Reference
Callout Assets (formerly callout extensions) are short, non-clickable text assets that appear beneath a search ad’s description. Their purpose is to surface concise points of information, such as features, policies, or service attributes, that help users assess relevance before clicking.
This article explains how Callout Assets work in practice, where they appear, how they interact with ad serving, and the practical limits of using short statements to improve clarity and eligibility in search ads.
Scope: This page focuses on Callout Assets in Search campaigns. It does not cover sitelinks, structured snippets, promotion assets, or Shopping formats.
Callouts are also governed by auction-time serving logic. If you’re seeing “Eligible” but not “Visible”, read Google Ads asset serving logic.
What Callout Assets are in practice
A Callout Asset is a short phrase (up to 25 characters) that communicates a specific attribute of a product or service. Examples are factual and succinct, such as service availability, delivery options, or policy details.
Unlike sitelinks, callouts are not clickable and do not direct users to a separate URL. They exist solely to add context to the main ad copy.
Callouts are rendered as part of the ad when Google determines they are eligible and useful for the query.
(support.google.com)
Where Callout Assets appear
Callout Assets appear beneath the ad description on the search results page.
- On desktop, multiple callouts may appear on one or more lines depending on space.
- On mobile, callouts may wrap or be truncated based on screen width.
Google decides:
- whether callouts show at all,
- which individual callouts are shown,
- and how many are shown (typically between 2 and 10).
(support.google.com)
As with all assets, display is eligible, not guaranteed.
Callout Assets vs other asset types
Callouts vs sitelinks
- Callouts: non-clickable, informational phrases.
- Sitelinks: clickable links that route users to specific pages.
Callouts add context; sitelinks add navigation. They are complementary rather than interchangeable.
Callouts vs structured snippets
- Callouts: free-text phrases highlighting attributes or policies.
- Structured snippets: categorical lists tied to predefined headers (e.g. Services, Amenities).
Callouts are more flexible but less structured; structured snippets are more rigid but clearer when information can be enumerated.
How Callout Assets affect ad performance
Expanded ad real estate
When shown, callouts increase the visual footprint of an ad on the results page. Expanded ads are one of the inputs into Ad Rank, alongside bid and Quality Score.
(support.google.com)
Faster relevance assessment
Because callouts surface concise attributes, users can decide more quickly whether an ad matches their needs. This often improves post-click quality, even if click volume remains flat.
Support for competitive differentiation
Callouts are commonly used to highlight attributes that are difficult to communicate in headlines alone, such as availability, guarantees, or service scope.
Constraints and limits
- Each callout is limited to 25 characters.
- Callouts cannot include:
- promotional pricing,
- calls to action,
- excessive punctuation or repetition.
(support.google.com)
- Google may truncate or omit callouts depending on layout and device.
- Callouts compete with other asset types for space.
Because of these limits, callouts work best as supporting detail, not as primary messaging.
Asset levels and scheduling
Where Callout Assets can be applied
Callouts can be set at:
- account level (apply broadly),
- campaign level,
- ad group level (most granular).
More specific assets override broader ones when both are eligible.
(support.google.com)
Scheduling
Callout Assets can be scheduled by:
- date range,
- day of week,
- time of day.
This is useful for time-bound attributes (e.g. seasonal availability or support hours) without changing the underlying ad copy.
Manual vs dynamic Callout Assets
Manual callouts
Created explicitly by the advertiser.
Advantages
- Full control over wording
- Predictable messaging
- Easier alignment with ad group intent
Trade-off
- Require maintenance if details change
Dynamic callouts
Dynamic Callout Assets are automated assets generated by Google based on landing page content and predicted usefulness. They may show alongside manual callouts.
(support.google.com)
Advantages
- Minimal setup
- Additional opportunities for ad expansion
Trade-offs
- Limited control over wording
- May surface accurate but strategically unhelpful statements
Some teams choose to disable dynamic callouts to retain tighter messaging control.
Turning off Dynamic Callout Assets
Dynamic callouts can be disabled at the account level under Account-level automated assets in Google Ads. Google requires a reason when opting out.
(support.google.com)
Disabling automation does not affect manually created callout assets.
What teams usually get wrong with Callout Assets
Mistake 1: Using vague statements
Generic phrases add little value. Specific, concrete attributes communicate more clearly.
Mistake 2: Duplicating ad copy
Repeating headline or description text in callouts wastes space and reduces clarity.
Mistake 3: Overloading with too many callouts
Providing the maximum number does not guarantee better performance. Fewer, clearer callouts often communicate more effectively.
A conservative way to use Callout Assets
A low-risk approach is to:
- select 3-6 concrete attributes that matter to users,
- align callouts with the intent of the ad group,
- avoid promotional language,
- review asset-level performance rather than judging by clicks alone.
Callouts are best treated as clarifiers, not persuasion tools.
Summary
Callout Assets are short, non-clickable statements that add factual context to search ads. When shown, they expand ad real estate, support Ad Rank, and help users assess relevance more quickly.
They are most effective when used to surface concrete attributes that would otherwise be missing from ad copy. As with all Google Ads assets, they are eligible rather than guaranteed, and their value lies in improving decision quality, not maximising message volume.
Related reading
Glossary terms
References
- Google Ads Help. About Callout Assets
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/6372658 - Google Ads Help. About assets
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7331111 - Google Ads Help. How Ad Rank works
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/1752122 - Google Ads Help. About automated assets (dynamic callouts)
https://support.google.com/google-ads/answer/7331111
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Kiril Ivanov
Managing Director & Performance Lead
Kiril leads strategy and execution at TwoSquares, combining technical engineering backgrounds with advanced performance marketing. Specialising in programmatic SEO, Google Ads scripting (API), and full-funnel paid media architecture, he builds systems that turn search visibility into measurable revenue for UK brands.
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