A structured snippet is an asset added to Google search ads that lists a set of values under a fixed heading, for example “Services: Boiler repair, Boiler servicing, Power flushing, Radiator fitting”. It shows a searcher the range of what you offer before they click. It was called a structured snippet extension until Google renamed extensions as ad assets.
How a structured snippet works
You pick a header from a list Google controls and cannot edit. At the time of writing (October 2026) the English headers include Amenities, Brands, Courses, Degree programmes, Destinations, Featured hotels, Insurance coverage, Models, Neighbourhoods, Service catalogue, Shows, Styles and Types. You then add between three and ten values, each up to 25 characters.
The snippet sits as a single line beneath the ad’s description. Google decides each time whether to show it and how many values fit, depending on the device, the space left by other assets and whether it expects the snippet to help. You can add snippets at account, campaign or ad group level, and a snippet set at a more specific level replaces the broader one for that ad group. Google can also build dynamic structured snippets from your website, which appear as automatically created assets if you have that setting switched on.
There are rules. The values must genuinely fit the header, so “Types: Free quotes, Fast service” will be disapproved. Promotional phrases belong in a callout asset instead, and the header and values must be in the same language as the ad.
Why it matters
Structured snippets help people decide whether you are the right fit before they spend your money on a click. An accountant in Leeds who lists “Service catalogue: Self Assessment, VAT returns, Payroll, Year-end accounts” tells a limited company director straight away that the firm handles what they need, and tells someone looking for mortgage advice that it does not. Fewer wasted clicks usually follow.
Some headers suit UK businesses particularly well. A London lettings agent can use Neighbourhoods to list Clapham, Balham, Tooting and Brixton, and a driving school can use Courses for intensive courses, Pass Plus and motorway lessons. Assets also add to the expected impact Google weighs in Ad Rank, so a relevant snippet can help your position at no extra cost per click.
Common mistakes
- Choosing the closest-sounding header instead of the correct one, which leads to disapprovals or awkward combinations such as “Styles: Emergency call-outs”.
- Writing one generic snippet at account level and never adding specific ones for the ad groups that need them.
- Repeating words already used in the headlines, which wastes the extra line.
- Squeezing marketing claims in as values. “Best prices” is not a type, brand or service.
- Writing values that are too long to show in full on mobile, where space is tightest.
How to act on it
Make a list of what you sell or do, then sort it into the header that describes it honestly. Most service businesses need Service catalogue or Types; retailers usually need Brands, Models or Styles. Add at least four values so Google has a choice, keep each value short, and put the most important ones first.
Set a general snippet at campaign level and a more specific one for ad groups where the range differs, such as a separate list for commercial work. After a few weeks, check the assets report for impressions and whether any snippet has been disapproved. Building assets like these into each ad group is a routine part of how I set up Google search ad campaigns.