts like:
Free Shipping
Easy 30-Day Returns
10,000+ 5-Star Reviews
Ethically Sourced
These callouts appear alongside your primary ad, adding extra lines of text that highlight unique value propositions. They give searchers more reasons to click your ad over a competitor's, without you needing to cram that information into your main description.
It’s important to note how callouts differ from another popular ad extension: sitelinks. While both add more text to your ad, sitelinks are clickable links that direct users to specific pages on your website (e.g., "Men's Shoes," "Sale Section," "Contact Us"). Callouts are not clickable, their sole purpose is to provide quick, supplementary information about your overall business or offer.
Why You Should Be Using Callout Extensions
If you're running Google Ads, using callouts isn't just a "nice to have" - it's a critical component of a high-performing campaign. Here's why they are so valuable.
1. They Increase Ad Size and Visibility
One of the most immediate benefits of ad extensions is that they make your ad physically larger on the search engine results page (SERP). An ad with callouts takes up more digital real estate, drawing more attention from users and pushing competitors' ads further down the page. In the competitive landscape of search advertising, increased visibility is a significant advantage.
2. They Can Improve Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Callouts allow you to highlight compelling offers and benefits upfront. When a user sees "Free Shipping," "24/7 Support," or a "Money-Back Guarantee" before they even click, it removes potential friction and builds confidence. By qualifying your audience with more specific information, you attract clicks from users who are more genuinely interested in what you offer, which often leads to a higher CTR.
3. They Enhance Ad Relevance and Quality Score
Google's algorithm rewards ads that are highly relevant to the user's search query. Adding callouts gives Google more context about your business and your offerings. This additional information can contribute to a better Ad Rank and an improved Quality Score. A higher Quality Score is a cornerstone of a successful Google Ads account, as it can lead to better ad positions and a lower average cost-per-click (CPC).
4. You Can Highlight Distinct Selling Points
Your ad's headline and description have limited space. Callouts give you dedicated spots to showcase the specific features that set your business apart. Are your products eco-friendly? Do you offer free consultations? Are you a family-owned business? Callouts are the perfect place to communicate these unique attributes that might not fit elegantly into your primary ad copy.
5. They Are Completely Free to Add
Perhaps the best part about callouts is that they cost nothing to implement. Clicks are still charged on the ad's main headline as usual, but the extended format and all its benefits are free. There is no downside to adding them to your campaigns. You get better ad performance for the same click cost, delivering a better return on your ad spend.
How to Set Up Callout Extensions in Google Ads
Adding callouts to your campaigns is a straightforward process within the Google Ads dashboard. Here's your step-by-step guide.
Sign in to your Google Ads account. Go to the campaign you want to work on.
Navigate to the Assets Section. On the left-hand navigation menu, click on 'Ads & assets' and then select 'Assets' from the sub-menu.
Create a New Asset. Click the blue plus icon (+) to add a new asset.
Select "Callout". A dropdown menu will appear. Choose 'Callout' from the list of asset types.
Add Your Callout Text. In the "Callout text" fields, you can type in your new callouts. You can also click "Use existing" if you have previously created callouts that you'd like to reuse. Remember the 25-character limit for each one.
Choose Where to Add the Callout. The "Add to" dropdown lets you implement the callout at three different levels:
Account: The callout will be eligible to show with all ads in your account. This is ideal for universal benefits like "Free Shipping" or "24/7 Customer Support."
Campaign: The callout will show with all ads within a specific campaign. This is useful for campaign-level themes, such as "Spring Collection Out Now."
Ad Group: The callout will only show for ads in a specific ad group. This offers the most granular control and is perfect for highlighting product-specific features.
It's a good practice to set broad, evergreen callouts at the account level and then add more specific, tailored ones at the campaign or ad group level.
Customize Advanced Options (Optional). You can set device preferences (e.g., show only on mobile for a callout like "Call for a Free Quote") or create a schedule for time-sensitive promotions like a weekend sale.
Save Your Work. Click the 'Save' button to finish.
Your callouts are now active! Google recommends adding at least four callouts for each level (account, campaign, or ad group). The system will then automatically rotate them and optimize which ones to show based on performance, typically displaying between two and six callouts at a time.
Best Practices for Writing Killer Callouts
Setting up callouts is easy, but writing effective ones requires a bit of strategy. Follow these best practices to get the most out of them.
Be Short, Sweet, and Punchy
With only 25 characters, there's no room for filler words. Get straight to the point. Instead of "We Offer Free And Fast Shipping," use "Free, Fast Shipping." Think in terms of bullet points or brief highlights, not full sentences.
Focus on One Clear Benefit Per Callout
Don't try to communicate multiple ideas in a single callout. Each one should have a singular focus. For example, instead of "Durable & Eco-Friendly," create two separate callouts: "Built To Last" and "Eco-Friendly Materials." This makes your message clearer and allows Google to test which benefit resonates most with your audience.
Use Numbers and be Specific
Quantifiable claims are more powerful than vague statements. "Over 1 Million Customers" is more compelling than "Trusted by Many Customers." Specificity builds trust and helps your ad stand out. "Price Match Guarantee" is far better than just "Great Prices."
Align Callouts with Your Targeting
Just like your ad copy, your callouts should be relevant to the person seeing the ad. Use Account-level callouts for business-wide benefits, but customize at the Campaign and Ad Group levels. An ad group targeting "Nike running shoes" could use callouts like "Official Nike Retailer" and "Latest Air Max Models," which wouldn't make sense for another ad group.
Use a Consistent Tone and Capitalization
Use Title Case (e.g., 'Exceptional Customer Service') for your callouts. It's the standard for ad copy and looks crisp and professional. Consistency across your ad makes the entire message feel polished and cohesive.
Test, Monitor, and Iterate
Don’t just "set it and forget it." Create four to six different callouts and monitor their performance in the 'Assets' section of Google Ads. You can see impressions, clicks, and CTR for each one. Over time, pause the underperforming callouts and replace them with new variations to continuously optimize your results.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While callouts are simple, a few common mistakes can lead to them being rejected or ineffective.
Using Punctuation. Callouts shouldn't end with periods or exclamation marks. Stick to text and numbers.
Repeating Ad Copy. Don't waste space by using a callout to say something already in your headline or description. The goal is to provide new information.
Vague or Subjective Claims. Avoid phrases like "Best service" or "Great deals." They're not specific and don't mean much to the user. Instead, use factual USPs like "Certified Technicians" or "Sale Ends Friday."
All Caps. Don't SHOUT at your customers. Brands and acronyms (like USA) are acceptable exceptions, but general text should be in title case.
Final Thoughts
Google Ads callouts are far more than a minor tweak, they are a fundamental part of creating ads that command attention, communicate value, and drive higher-quality clicks. By dedicating just a few minutes to add relevant, punchy callouts, you can increase your ad's visibility and relevance at no extra cost, giving you a considerable advantage in a crowded marketplace.
Of course, tracking how these changes affect performance across dozens of ad groups or campaigns can become a reporting challenge. This is where tools like Graphed come in handy. We connect directly to your Google Ads account, allowing you to ask simple questions like, "Show me the CTR and conversion rate of my 'Winter Sale' campaign this month" and get an instant real-time dashboard. Instead of spending hours pulling CSVs and wrestling with spreadsheets to see what’s working, we let you get straight to the insights so you can focus on making smarter optimizations, faster.