How do I set up sitelink extensions properly?

Sitelink extensions (now called “sitelink assets”): what “proper setup” really means

If you want sitelinks to show consistently and lift click-through rate, “proper setup” is less about adding a few extra links and more about building a clean, relevant pool of assets that (1) are eligible to serve across your account structure, (2) follow formatting and policy requirements, and (3) give the system enough strong options to choose from for each query and device.

In practical terms, that means you’ll create sitelinks at the right level (account vs. campaign vs. ad group vs. asset group), write short, specific link text, point each sitelink to a truly matching page, and include descriptions where it makes sense so you unlock richer formats when available.

Also set expectations correctly: even with perfect setup, sitelinks aren’t guaranteed to show every time. They show when predicted to improve performance, and modern Search formats can sometimes use responsive search ad text in placements that used to be reserved for sitelinks. So “proper setup” is about maximizing eligibility and usefulness, not forcing an always-on layout.

Step-by-step: setting up sitelink assets the right way

1) Build your sitelink plan first (this prevents 80% of messy accounts)

Before you touch the interface, decide what you want sitelinks to do for the searcher. The best sitelinks act like “shortcuts” to the next most common tasks people want after they read your main ad: pricing, services, categories, locations, scheduling, testimonials, contact, and so on.

Then match that to your account structure. If a sitelink is relevant to almost every campaign (like “Contact,” “Locations,” or “About”), create it at the account level. If it’s only relevant to a subset of campaigns (like “Commercial Roofing” vs. “Residential Roofing”), put it at campaign level. If it only makes sense for a tight theme, put it at ad group level. For Performance Max, the equivalent “granular” level is the asset group.

One important nuance: sitelinks created higher in the hierarchy can still be eligible to serve alongside sitelinks created lower in the hierarchy (within the same account > campaign > ad group/asset group branch). That’s why a clean “account-level foundation + campaign/ad group specificity” approach tends to scale well.

2) Create the sitelink asset in the interface (the exact workflow)

In your account, go to the Assets area under the Campaigns navigation, click the plus button, and choose Sitelink. From the “Add to” dropdown, choose whether you’re adding it at the account, campaign, or ad group level (or asset group where applicable). Then either create a new sitelink or associate an existing one, fill in the sitelink text, the destination URL, and save.

If you’re building at scale, don’t recreate the same sitelink 20 times. Build a reusable asset once (for example, “Pricing”) and associate it wherever it fits. Just remember that edits to a shared sitelink update everywhere that sitelink is associated.

3) Get the basics right: text limits, descriptions, and “enough” sitelinks

Keep sitelink text tight and specific. There are character limits (25 characters in most languages, and shorter limits for double‑width languages), and shorter text generally increases the number of sitelinks that can fit.

Add descriptions when you can. Two strong description lines make each sitelink more informative and can unlock richer formats; if you don’t have time, the system can sometimes generate descriptions automatically when you’re opted into dynamic sitelinks.

Coverage matters. For Search, you need at least 2 sitelinks available for desktop and at least 2 for mobile for sitelinks to be able to appear, and the number that can show varies by device (up to 6 on desktop, up to 8 on mobile). For video formats where sitelinks are eligible, you’ll also need at least 2, and up to 4 can show.

As a rule of thumb from years of account audits: aim for at least 4 solid account-level sitelinks that truly apply to the whole business, then push toward ~6+ sitelinks (with descriptions) for your highest-volume campaigns/ad groups so the system has enough variety to choose the best combination.

4) Use scheduling intentionally (promos, seasonal pages, office hours)

If a sitelink is time-sensitive (holiday sale, event registration, limited-time offer), schedule it instead of manually pausing/unpausing. You can set start/end dates and even day-of-week and time-of-day schedules so the asset is only eligible when it should be.

5) Don’t break tracking: understand “URL options” at the sitelink level

If you use tracking templates, custom parameters, or final URL suffixes, remember that URL options can be set at multiple levels—including the sitelink level. In general, put tracking at higher levels (account/campaign/ad group) when possible to reduce maintenance. If you edit URL options at very specific levels (including sitelinks), those changes may require review again—so build a consistent tracking structure before you create dozens of sitelinks.

Quick setup checklist (use this before you hit “Save”)

• Each sitelink points to a page that directly matches the promise of the link text (no bait-and-switch).
• Sitelink text is short and clear (not stuffed, not generic).
• You have at least 2 sitelinks eligible for both desktop and mobile.
• You’re not accidentally applying niche sitelinks at account level where they’re irrelevant.
• Descriptions are added for your most important sitelinks, especially on high-volume campaigns.

