Callout Assets

Callout assets are short lines of plain text that sit with your Search ad and add selling points such as free delivery, 24/7 customer support, or same-day service. Before the rename, Google called them callout extensions. Each callout is limited to 25 characters in most languages, or 12 characters in double-width languages such as Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. They are text only, with nothing to click, and Google describes them as a way to add additional text to your ad. You can attach them at the account, campaign, or ad group level. Because they carry no link, they work as quick proof points in the space between the description and the sitelinks.

Google says you can add up to 10 callouts, but how many actually show depends on character spacing, browser, device, and the callouts' order, length, and performance. On desktop they sit on one line separated by dots, and on mobile they wrap. A more specific level blocks a broader one, so if you add callouts to an ad group, account-level callouts will not be eligible for that ad group. Google recommends general callouts at the account and campaign level and specific ones at the ad group level. Adding callouts is free, but normal click charges apply to the ad. The practical lesson is to write more callouts than you think will show, since only the strongest few appear on any given search.

Dynamic callouts are the setting that most often surprises people. Google can generate callouts automatically and may show them alongside or instead of the ones you wrote. It recommends leaving them enabled because they give the system more chances to show assets, and you can pause or remove any individual asset that Google created with AI. You can also set dates, days of the week, or times of day for your own callouts, which is handy for a sale or for staffed hours. Callouts work best when they differ from your headlines instead of repeating them. Review the auto-created ones periodically and remove any that overstate your offer, because they still speak for your business.

The mistakes are about wasted space. Generic claims like great service or quality work take up a slot without giving anyone a reason to pick you. Repeating the same point three ways in three callouts wastes the line, and writing a callout that depends on a deal that ended leaves a false claim in your ad. Also, because Google chooses which callouts appear and in what order, you cannot rely on a particular callout being seen. Put anything legally required in the ad text itself rather than in a callout. Keep claims you can back up on the landing page, so a callout promise does not meet a page that says something else.

This week, list your actual differences: speed, price terms, guarantees, certifications, hours, free shipping, and payment options. Write six to eight callouts under 25 characters, one fact each, with no repeats of your headlines. Add them at the campaign level, then check the asset report for impressions after a couple of weeks and replace the lowest performers. If you run ad group level callouts for different services, keep them specific, such as 'Same-Day Water Heaters', not a generic claim that fits every ad group. Rotate seasonal callouts in and out on a schedule so the ad always reflects what you currently offer.