The extensions offered by Google Ads have rapidly grown and improved over recent years, with its recent development, the form lead extension, implemented to increase mobile conversion rates without users leaving the SERPs.
However, it’s not all good news when it comes to the extensions. Two years after removing the review extension, Google has announced the message extension is the next to go.
Say goodbye to the Google Ads message extension
Google’s message extension let potential customers send you a text message straight from your ad. With one tap, users on mobile devices can contact your business to book an appointment, get a quote, enquire about your services and more without leaving the SERPS.
Message extensions were implemented to help businesses grow their engagement. Consumers were given a simple and convenient way to contact you after the call extension became a hit.
However, on 19 December 2019, Google announced that the message extension will no longer be available as of 27 January 2020.
What will happen after 27 January 2020?
After this date, message extensions will no longer be available in Google Ads, APIs and Ad Scripts.
From the end of January, existing message extensions will no longer serve and you won’t be able to create or update them. If after January you try to create a message extension, you will receive an error message and it won’t go live.
However, up until the end of 2020 you will still be able to retrieve your performance data from ads that were running message extensions in the past.
How to prepare your Google Ads account before the message extension is deleted
While 27 January 2020 is the last day your message extensions will work, we advise that you don’t leave it until then to update your account.
Accounts that relied heavily on this extension will be the most affected. You may need to adjust your marketing strategies and find new ways to convert mobile searches.
- Google Ads call extension
In order to prepare your Google Ads account for this change, we suggest you remove the message extension and instead, if you aren’t already doing so, use the call extension. Call extensions work in a similar way as they allow users to see your business phone number directly from your search ad. Users simply need to tap to call on their mobile.
- Google Ads form lead extension
If you don’t think the call extension is the best option for your business, then why not try the new form lead extension?
The Google lead extension will appear beneath your search ad on most handheld devices connected to the internet. It allows users to provide contact information directly through your advert in the SERPs, eliminating the need for them to visit your mobile site to convert. If the user is signed into their Google account, the form will already be pre-populated with their contact information; all they’ll need to do is submit it.
If you need help managing your Google Ads account, contact a member of our team today!
