Starting October 12, 2026, Google Ads will look at your website, find your deals and coupons, and put them in your ads for you. You do not have to set anything up. You are turned on by default. That sounds handy until you remember the "$49 spring tune-up" coupon from two years ago that is still sitting on your specials page. Google could pull that into your search ads and show it to people searching for you this week. Here is what is changing, who it hits, and the 10-minute check to do before Monday.

What are Google Ads promotion assets?

Assets in Google Ads are the extra pieces that show up with your ad. They used to be called ad extensions. Google Ads assets make your ad bigger and give people more reasons to click. Common asset types include:

• Sitelink assets: extra links to pages like "Financing" or "Reviews."
• Callout assets: short lines like "Licensed and Insured" or "Same Day Service."
• Call assets: your phone number, so people on mobile devices can tap to call.
• Structured snippet assets: a list of services, like "Repair, Install, Maintenance."
• Price assets: starting prices for your services.
• Image assets: photos next to your ad.
• Lead form assets: a lead form people fill out without going to your site.
• Location assets: your address and map pin, pulled from your Google Business Profile.
• Promotion assets: a deal, with a tag like "$50 off" or "15% off," plus optional promotion dates.

So what does "promotional assets" mean? It is just a deal attached to your ad. When the ad appears in Google search results, the promotion shows under it, often with a little price tag icon. For local service businesses, local promotions like "Free estimate" or "$100 off a new roof" can help an ad stand out from the four other ads above the map.

What changes in Google Ads on October 12?

Google emailed advertisers this month. Search Engine Roundtable published the email. Here is what it says, in plain words:

Most contractors running Google ad campaigns have location assets linked, because that is how your address and map pin show up. And most have never set up promotion assets. That means most home service accounts fit this rule exactly.

Why should contractors care about automated promotions?

Because your website is full of old deals. We look at a lot of contractor sites. It is normal to find a coupon page that has not been touched in years. "Spring AC tune-up, $59, expires April 30." "10% off for new customers." "Free second opinion." Some of those you still honor. Some you forgot about.

Now picture a homeowner searching "furnace repair near me" in October. Your ad shows up with "$59 AC tune-up" under it. That looks sloppy at best. At worst, the customer calls and expects a price you do not offer anymore. Now your office has an awkward call, and you either eat the cost or lose the job.

There is a good side too. If your website has a strong, current offer, Google may now show it in your ads for free. A real deal under your ad can help potential customers pick you over the business next to you. The point is to decide on purpose, not by accident.

How do you turn off automated promotions in your Google Ads account?

The email gives the steps. It takes about two minutes:

1. Sign in to your Google Ads account.
2. Go to your account-level automated assets settings. (In most accounts you get there from the Campaigns menu, under Assets.)
3. Find Automated Promotions .
4. Select Off .

This is an account setting, not a campaign or ad group setting. One switch covers all the ads in the account. If someone else runs your ads, ask them to confirm it is set the way you want before October 12.

Should you turn it off or leave it on?

Here is a simple way to decide:

• Turn it off if your site has old coupons, if you change prices often, or if you just want full control over what your ads say.
• Leave it on if your website offers are current, real, and ones you are happy to see in an ad tomorrow.
• Best option: set up your own promotion assets by hand. Google says this only applies to campaigns that do not already have promotion assets. If you add your own, you pick the deal, the words, and the promotion dates. You stay in control, and you still get the bigger ad.

How do you set up your own Google Ads promotion assets?

If you want a deal in your ads, do it yourself so it says exactly what you want:

1. In Google Ads, go to Assets and add a new promotion asset.
2. Pick an occasion if it fits, like a seasonal sale, or leave it blank.
3. Enter the deal: a money amount off, a percent off, or "up to" an amount.
4. Name what it is for, like "Water Heater Install."
5. Add a final URL. Then a final URL check: make sure that page shows the same deal.
6. Set start and end promotion dates so it turns off on its own.
7. Add it at the account, campaign or ad group level.

