Mobile devices have reshaped every corner of digital marketing over the past five years, and PPC advertising is no exception. With mobile’s growth, it’s now more important than ever that brands optimize their mobile PPC campaigns.
That’s especially true in Google AdWords. No other platform plays a bigger role in modern PPC advertising. And thanks to a handful of great AdWords extensions for mobile devices, AdWords is one of the best platforms for optimizing PPC ads for mobile search.
By optimizing your mobile campaigns with the best AdWords extensions for mobile PPC, you can see huge gains in the way your campaigns perform on mobile devices.
Why Optimize PPC Advertising for Mobile?
If you’re not already optimizing your AdWords campaigns for mobile, you’re missing the mark with the majority of modern searchers. Nearly 60% of all Google search traffic now comes from mobile devices and tablets. That number is even higher for searches in specific product and service categories, like food, health, and automotive.
Searches on mobile devices also tend to be more conversion-friendly for PPC advertising. AdWords content occupies a much more prominent position on mobile devices. On some mobile Google SERPs, ads appear first and take up more than twice the size of the device’s screen. Users on mobile devices also search with more urgency and impulsiveness than users on desktop devices. People use their laptops to research products and services, but they use their smartphone when they’re ready to convert.
Optimize for Mobile with AdWords Extensions
Extensions are always a great tool for optimizing your AdWords content. First and foremost, they make ads bigger. Whether your ad is appearing on a smartphone, a tablet, or a laptop, the more real estate it occupies, the better. AdWords extensions also offer unique functionality that can drive huge gains in the performance of your ad and they’re free to use.
When you’re optimizing mobile PPC ads, the AdWords extensions you choose will often be different than the ones you would use for desktop ads. Some AdWords extensions only work with specific devices. Others change appearance from one device to another. Performance can also fluctuate significantly between devices.
The best AdWords extensions for mobile PPC ads offer key advantages for mobile ads. They offer mobile-specific functionality, they provide information that’s especially relevant to mobile users, and they adjust content to the “buy now” mindset of searchers on mobile devices.
Here are the five mobile AdWords extensions that are best for optimizing mobile PPC campaigns.
1. Call Extensions
Inbound phone calls are typically the most effective way to generate leads. AdWords call extensions mean mobile users can call your business at the click of a button, creating a quick, obstacle-free avenue to conversion.
2. Message Extensions
Message extensions are only available for ads that appear on mobile devices. This extension works just like a call extension, but for SMS messages. It’s perfect for capturing users who feel more comfortable communicating by text than by phone.
3. Location Extensions
Location extensions list your business address. Over 30% of mobile searches have local intent, so this is a no brainer for any business with a physical location. It’s also one of the best extensions for making your ads larger.
4. App Extensions
An app extension links directly to your brand’s mobile app in the Google Play Store. This extension can decrease conversions — at least in the short term — so only use it when the long-term gains of app downloads are worth the trade-off.
5. Price Extensions
The AdWords price extension generates a menu of offers and prices. Users who click on an offer are directed straight to a landing page for that specific service or product. This extension is tailor-made for the “buy now” search mindset of many mobile users.
