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Google Ads call extensions (now call assets): a UK guide

Google Ads call extensions are now called call assets. They put your phone number on your search ad, so a customer can tap or click to ring you without visiting your website first. If phone enquiries matter to your business, you need them set up properly, and if you still run call-only ads, you have a deadline to plan for.

This guide covers what call assets do, how to add one, why ads get disapproved, how to track calls so you know which ones turn into work, and where they fit in a local campaign.

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TL;DR

Table of Contents

What call assets are, and why the name changed

A call extension was a line of extra information attached to your ad. Google now calls these add-ons assets, and the phone version is a call asset. The idea is unchanged: your number appears with the ad, and people can tap or click a button to call. Google says this can lift clickthrough rates, because the ad gives the searcher a second, faster way to respond.

It works on mobile and desktop. Mobile is where most people will use it, since the phone in their hand is already a phone. On desktop, the number is still useful as something to read and dial, though you should expect fewer taps there.

For a small business, the practical point is simple. Plenty of buyers searching for a plumber, a solicitor, a garage or a caterer do not want to fill in a form. They want to speak to someone. A call asset removes a step between the search and the conversation.

What call assets are, and why the name changed — overview diagram

Call-only ads are going: what to do about it

This is the most important change for anyone who has relied on phone leads from Google Ads. Google has told advertisers that call ads are being deprecated. The timeline from Google’s own transition notice and its call ads help page is:

When What happens
February 2026 All options to create new call ads are removed
February 2027 Existing call ads stop receiving impressions

Google’s instruction is to add your phone numbers to responsive search ads as call assets. Treat that as a project, not a tick-box. A call-only ad sends everyone straight to the phone, whereas a responsive search ad with a call asset gives people a choice between the website and the call button. That changes who contacts you and how you measure it.

A sensible migration looks like this:

  1. List every campaign that currently uses call-only ads, and note its spend, calls and cost per call over the last 90 days.
  2. Build responsive search ads in the same ad groups, using the same keywords, with a call asset attached.
  3. Write headlines that mention the phone option where it is natural, such as “Speak to a local expert today”, but only if someone really answers.
  4. Run the new ads alongside the old ones for a few weeks, then compare calls, call quality and cost per lead.
  5. Pause the call-only ads well before the cut-off, not on the last day.

Google also notes that responsive search ads let its systems test combinations of headlines and descriptions, which can help show the most relevant message beside the call option. That is a benefit, but it means you give up some control over exactly what the searcher reads. Write strong, accurate assets and review the combinations that actually serve.

How to add a call asset

The steps are short. The detail that trips people up is the number itself.

  1. In Google Ads, open Campaigns, then Assets.
  2. Choose to add a new Call asset.
  3. Select the level you want it to apply to: account, campaign or ad group. Use ad group or campaign level if different services have different phone lines.
  4. Enter the country and your phone number.
  5. Set a call schedule if you only answer at certain times.
  6. Save, then check the status of the asset after a few hours.

The number must pass Google’s checks

Google is strict here. According to its call asset help page, you need a business phone number in E.164 format. For a UK number that means the +44 prefix with the leading zero removed. So 01253 123456 becomes +441253123456. You also need either a landing page where that number is clearly visible, or a domain verified through Google Search Console. Vanity numbers and premium-rate numbers are not allowed.

If you miss these requirements, the ad can be disapproved under the unverified phone number policy. The usual causes are:

  • The number on the ad differs from the one on your website, for example a different office line.
  • The number sits only in an image, or in a footer on a page the ad does not point to.
  • You use a 09 premium number or a number that spells a word.
  • The domain has never been verified.

The fix is almost always on the website side. Put your number in plain text in the header of your landing page, and keep it consistent everywhere. If your site is slow to edit or you cannot easily change the template, that is a good moment to review the site itself. Our guide to lead generation website design that converts covers where phone numbers and calls to action belong.

Set a call schedule, and answer the phone

A call asset is only worth paying for if someone picks up. If you take calls from 9am to 5pm, set the schedule to match. A missed call from a paid click is wasted spend, and the searcher will often ring the next business on the page.

A few habits make a real difference:

  • Answer with your business name, so the caller knows they have reached the right place.
  • Ask where they found you. It is a simple check against your reporting.
  • Have a voicemail or call-back process for out-of-hours calls, and tell callers when to expect a reply.
  • Give the person answering the phone the same information the ad promised, such as the service area and any offer.

If you are a one-person business on a job site, consider whether you can really answer during the hours you schedule. Fewer hours with a reliably answered phone beat long hours with missed calls.

Track calls, or you are guessing

This is where most accounts lose value. A call asset can generate dozens of calls, yet if you do not record them as conversions, Google cannot learn from them and you cannot tell which keywords bring in work.

Turn on call reporting

Call reporting uses a Google forwarding number to measure performance. As Google explains, it shows details such as call duration, start time and whether the call connected. Call reporting is available in the United Kingdom. You need it enabled to count phone calls as conversions, and that data feeds automated bidding strategies.

