Yahoo! Bing Network search ad formats let you include links, addresses and phone numbers to drive deeper engagement
Editor's Note: Where can you go to find answers to all your Search Engine Marketing questions, quandaries, doubts, and dilemmas? You’ll get the answers with “Ask the Search Expert,” our regular series featuring SEM experts from the crack Yahoo! Search Account Management team. Today, Account Manager Emily Bailey answers a common question from a search advertiser.
Dear Search Expert:
I recently opened a cupcake shop in Charleston, South Carolina, and in addition to our retail store operation, we also ship our fresh cupcakes nationwide. When I do a search on Yahoo!, I’ve noticed that some search ads have customized deep links and some include a phone number or an address. This looks like a great way to promote my business. Can you tell me about these exciting ad formats? There could be some cupcakes in it for you.
Thanks!
Future Cupcake Mogul
Dear Future Mogul:
You bet! These formats are called ad extensions, and they come in three flavors on the Yahoo! Bing Network: Sitelink Extensions, Location Extensions, and Call Extensions. One or more of these solutions is sure to fit your business needs.
You mentioned seeing a search ad with deep links in it. That’s our Sitelink Extensions format, which serves ads on desktops and tablets with as many as six customizable text links in them to help you guide searchers to special offers or more information about your products and services. These deep links can drive them to the same landing page or to unique landing pages on your site to provide the searcher with the information they are looking for in just one click.
Sitelink Extensions serve in the mainline only and allow you to have more real estate on the search engine results page which can lead to potentially higher CTRs. Here’s what a Sitelinks Extension ad might look like for your business (right).
As a future cupcake mogul, you’ll probably be opening up more retail stores. For businesses with multiple brick-and-mortar locations, Location Ad Extensions are a great addition to search ads run on desktops, tablets and smartphones, because they use personalization for better targeting.
Location Ad Extensions place your business address and phone number below your search ad---not just any address, but the one closest to the searcher based on their IP address. Sweet solution, huh? This format will display a business location within a 50-mile radius of the searcher; if you have a business location within that area, a 
standard ad will serve without the location extension. I’ve whipped up an example of a Location Ad Extension for your business (right):
Here’s a sneak peek of some future enhancements to Location Ad Extensions:
- Users will be able to click on the ad for directions to the nearest business address, making it even easier for potential customers to find your store.
- The format will be expanded to display up to three business locations.
Finally, if you want to include phone numbers on your search ad, Call Extensions on smartphones lets you do that, with two options to choose from.
Basic Call Extensions will place your business phone number below the text ad on mobile devices. The phone number will be placed below the ad regardless of the searcher’s location, so this option may be better suited if you sell your products nationwide. When your ads serve on the Yahoo! and Bing Mobile networks, things get even better---users can click on the text ad to link to your website, and they can click on the phone number to place a call. Check out an example on the left side of the graphic below.
Call-Only Call Extensions let users on the Yahoo! and Bing mobile networks click anywhere on the ad to place a call to your business phone number. See an example on the right side of the graphic below.
Hope I’ve shared enough information to earn a few free samples. If you want to learn more, check out our recent webinar titled “Search Ads Get More Personal with Ad Extensions,” or reach out to your Yahoo! Account Manager. They can walk you thru the set-up process and ensure you don’t miss a beat during this important time for your growing business.
Best of luck (and I’m partial to red velvet),
-- Emily Bailey, Yahoo! SEM Account Manager
(Image by zigazou76 via Flickr CC 2.0)
