Google Ads Auto-Migration: Location Extensions to Assets Complete Guide

Understanding the transition from location extensions to location assets is essential for advertisers who manage brick-and-mortar businesses or multi-location enterprises. This comprehensive guide walks you through everything you need to know about Google's auto-migration process, how it affects your campaigns, and strategies for maximizing performance with the new asset-based system.

Topics covered:

• Migration timeline and account eligibility
• Verification methods (UI and API)
• Setup procedures for location assets
• Best practices for optimization
• Troubleshooting common issues
• Future of location-based advertising

For businesses targeting specific geographic markets, this migration affects how you connect with local customers through your local SEO services. The changes align with Google's broader strategy of unifying ad enhancement elements into a single, intelligent framework.

What Was the Location Extension Migration?

On July 24, 2023, Google announced the auto-migration of location extensions to assets. For the majority of accounts, location extensions were automatically migrated to assets. This change expanded the variety of ways in which location extensions can serve in advertisements. Accounts with no activity--no impressions, no clicks, and no spend--during the period from July 1, 2023 to January 1, 2024 were not migrated. Google's official announcement confirms the migration timeline and completion status.

Why Did Google Make This Change?

Google's decision to migrate location extensions to assets reflected broader platform evolution toward a more integrated advertising experience. The asset framework allows Google's algorithms to dynamically select and display the most relevant information for each user query, improving ad relevance and user experience. Location assets can now be combined with other asset types in more flexible ways, enabling more comprehensive ad presentations.

Additionally, the migration simplified account management for advertisers who previously had to navigate multiple interfaces for different extension types. By consolidating location data within the asset system, Google created a more streamlined workflow for managing all ad enhancement elements from a single location.

How to Check Your Migration Status

Verifying whether your Google Ads account has completed the migration to location assets is straightforward and can be accomplished through both the Google Ads interface and programmatic methods. Google's documentation confirms the availability of these verification methods.

Checking Status in Google Ads Interface

After the auto-migration is complete, you will see an alert in the Google Ads UI indicating that your account has been migrated. Additionally, location assets will appear in the Assets section of your account, accessible through the Assets tab under the Campaigns menu.

The presence of location assets listed alongside other asset types such as callouts and sitelinks confirms that your account has successfully transitioned. You can also verify migration completion by attempting to access the legacy location extensions interface--if the migration is complete, you will be redirected to the Assets section.

API-Based Verification

For advertisers managing large accounts or multiple client accounts, Google provides API fields to programmatically check migration status. The Customer resource includes the following fields:

Accounts That Were Not Migrated

Understanding which accounts were excluded from the auto-migration process is crucial for advertisers who may need to take manual action. Google specifically excluded accounts with no activity--no impressions, no clicks, and no spend--during the period from July 1, 2023 to January 1, 2024. Google's official announcement provides the exclusion criteria.

What to Do If Your Account Wasn't Migrated

If your account falls into this category and you wish to utilize location assets, you will need to create them manually through the Google Ads interface or via the API. The rationale behind this approach was to prevent confusion with accounts that were no longer actively managed. Google opted to require explicit action from advertisers who wanted location functionality restored to accounts that had been inactive during the migration window.

Key Exclusion Criteria

• No impressions during the exclusion period
• No clicks on any ads
• No spend on advertising
• Account was not paused during the migration window

Accounts meeting these criteria were not automatically migrated and require explicit action from advertisers. Our paid advertising management services can help you assess your account status and implement the necessary changes.

Setting Up Location Assets After Migration

For advertisers whose accounts were not automatically migrated, or for those who need to add new location assets, Google provides multiple methods for implementation. The setup process begins with ensuring your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is properly configured and verified. Industry implementation guides confirm the importance of this foundational step.

Connecting Google Business Profile

The foundation of effective location asset management is a properly configured Google Business Profile. Before creating location assets in Google Ads, ensure that all your locations are claimed, verified, and optimized within Google Business Profile. This includes accurate business names, physical addresses where customers can find your business, phone numbers that are consistently answered, up-to-date business hours, and a website URL.

Required Business Information:

• Business name (under 80 characters)
• Physical address
• Phone number
• Business hours (updated regularly)
• Website URL (max 35 characters for optimal display)

To connect your Google Business Profile to Google Ads, navigate to the Assets section in your Google Ads account, select the Extensions tab, click the "+ Extension" button, and choose "Location asset." You will then be prompted to select your Google Business Profile account or enter your domain to locate the appropriate business profile.