Keep the offer honest and simple. "Free estimates" or "$100 off a new system" beats a long list of fine print. And only promote what you will gladly do on a busy Monday.

The 10-minute website check to do before October 12

Even if you turn the setting off, do this check. Old deals on your site confuse customers who find you through Google search results, maps, and AI tools too.

• Open your specials or coupons page. Delete anything expired.
• Search your site for "%" and "$". Old deals hide in blog posts, banners, and popups.
• Check your home page banner. A "Summer Special" banner in October tells people nobody is minding the store.
• Add an end date to every offer. "Good through November 30, 2026" protects you.
• Match your ads to your site. The deal in your search ads and responsive search ads should match the page people land on.

This is the same lesson we covered when Google started suggesting sitelinks. Google is building more of your ad for you, and it builds it from your website. Your site is now ad copy, whether you treat it that way or not.

How do promotion assets fit with your other Google Ads assets?

Promotion assets work best as part of a full set. Google picks which assets to show based on the user's search query, the device, and your ad rank. The more assets you add, the more room your ad takes up on the search results page. Here is a quick example of how the asset types work together for a contractor:

• Sitelink assets add additional links that send users to specific pages, like financing or service areas.
• Call assets show your phone numbers with a call button on mobile devices. Turn on call reporting so you can track calls from each search campaign.
• Description assets and callout assets add extra lines of ad text, like "Licensed, Insured, Local."
• Structured snippet assets list your service categories.
• Price assets show starting prices, so people who are just researching can see your range before they click.
• Lead form assets collect contact details right in the ad.
• Promotion assets carry your promotional message: a percentage discount or a money amount off, plus start and end dates for the promotional period.

You can add assets at the account level, campaign level, or ad group level. Account level assets apply to multiple campaigns at once. A campaign or ad group asset overrides it for just one campaign. Check the performance data under Assets every month. If an asset is not getting clicks, change it. Higher quality leads come from ads where the offer closely matches the landing page and the search intent.

A few asset types do not matter much for home service businesses: app assets (for apps in Google Play), and in stream video ads on YouTube. Skip those. Focus on the assets that drive phone calls and form fills. And track results the right way: a Google Analytics or Google Tag Manager setup that counts calls and forms as conversions, so you can see which offer brings more conversions, not just more clicks.

What happens if you do nothing?

Starting October 12, Google can attach whatever deal it finds to your ads. You will not get a phone call first. You might not notice until a customer says "I saw $59 in your ad." By then you have paid for that click, and you are starting the call on the wrong foot.

Doing nothing will not break your account. But it hands Google one more decision about what your business promises people. Ten minutes this week keeps that decision yours. If you are newer to ads, our Google Ads guide for small business covers how all of these pieces fit together.

Common questions about Google Ads promotion assets

What are assets in Google Ads?

Assets are extra pieces added to your ad, like sitelinks, callouts, your phone number, prices, images, a lead form, and promotions. They make your ad bigger and can help ad rank, because Google counts them when it decides where your ad shows.

Do automated promotions cost extra?

No. There is no fee for the asset. You still pay for clicks the same way you do now.

Does this affect video ads or Local Services Ads?

The email only names Search and Performance Max campaigns with linked location assets. It does not mention video ads or Local Services Ads.

Is $20 a day good for Google Ads?

For many local service businesses, $20 a day is a small test budget. In busy trades, one click can cost $20 or more, so you may only get a few clicks a day. Results vary by trade and city. The bigger the area and the competition, the more you need.

Do promotion assets work for seasonal sales?

Yes. Pick an occasion, like Black Friday or back to school, or leave it blank for seasonal sales of your own. Use the asset schedule and end dates so the special offer turns off on time and your ads remain relevant.

Can I turn it back on later?

Yes. It is a setting. You can switch Automated Promotions on or off any time in your account-level automated assets settings.