Short answer: Sitelinks are links from the same domain that Google groups under a result, so people can jump straight to a section. In Google Search they are automated, and Google shows them only when it thinks they help. In Google Ads, sitelink assets are links you write yourself, free to add.
Sitelinks in Google results and in Google Ads
The same word covers two things. Organic sitelinks come from Google’s analysis of your site, while sitelink assets are part of the ads you set up.
| Aspect | Sitelinks in Google results | Sitelink assets in Google Ads |
|---|---|---|
| Who picks them | Google’s systems, from your site’s link structure | You, with link text and a URL for each |
| When they show | Only when Google thinks they’ll help the searcher | With eligible ads, alongside or instead of dynamic sitelinks |
| What they cost | Nothing | Free to add; in Search and Performance Max a click costs the same as on the headline |
| How to shape them | Clear titles and headings, structure and anchor text | Short text, descriptions, account-level sitelinks first |
| How to remove one | Remove the page or use noindex | Pause or remove the asset |
From Google Search Central, “Sitelinks”, and Google Ads Help, “About sitelink assets”, read November 3, 2026.
How Google picks organic sitelinks
Google’s systems analyze the link structure of your site to find shortcuts that save people time. If the structure doesn’t let its algorithms find good sitelinks, or they don’t fit the query, Google won’t show them.
You can’t choose them, but Google lists what improves them: informative, compact titles and headings, a logical structure, links to your important pages from other relevant pages, concise anchor text and no repeated content.
How sitelink assets work in Google Ads
Sitelink assets take people to specific pages, such as a product or your opening hours. They work in Search, Performance Max and Demand Gen campaigns, and in Video campaigns on YouTube, among others.
Google suggests creating them at the account level first, keeping the text short and adding descriptions, which don’t reduce how many links show. Dynamic sitelinks may appear alongside yours or instead of them.
How to earn and set up sitelinks
- Give every important page an informative, compact title and heading.
- Build a logical structure with your main sections in the menu.
- Link to important pages from other relevant pages, with concise anchor text.
- Avoid pages that repeat each other.
- To drop an organic sitelink, remove the page or use noindex.
- In Google Ads, add account-level sitelinks with text of up to 25 characters, or 12 in double-width languages.
- Add a description to each one and keep dynamic sitelinks on.
Our guides to internal links and to SEO titles cover steps 1 and 3.
What our own name shows
On November 3 at 9:29 AM we searched our own name, feedback studios, on Google from Miami. Our home page came first and our Miami page second, but neither showed sitelinks: Google listed the two pages as separate results.
Below them, an AI Overview described a different product with a similar name, an education tool. Our main menu leads to our six service areas: SEO, PPC, web design, content marketing, branding and automation.
Before you expect sitelinks
- Each main page has a clear, short title.
- Your menu links to the main sections.
- Important pages get links from related pages.
- Anchor text says what the target page is.
- No two pages repeat each other.
- Your ads carry sitelinks with descriptions.
RememberOrganic sitelinks are Google’s call, made from your site’s structure; sitelink assets in Google Ads are yours to write. Work on both: clear structure for the first, short text with descriptions for the second.
If you want us to review your site’s structure and titles, see our technical SEO service.
Quick answers about sitelinks
Can I choose my sitelinks in Google Search?
Not at the moment. Google says sitelinks are automated, though it may take site owner input in the future. You can influence them with clear titles and headings, a logical structure and concise anchor text.
How do I remove a sitelink?
Google suggests removing the page from your site or using noindex on it. Sitelinks are automated, so those are the two ways Google gives to drop one.
Why doesn’t my site show sitelinks?
Google shows them only when it thinks they’ll help the searcher. If your structure doesn’t let its algorithms find good sitelinks, or they don’t fit the query, Google won’t show them.
Do sitelinks in Google Ads cost extra?
They’re free to add. In Search and Performance Max campaigns you pay only for clicks, and a sitelink click costs the same as a headline click. Video campaigns are billed by their format and goal.
How long can a Google Ads sitelink be?
The link text is limited to 25 characters in most languages, or 12 in double-width languages such as Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Shorter text lets more links show.
Sources
Read on November 3, 2026. Google Search Central: Sitelinks. Google Ads Help: About sitelink assets. Our own case: our name searched on Google, our menu and our Google Ads account, November 3, 2026.