Yesterday, I came across this thread on /r/PPC:
https://www.reddit.com/r/PPC/comments/vwn9bd/issues_with_googles_automated_extensions/
“Google’s Automated Extensions were enabled without knowledge or consent and stole thousands of dollars from our clients”
OUCH!
It reminded me of the fact that I could not create a script to monitor their performance and check if they are turned on or off. Unfortunately, Google Ads Scripts offers no support for automated extensions. We have to check things manually…
Google states:
“Automated extensions can improve the quality of your ad by including information about your business or changing the format of your ad. The Google Ads system includes automated extensions to your text ads when it predicts that the extensions can improve your ad’s performance.“
BUT… I don’t believe them. I’ve seen dynamic sitelinks sending traffic to the worst landers on the planet.
NOTE: Automated extensions are turned on by default.
Personally, by default, I like to turn them off (with the exception of seller ratings). Here’s how you can do this too:
1. Click Ads & extensions in the page menu, then click Extensions in the subpage menu.
2. Click Automated Extensions at the bottom of the page.
3. Click the three-dot menu on the right, then select Advanced options.
4. Select Turn off specific automated extensions and choose which extension to turn off.
5. Select your reason for turning off the extension and add additional comments.
6. Click Turn off.
How about you? Do you turn them off, or leave them on? I’m curious to learn, you can let me know at nils@nilsrooijmans.com.
– Nils