What does Ad Sitelinks do?
Ad Sitelinks, as self-described by Google, is “a new feature for search-based ads that lets you include up to four additional links to deeper content on your site beyond the main landing page. Available to ads that meet [Google’s] quality requirements, Ad Sitelinks extends the value of your AdWords ads by showcasing additional targeted and relevant links for users whose search queries have triggered your ad. Sitelinks [also] adds additional links beneath your existing ads, making them even more relevant to a wider range of users.”
Sample of an Ad Sitelinks sub-link
How will Ad Sitelinks benefit the travel industry?
The advantages of these additional links are obvious in terms of enhanced visibility and greater relevance for online searches. This feature will also be immensely beneficial in supplementing core service offerings on hotel and destination sites through promotion of seasonal specials, events, and limited-time offers within these sub-links. Now, Google PPC ads can be enhanced to include anything from spa services to photo galleries to links to maps and directions, as well as provide direct links to special packages and booking engines. The possibilities from an online marketing standpoint are endless. These links also ensure that your property or destination is consistently reaching attentive new audiences and keeping content fresh on the search engine pages.
What’s the Catch?
As always, there are a few stipulations. In order for the links to appear, your account/campaign has to meet a certain “high threshold of quality.” This standard of quality, established by Google, is yet to be determined. The general criteria currently provided from Google is, “Ad Sitelinks are designed to trigger in situations where an ad provides the ‘best answer’ for a search query, and [they] are most likely to trigger on unique brand terms.” In order to find out if this new feature is available for your account, look under the Settings tab on the Adwords account page. If you see an additional ‘ad extensions’ option listed, then your account meets the proper standards. TIG Global has already begun proactively implementing links for clients’ accounts that are qualified to accept them.
The other stipulation is that your ad must appear in the first position within the search results in order for the links to be displayed, so branded terms will likely see the most benefit from this new offering. It will be interesting to see how Ad Sitelinks develops and what the measured benefits will be for ROI overtime. Stay tuned for a follow-up post, as we learn more about this emergent new tool.
Looking to step-up your online marketing strategy? TIG Global offers a full suite of interactive marketing tools to get your brand noticed. Click here to learn more, or give us a call at 301-841-4700.
