Why Your Google Ad Looks Small (And Why It’s Costing You Money)
Have you ever searched for your own services on Google and noticed that some ads look massive, while yours is just two measly lines of text?
It’s frustrating. You’re paying Google for every click, yet your competitor’s ad has their phone number, five star reviews, their address in Chermside or Coorparoo, and four extra links to their services. They look like the market leader, and you look like an afterthought.
In the world of Google Ads, size matters. The more space your ad takes up on a phone screen, the more likely a customer is to tap it. More importantly, when your ad is bigger, it pushes your competitors further down the page—sometimes right off the screen entirely.
We call these "ad extras." Google officially calls them extensions, but all you need to know is that they are free additions to your ad that make people trust you more and call you faster. If you aren't using them, you're essentially leaving free real estate on the table.
The "Big Three" Extras That Drive Phone Calls
If you’re a plumber, an electrician, or a lawyer in Brisbane, you don’t want people "browsing" your website for twenty minutes. You want the phone to ring. There are three specific extras you need to set up immediately to make that happen.
1. The Direct Call Button
This is the single most important setting for any local business. On a mobile phone, this adds a large button that allows a customer to call you without even visiting your website.I’ve seen this work for dozens of Brisbane businesses, especially those in emergency services. If someone has a burst pipe in Indooroopilly at 8:00 PM, they don’t want to read your "About Us" page. They want a button that says "Call Now." By adding this, you get more calls immediately because you’ve removed the friction of clicking through to a site and searching for a number.
2. Your Business Location
People want to deal with locals. If I’m looking for a mechanic, I want to know they are nearby. By linking your Google Business Profile to your ads, your physical address (or service area) shows up right under the text.This does two things: it builds instant trust, and it shows people exactly how far away you are. It also allows your ad to show up on Google Maps. If someone is searching for "landscapers near me," having your location active is the difference between getting the job and being invisible.
3. Your Star Rating
You know those gold stars you see under the best ads? Those aren't there by accident. Google can pull your reviews from your business profile and display them in your ad.Let’s be honest: if you’re choosing between two builders and one has a 4.9-star rating showing in the ad and the other has nothing, who are you calling? It’s a no-brainer. This is one of the best ways to stop competitors stealing customers because even if they spend more money to be at the very top, your stars make you look like the better choice.
Advanced Extras to Dominate the Page
Once you have the basics down, you need to fill out the rest of the available space. Think of this like buying a billboard but only paying for the paint—the space itself is free, so you might as well use every square inch.
Sitelinks: Show Them Everything You Do
Sitelinks are those extra blue links that appear under your main ad. Instead of just sending everyone to your homepage, you can give them options.For example, if you run a cleaning business, your sitelinks could be: End of Lease Cleaning Carpet Steam Cleaning Weekly House Cleaning Get a Free Quote
This makes your ad twice as tall. More importantly, it helps you get leads for less money because you’re sending the customer exactly where they want to go. If they want carpet cleaning and they see a direct link for it, they are much more likely to become a paying customer.
Callouts: Your "Bragging Rights"
Callouts are short snippets of text (25 characters) where you can highlight your best selling points. They aren't clickable, but they add bulk to your ad.Don't waste these on generic fluff like "Quality Service." Every man and his dog claims they provide quality service. Use them for real facts: 24/7 Emergency Service Family Owned Since 1994 Fully Licensed & Insured Free On-Site Quotes
Image Extras: A Picture is Worth a Thousand Clicks
Google now allows you to put a small square image next to your text ad. This is a game-changer for tradies and retail shops.A photo of a clean, branded van, a finished renovation project, or a friendly team photo makes your business feel "real." In a sea of boring text, a photo catches the eye. I recently worked with a landscaper in Morningside who added photos of their recent deck builds to their ads; their click numbers jumped by nearly 20% in the first week.
What’s a Waste of Money?
I’ll be blunt: most business owners spend too much time worrying about the wrong things.
You might hear "experts" talking about complex automated extras or dynamic snippets. For most local Brisbane businesses, these are a waste of time. Google tries to "automate" these by scanning your website and guessing what to say. Half the time, Google gets it wrong and displays weird, broken sentences that make you look unprofessional.
My advice: Turn off the "Automated Extensions" setting in Google Ads and write them yourself. It takes 30 minutes, but it ensures you aren't wasting money on the wrong leads because Google showed a confusing message to the wrong person.
How Much Does This Cost?
Here is the best part: Ad extras cost $0.
Google doesn’t charge you a cent to add your phone number, your address, or your sitelinks. You still only pay when someone actually clicks on your ad.
In fact, using these extras actually makes your ads cheaper. Google has a system where they reward ads that people find useful. Because ads with these extras get clicked more often, Google considers them "high quality" and will often charge you less per click than a competitor who has a bare-bones ad.
How Long Until You See Results?
You can set these up this afternoon, and they can be showing on Google within an hour.
You won’t see a 500% increase in sales overnight, but you will notice two things almost immediately: 1. Your phone rings more: Especially if you use the Call Button. 2. Your "Click-Through Rate" goes up: This is just a fancy way of saying more people are choosing you over the guy next to you.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed, don’t try to do everything at once. Follow this simple checklist:
1. Add your Phone Number: Make sure it’s set to show on mobile devices. 2. Link your Google Business Profile: This gets your address and your star ratings into the ad. 3. Add 4 Sitelinks: Link to your most profitable services. 4. Add 4 Callouts: Mention your "Free Quotes" or "Local Service."
Look, I get it—you’re busy running a business. You’ve probably heard a dozen different things about how to "fix" your marketing. But if you are already spending money on Google Ads, not using these extras is like paying for a full-page ad in the paper but only printing your name in the corner.
Most of what you read online about Google Ads is over-complicated rubbish. At the end of the day, it’s about being seen, looking trustworthy, and making it easy for a Brisbane local to pick up the phone and hire you.
Need a hand getting your ads to actually perform? At Local Marketing Group, we specialise in making sure Brisbane small businesses don't waste their hard-earned money on ads that don't work. We focus on the stuff that actually puts money in your bank account.
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s get your phone ringing.