Google Ads is once again automatically opting advertisers into a previously optional feature.
This time, it’s for Location Extensions and Google My Business accounts. You might have recently received the email below from Google Ads:
“You’re receiving this message because one or more Google Ads accounts you manage are not linked to a related Google My Business account. By linking to Google My Business, you’re able to show location extensions with your ads and your account may also become eligible for store visits measurement. We will automatically link these Google Ads accounts to a Google My Business account with shared domains and countries. After linking, location extensions will show with your ads unless you opt out by 10/22/2018.”
What Does This Mean for Advertisers?
Basically, if Google can tell that a Google Ads account and Google My Business account exist for the same business and are not already linked, they will automatically create a link request between the two accounts. Location extensions for your Google Ads account will then be activated unless you deny the link request or opt out of automatic location extensions.
Depending on whether or not you want to show location extensions, your response before 10/22 will be different.
If you want to run location extensions in the below Google Ads accounts, no further action is needed.
Location extensions will start running automatically unless the Google My Business owner declines to link to your Google Ads account.
If you want to run location extensions but want to use a different Google My Business account:
You can link a different Google My Business account in Google Ads manually. After a link is established, you may show location extensions only on select campaigns.
If you’d like to opt-out of using location extensions:
You can follow these steps in your account to opt out of automated extensions:
- Go to the Ad & extensions tab in Google Ads
- Select “Automated Extensions”
- Click on “More” and select “Advanced Options”
- Click on “Turn off specific automated extensions”
- Select “Automated location extensions” from the drop-down
- Click “Done”
If this box is selected by 10/22/2018 Google will not add location extensions to your account.
Important Takeaways
This is only happening where the Google My Business account has a shared domain and country.
You can also opt out of additional automated extensions as well. You want to make sure the extensions that are running provide value to searchers.
For most accounts that don’t have this set up yet, advertisers will likely find this change to be helpful. We would recommend checking that the hours, addresses, etc., as well as the automated extensions that Google is creating so that you can be sure that the information is correct.
What do you think of this update? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
Special thanks to Robert Brady for contributing to this post.
