What Are Callouts in Advertising? How to Write and Set Them Up

One way to improve the performance of your search advertising is the callout. Because this feature lets you add supplementary information to your ad text at no cost while potentially improving click-through rate, it is worth understanding if you run Google Ads. This article explains what callouts (callout assets, formerly ad extensions) are, the key points for writing effective ones, and the specific steps for setting them up in Google Ads.

What Is a Callout in Advertising?

A callout is a feature in Google Ads search advertising that lets you display short additional text below your ad copy. Officially known as a callout asset (formerly called a callout extension), it is one type of ad asset. It works by supplementing your ad with brief phrases that convey your strengths or service features, such as "Free shipping," "24-hour support," or "30 years in business," thereby strengthening the appeal of your ad.

A defining characteristic of callouts is that they are non-clickable text. They have no destination for users to click through to and function purely as supplementary text that reinforces your ad copy. Setting them up is free, and they incur no additional cost per click.

How Callouts Differ From Sitelinks

Callouts are easily confused with sitelink assets. A sitelink adds a clickable link that directs users to a specific page, and each one requires its own destination URL. A callout, by contrast, is supplementary information consisting of text alone with no link. It helps to think of sitelinks as increasing the destinations you send people to, and callouts as adding messages that reinforce your appeal.

Benefits of Setting Up Callouts

Setting up callouts can bring the following main benefits.

• Your ad occupies more space, increasing visibility and presence in search results
• You can convey additional strengths or offers, which tends to improve click-through rate (CTR)
• Both setup and display are free, so you can use them without additional cost
• They factor into Ad Rank evaluation and may contribute to improved ad position and ad quality

That said, callouts are not guaranteed to appear. Google automatically determines whether to display them based on the search query, device, Ad Rank, and other factors. It is therefore important to register multiple high-quality callouts so they are shown as often as possible.

How to Write Effective Callouts

Creating callouts that drive results requires attention to several key points.

Express Concrete, Specific Strengths Briefly

Because callouts are short text, it is important to express the strength you want to convey both concisely and concretely. Rather than abstract phrasing such as "High quality," wording that incorporates numbers or specific facts, such as "Same-day shipping" or "1,000 companies served," resonates more with users. Each callout has a limit of 25 characters, so narrow your message down to the essentials.

Avoid Duplicating Your Ad Copy and Sitelinks

If your callouts repeat what your headlines, descriptions, or sitelinks already say, you waste the limited display space available. Assign different selling points to each element so that, taken together, they convey the full breadth of what makes your offering attractive.

Register Several to Broaden Your Appeal

You can register multiple callouts, and Google combines and displays them according to the situation. Preparing at least four, ideally covering different angles such as strengths, offers, track record, and support, increases your display opportunities and helps you resonate with a wider range of users.

Watch Out for Prohibited Content and Policy Requirements

Callouts are subject to review policies that disallow excessive use of symbols, exaggerated claims, and the inclusion of phone numbers or URLs. Overusing exclamation marks or full-width symbols is a common cause of disapproval, so aim for simple, accurate wording.

How to Set Up Callouts in Google Ads

Here is the basic flow for setting up callout assets in the Google Ads interface.

1. Log in to Google Ads and open "Assets" (or "Ads and assets") from the left-hand menu.
2. Click the "+" button at the top of the asset list and select "Callout" from the asset types.
3. Choose the level at which to add the callouts: account, campaign, or ad group.
4. Enter the text you want to promote in the input field (up to 25 characters). Add each callout separately.
5. Configure optional details such as start and end dates, devices, and scheduling as needed.
6. Review your entries, save, and wait for the review process to complete.

After setup, your callouts go through review and begin appearing in search results once approved. Setting them at the account level applies them to all campaigns, while setting them at the campaign or ad group level allows for more finely targeted messaging.

Measuring and Improving Performance After Setup

Callouts are not something you set once and forget. Measuring their performance and refining them is what leads to results. The Google Ads interface lets you review metrics such as impressions and click-through rate for each asset. For callouts that rarely appear or fail to contribute to results, revise the wording or swap in a different message, and refresh them regularly.

You can also add or rotate callouts such as "Limited time" or "Sale on now" to match seasons and campaigns, enabling messaging tailored to specific periods.

Summary

Callouts are a cost-effective ad asset that lets you add supplementary information to your search ad copy at no charge. The keys to making them effective are expressing concrete, specific strengths briefly, avoiding duplication with your ad copy and sitelinks, and registering several to broaden your appeal. Setup takes only a few steps from the "Assets" section of Google Ads. Start by registering at least four callouts covering your strengths, then refine them as you monitor how they perform.