Why aren’t my ad extensions showing up?

Ad extensions, now called assets in Google Ads, are never guaranteed to show. Google decides in every single auction whether an asset is shown, based on your Ad Rank, the expected impact of the asset, the space on the results page and the context of the search. If an asset never appears, it is usually disapproved, attached at the wrong level, or your ad rarely reaches the positions where assets are shown.

Assets such as sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call and location assets add information to your ad. According to Google, Google Ads selects which assets to show for each individual search. Adding an asset makes it eligible; it does not switch it on permanently.

Why are my assets not showing?

• Ad Rank too low. Ad Rank decides whether your ad shows and where. Google uses it, among other things, to estimate the expected impact of assets. Ads in lower positions or below the top results usually have less space for assets.
• Asset disapproved or under review. Every asset goes through policy review just like an ad. A disapproved or limited asset will not show, or will only show in some situations.
• Wrong level or not linked. Assets can be added at account, campaign or ad group level. Assets at a more specific level take precedence, so an ad group with its own sitelinks will not use the campaign’s sitelinks.
• Too few assets to choose from. With only one or two assets of a type, Google has little room to find a fitting combination. Several sitelinks and callouts give the system more options per search.
• Asset not relevant or redundant. If an asset repeats what the headline already says, or does not match the search, Google is less likely to select it. Assets also compete with automated assets that Google may add at account level.
• Schedule or device settings. A call asset limited to opening hours, or an asset scheduled for certain days, cannot show outside those times.

How do I check why an asset is not showing?

1. Check the status. Open the assets view for the campaign and look at the status column. Disapproved or limited assets show the policy reason directly.
2. Check the level. Confirm at which level the asset is attached and whether a more specific level overrides it.
3. Look at the data, not the search results. Assets that are approved but show few impressions are being selected rarely. Compare impressions per asset with the impressions of the campaign.
4. Use the ad preview. Searching for your own ad repeatedly distorts the data and may stop the ad from showing to you. The ad preview in Google Ads shows a test result without generating impressions.
5. Check Ad Rank factors. Look at Quality Score components for your main keywords and at search impression share lost due to rank. If both are weak, the issue is the ad’s position, not the asset.

How can I make assets show more often?

• Add every relevant asset type. Google recommends using all assets that fit your business goals, because the system can only choose from what is available.
• Write specific, non-repeating text. Each sitelink and callout should add something new, such as a service, an offer or a benefit not already in the ad.
• Improve Ad Rank. More relevant keywords, ads and landing pages raise Ad Rank and with it the chance that assets are shown, often more efficiently than a higher bid alone.

Check status and level of every asset first, then look at impressions per asset. Only if assets are approved and still rarely shown is Ad Rank the lever to work on.

Sources

• Google Ads Help: About assets
• Google Ads Help: Ad Rank definition
• Google Ads policies

Your sitelinks and callouts never appear even though they are approved? We review assets, ad levels and Ad Rank and show you what it takes to make your ads more prominent. Book a free intro call or read more about our Google Ads management.