You have probably seen them numerous times while doing searches: The little sub-links below the main link on Google SERPs. Those are called SiteLinks, and now Google has a beta in place that lets you include SiteLinks in your ads that reach top position. Here’s how it works:
In the campaign settings you need to turn on the option of allowing SiteLinks. A little drop down box will appear that allows you to enter text and destination URLs for several text links. Once active, any keyword that qualifies for top positioning on a regular basis will begin displaying the SiteLinks. A click on any of the links is charged the same CPC as without the SiteLinks. From initial testing I have found the CTR to be upwards to 20% higher than the same ad without SiteLinks, so it definitely grabs people’s attention. The higher CTR typically will help your quality score, and assuming you can continue to keep that top position, your average CPC will actually go down.
The links can be changed anytime, but can only be assigned at the campaign level. If there are ads that you specifically don’t want SiteLinks included on, then you must duplicate the campaign and have a version running with and without them active. The ads that you do not wish to have SiteLinks enabled must live in the campaign where the feature has not been activated.
PPCHero suggests using links for seasonal products or a direct link to a contact page. These are great ideas, but there are plenty of more options. If you have a complicated conversion structure similar to a travel site, then consider adding links to various parts of your conversion funnel to see what can work when the initial pages are bypassed.
This is still in beta, so you may not have access to it quite yet. If you really want to try it, call the Google customer service line and ask if you can be included. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, but either way it gives you a chance to try out a great feature that you may not have otherwise known about.