Managing Location Assets Effectively

Once your location assets are established, effective management becomes the key to maximizing their impact on your advertising performance. This includes regular maintenance, strategic organization, and continuous optimization based on performance data.

Location Group Strategy

For multi-location businesses, Google recommends creating location groups to organize your assets logically. Location groups allow you to associate specific locations with particular campaigns or ad groups, ensuring that the right location information appears with the right advertisements. This is particularly important for businesses that serve different geographic markets from the same advertising account. Implementation best practices emphasize the importance of proper organization.

The Four-Location Limit

A critical consideration when setting up location assets at the campaign level is Google's four-location limit per campaign. You can include up to four locations per campaign, and these locations should align with your keyword targeting strategy for that campaign. If your business has more than four locations and you want each campaign to show relevant location information, you may need to create separate campaigns for different geographic areas.

This limitation makes it essential to prioritize your most important locations for each campaign and organize your location targeting strategy accordingly.

Best Practices for Location Asset Performance

Maximizing the effectiveness of your location assets requires attention to several key areas, from data accuracy to performance monitoring and optimization.

Data Accuracy and Maintenance

One of the most common issues advertisers face with location assets is outdated or inaccurate information. Regular maintenance is essential for ensuring that your location data remains current and accurate:

• Monthly audits of business information
• Timely updates for seasonal hours or special holiday schedules
• Verification that phone numbers and addresses are correct
• Confirmation that business hours match actual operating hours

Performance Metrics to Monitor

Regular performance monitoring helps you understand how location assets contribute to your overall campaign performance and identify areas for improvement.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Even with careful setup and maintenance, advertisers may encounter issues with location assets from time to time. Understanding how to address these common problems can save time and prevent wasted ad spend.

Locations Not Appearing

If your location assets are not appearing with your ads, check the following:

1. Verify campaign association with location asset or location group
2. Confirm geographic targeting settings align with locations
3. Ensure ads meet extension eligibility requirements
4. Check ad rank meets minimum thresholds for extension display

Incorrect Location Information

When location asset information is incorrect, update it immediately through either:

• Google Business Profile (for connected locations)
• Google Ads directly (for manually created assets)

Allow 24-48 hours for changes to propagate through Google's systems. If you notice persistent issues, it may be related to duplicate listings or third-party data sources that Google is pulling from.

The Future of Location-Based Advertising

Google's migration of location extensions to assets signals a broader trend toward more intelligent, automated management of advertising information. As machine learning capabilities continue to advance, we can expect Google to increasingly optimize which location information is shown to which users based on contextual signals.

For advertisers, this underscores the importance of maintaining accurate, comprehensive location data across all business locations. The better Google's systems understand your business locations and their characteristics, the more effectively they can match your advertisements to users who are most likely to benefit from visiting.

This evolution aligns with our approach to integrated digital marketing services, where paid advertising, local SEO, and analytics work together to drive measurable business results.

Key Takeaways

The migration of location extensions to assets in Google Ads represents a significant evolution in how advertisers manage and display location information. Key points to remember include:

• Migration Status: The auto-migration was completed for most active accounts, with dormant accounts requiring manual action
• Verification: Migration status can be verified through the Google Ads UI or via API fields (location_asset_auto_migration_done, location_asset_auto_migration_done_date_time)
• Management: Location assets should be managed through the Assets section of Google Ads
• Maintenance: Regular audits and performance monitoring are essential for optimal results
• Organization: Multi-location businesses should utilize location groups for effective organization
• Integration: Location assets work best when combined with other extension types

By understanding and properly implementing location assets, advertisers can effectively bridge the gap between online advertising and offline business outcomes, driving foot traffic and store visits from their Google Ads campaigns. Our team can help you optimize your local PPC strategy for maximum impact.

Sources

1. Google Ads Developer Blog - Location Auto-migration Complete - Official Google announcement confirming migration completion and API changes
2. Search Engine Land - Google Ads completes auto-migration of location extensions to assets - Industry news coverage of the migration announcement
3. Hop Skip Media - Google Ads Location Extension Tips: Essential Implementation Guide - Practical implementation guidance and best practices