Optimization + troubleshooting: how to actually get sitelinks showing (and improving CTR)

Why your sitelinks aren’t showing (even when they’re “approved”)

The most common reason is simply eligibility and prediction. Sitelinks show when they’re expected to improve performance, and the system selects from the eligible pool across account/campaign/ad group (or asset group) within the same hierarchy branch. If you only have a couple of sitelinks, or if they’re redundant, you can be technically “set up” but still not competitive enough to earn the space.

Also be aware that modern Search formats can use responsive search ad headlines and descriptions in placements that used to be reserved for sitelinks (link-based placements), which can make it look like sitelinks “disappeared” when really the layout is being optimized dynamically. This is normal behavior, and the fix is usually to improve your overall asset quality and relevance rather than obsessing over one specific format.

Critical policy/quality mistakes that quietly block performance

Even small issues can limit serving or trigger disapprovals. Three sitelink-specific pitfalls show up constantly in audits.

• Duplicate link text: You can’t reuse the same link text across multiple sitelinks, even if they go to different pages. Make the text distinct (for example, “Pricing” vs. “Plans & Pricing” won’t reliably coexist—rewrite one so they’re clearly different).
• Domain mismatch / third-party destinations: As a baseline, sitelink URLs should match the domain of the ad’s final URL. Third-party URLs are only allowed in limited circumstances and require extra care in the sitelink text so users understand where they’re going.
• “Attention-grabbing” punctuation/symbols: Avoid unnecessary symbols or punctuation that exist only to draw the eye (for example, leading punctuation or decorative symbols). These are common causes of avoidable disapprovals.

Use dynamic sitelinks strategically (don’t fear them, control them)

Dynamic sitelinks can complement your manual sitelinks by automatically selecting deep links that match what people are searching for, and they can show alongside or instead of your manual sitelinks when expected to help performance. For many advertisers, they’re a net positive—especially when your site has strong structure and you don’t have time to handcraft everything.

The right approach is “opt in, then curate.” Review what’s being created, pause individual dynamic sitelinks you don’t like, and remove the ones you never want to show. Fully opting out is possible, but it’s usually a last resort for heavily regulated messaging or very strict brand/legal environments.

How I measure sitelinks (and what to optimize first)

Don’t judge sitelinks purely by CTR at the ad level. Look at what people click when sitelinks are present, and which sitelinks drive the actions you care about on the landing page. You can segment click activity to understand whether clicks went to the headline, an individual sitelink, or other parts of the ad experience, then refine your sitelink mix based on real user intent.

When sitelinks underperform, the fix is almost always one of these: the link text is too vague, the landing page doesn’t match the promise, you don’t have enough unique sitelinks to earn the best layouts, or you’ve placed sitelinks at the wrong level so the pool is either irrelevant or too generic. Clean those up, and sitelinks usually become one of the simplest “set it once, improve performance for months” assets in the account.

To set up sitelink extensions (sitelink assets) properly in Google Ads, start by treating them as “shortcuts” to the next most common actions (for example pricing, key services/categories, locations, booking, testimonials, contact) and focus on relevance and eligibility rather than trying to force them to show on every impression. Build a solid base at the account level with only truly universal sitelinks (such as Contact, Locations, About, Careers), then add more specific sitelinks at the campaign level (category or intent based) and the ad group or asset group level (tight to the keyword theme), making sure each sitelink’s landing page clearly matches the promise of its link text. Create and manage them from the Assets section (Campaigns > Assets), choosing the right “Add to” level, and reuse shared sitelink assets when appropriate so you’re not maintaining duplicates (but remember an edit to a shared asset updates everywhere it’s used). Keep link text short and specific (commonly up to 25 characters), add the two description lines when possible to unlock richer formats, and ensure you have enough unique sitelinks for coverage (at least 2 eligible for desktop and 2 for mobile, with a practical goal of 4 strong account-level sitelinks and around 6+ on key campaigns/ad groups). Use scheduling for time-sensitive sitelinks (promos, events, temporary pages, office-hours messaging) so they automatically start and stop, and keep tracking templates and URL suffixes at higher levels unless you truly need sitelink-specific tracking to avoid extra maintenance and reviews. Before launch, double-check uniqueness (no duplicate link text), policy-friendly formatting (avoid gimmicky punctuation), destination/domain alignment, and don’t panic if sitelinks “disappear” sometimes because Google only shows them when it predicts they’ll help and when your available pool is strong and non-redundant; finally, measure performance by separating main headline clicks from sitelink clicks and optimizing based on downstream actions and conversions, not just overall CTR.

If you want a structured way to audit and improve sitelinks at scale, Blobr includes a Sitelink Extension Optimizer agent that connects to your Google Ads, pulls sitelink performance signals (like clicks, CTR, and below-average flags), reviews sitelinks across account/campaign/ad group levels, crawls your site and top landing pages, and then suggests more relevant sitelinks per ad group (including optional descriptions), with rationale and a ready-to-upload CSV to help you implement changes without manually rebuilding everything.