There is a catch you should explain to your team. With call reporting on, the searcher sees a Google forwarding number, not your direct line. Some staff or customers find that odd. You can turn call reporting off in account settings to show your own number, but then you lose call conversion tracking and weaken automated bidding. For most advertisers spending real money, the tracking matters more.

Decide what counts as a conversion

Google’s measure calls from ads page describes how call conversions can be recorded. The key decision is the minimum call length. A 5-second call is likely a wrong number or a hang-up. A call of 60 seconds or more is more likely a real conversation. Pick a threshold that fits your business, then review it after a month of data.

Call duration thresholds for conversion quality

Remember, too, that a click on the call button is not the same as a completed call. On many phones the user has to confirm the call before it connects, and some will drop out at that point. Measure connected calls and their length, not button presses.

If you link your Google Ads account to your Google Business Profile and enable call history, calls from the profile that can be attributed to an ad interaction can also be tracked as conversions. For a local business that gives a fuller view of how searches lead to phone enquiries. If your profile is out of date, fix that first: see our Google Business Profile guide for local growth.

For the wider picture of what to count and what to ignore, read how to measure PPC success properly.

Where call assets work best, and where they do not

They suit businesses where the first conversation matters and the job is worth more than the cost of a click. Examples include emergency repairs, legal and financial advice, health and beauty appointments, vehicle services and trades quotes. Buyers in these categories often ring because they want reassurance or need something done today.

They suit less well:

  • Low-value products where a phone call costs more in staff time than the sale is worth.
  • Businesses with nobody available to answer during trading hours.
  • Services where buyers prefer to compare online and book without speaking to anyone.

If you are unsure which side you fall on, test. Run the call asset for four to six weeks, track connected calls, and compare the cost per lead with your form enquiries. Our article on Google Ads for local businesses that convert explains how to shape a local campaign, and the Google Ads setup guide for better leads walks through the account basics.

Common reasons a call asset is not showing

Advertisers often report that their number never appears. Check these before assuming something is broken:

  • The asset is disapproved. Look at the status column for an unverified phone number message and fix the number or the landing page.
  • The call schedule is closed. If you set hours, the number will not show outside them.
  • Not every ad shows every asset. Google decides when to show assets based on expected performance, ad position and the device, so impressions will be partial.
  • The asset is attached at the wrong level. An asset on one campaign does not cover another.
  • Low ad rank. Ads in weaker positions tend to show fewer extras.

Since assets are shown at Google’s discretion, the way to improve their appearance is to improve the ad: relevant keywords, a strong landing page and a sensible budget.

Our view: calls are a measurement problem first

We spend a lot of time in small business ad accounts, and the pattern is consistent. The call asset itself is rarely the problem. It takes five minutes to add. The trouble starts afterwards, when nobody knows whether those calls were customers.

Here is what we recommend to the owners we work with:

  • Decide the value of a phone lead before you spend. If one call in four becomes a job worth a few hundred pounds, you can work out what a call is worth and bid accordingly.
  • Fix the landing page before you add the number. A number buried at the bottom of a slow page wastes both clicks and calls. A website is often the first salesperson, and it needs to make the phone number easy to find.
  • Do not fear the forwarding number. Tell your staff about it, and keep tracking switched on.
  • Audit before you scale. If calls are expensive, the cause is usually wasted spend elsewhere, such as broad keywords or poor location settings. A Google Ads audit and our notes on reducing PPC waste are the right starting points.
  • Plan the migration now. Waiting until the 2027 cut-off means switching under pressure, with no comparison data.

Results come from chipping away: a better number format here, a tighter keyword list there, a call length threshold tuned after a month of data.

— tibor

Get help with your Google Ads and website

If you would rather have this done for you, we manage PPC for small and medium-sized businesses, including call asset setup, call tracking and the move away from call-only ads. We also build and improve the websites those ads send people to, because the two work together. Take a look at our SEO and PPC management services, or ask for a free review through our website. Our pricing is not published online, so we will talk through your goals and give you a clear quote.

FAQ

Are call extensions and call assets the same thing?

Yes. Google renamed ad extensions as assets, so what used to be a call extension is now a call asset. The function is the same: it shows your phone number with your ad so people can call with a tap or click.

Do call assets cost extra?

There is no separate fee for adding the asset. You are charged when someone interacts with the ad in the usual way, and Google’s help pages describe call interactions as part of that process. Check the cost-per-click and call details inside your own account, because they depend on your campaign settings.

Why was my phone number disapproved?

The usual cause is that the number is not in E.164 format, is not visible on your landing page, or your domain is not verified. Vanity and premium numbers are also not permitted. Use the +44 format, show the same number in text on the page, and verify your domain in Google Search Console.

Can I track which calls become customers?

Yes, to a degree. Turn on call reporting so calls can be recorded as conversions, and set a minimum call length. Google also lets you measure calls from ads through conversion measurement. For actual sales, ask callers how they found you and record outcomes in your own system.

Do I still need call-only ads?

No. You cannot create new ones, and existing ones stop receiving impressions by February 2027. Move to responsive search ads with call assets and test them against your current results before the deadline.

Sources

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