Location assets in Google Ads: setup and fixes

This guide is built from Google Ads Help, mainly About location assets, About location groups and GBP link filtering and Common issues when linking your Google Ads and Business Profile, plus the pages linked below. All asset types side by side are in our sitelinks and assets guide; the profile itself is in our Google Business Profile guide.

What location assets show

Google describes location assets as a way to "Incorporate store location information in your ads". Depending on the device and placement, an ad can show:

• the distance to your location and its city (mobile);
• the street address (computer);
• a "Call" button;
• a details page with hours, phone number, photos and directions.

Location assets also enable other features: Google says they can enable store visit conversions, and if you remove them from the account you "won't be able to use business locations for targeting or bidding". If you use location targeting, the distance report in our location targeting guide also relies on them.

Your own locations or affiliate locations

Location assets cover two cases, which used to be separate extensions:

• Your own locations (formerly location extensions): you own the stores or offices. Sources: Google Business Profile, chain stores or Google Maps.
• Affiliate locations (formerly affiliate location extensions): you sell products through stores you don't own, as a manufacturer or aggregator. Sources: chain stores (general retailers or auto dealers) or global location groups, such as pharmacies in France.

Google's rule: "You can choose only one type of location asset in an account." It also warns that declaring the wrong type may get the assets disapproved. A brand that has its own shops and also sells through retailers needs to decide which matters more for that account.

Where they show

• Search: with a text ad, showing the location and phone number; on mobile a "Call" button may replace the number.
• Google Maps: beside, above or below results, including the Maps app.
• Search partners and Display: when people are near, or have shown interest in, your area. On Display, only through Local campaigns or Performance Max with store goals.
• YouTube: on in-stream and bumper ads, as a teaser that expands to a location page. Google says video ads "will show information about your business locations unless you explicitly opt out".

Demand Gen campaigns serve on Maps only when a location asset is enabled; see our Demand Gen guide.

Linking a Google Business Profile

For businesses with their own locations, the Business Profile is the usual source. Everything starts in Location manager: the Tools menu, Shared library, Location manager. Select the plus button, choose Our locations and then Google Business Profile. Google offers three ways in:

• A profile you manage: pick the Business Profile account from the dropdown, add business name or label filters if needed, and save.
• By email: request access to another profile by entering its account email; locations become eligible once the owner approves.
• By domain: enter your website's domain to find matching profiles, choose the right one and send an access request.

A fourth route is Business Manager, where connecting Google Ads and Business Profile under Apps & services syncs the locations automatically. Google adds: check whether your business already has a profile before creating one, "Since Business Profile verification takes time". Linking also lets Google Ads use profile data such as hours and "merchant photos and videos"; you can opt out of the photos in Location manager settings.

Location details come from your profile and Maps, not from Google Ads. Google says the data "is sourced directly from Google Maps and Google Business Profile", so fix a wrong address or phone number there. Locations marked temporarily or permanently closed stop showing in ads.

Chain stores and Maps locations

• Chain stores: in Location manager, choose Our locations (your own chain) or Affiliate locations (chains that sell your products), select Chain stores, the country and one or more chains from Google's list. Chain locations update automatically as stores open, move or close.
• Google Maps locations: if neither a profile nor a chain fits, you can search for and add up to 10 locations from Google Maps. Google says these "must be yours, or they may be disapproved".

Whichever source you use, the locations are eligible with any Search, Display or video ad in the account once they pass Google's verification.

Account, campaign and ad group level

Linked locations apply to the whole account by default. To narrow them down, Google uses location groups: reusable sets of locations you create in Location manager and assign to campaigns or ad groups. In Campaigns > Assets, add a Location asset, choose Campaign or Ad group under "Add to", and pick one source:

• Location groups: only the locations in the chosen group. An empty group works like "No location assets".
• No location assets: nothing shows for that campaign or ad group.
• All locations: every location in the account.

Google recommends linking the source at account level and using location groups in campaigns or ad groups, because a group set at account level would remove locations account-wide if you later edit it. Campaign-level settings override the account level. With a Business Profile you can also filter what syncs at account level, by exact business name or by up to 3 profile labels (labels work as OR).

Policy rules

Google's location asset requirements add these to the standard ad policies:

• No advertising a location "without the explicit approval of the business owner at that location".
• The location must be one Google recognises and not permanently closed.
• The location must match the advertiser, and the product in the ad must be sold there.
• If a location is disapproved for capitalisation or symbols, fix the business name in the Business Profile, then unlink and relink.

Location manager's Status column marks disapproved locations as "Not eligible", with the reason and an appeal option on hover.

Store visits and calls

Store visit conversions estimate how many ad clicks and views lead to visits to your locations, from anonymous, aggregated data. Google turns them on automatically for eligible accounts. Requirements include active location or affiliate location assets that aren't turned off at campaign or ad group level, stores in supported countries, no sensitive locations (such as certain health issues), verified Business Profile locations, and enough clicks, impressions and foot traffic to pass privacy thresholds.

Calls from location assets can be counted with call reporting, which Google recommends turning on; it needs account-level call reporting. Phone numbers are verified to confirm they belong to the business. Our call tracking guide covers forwarding numbers and call conversions.

When locations don't show

Google's linking issues page says a link or profile edit "can take 24-48 hours" to sync. After 48 hours:

• Check that every location is verified and active in the Business Profile.
• If you filter by labels, check that the locations carry the right labels.
• Check the profile data: business name and street address up to 80 characters, address line 1 and country code filled in, website URL up to 35 characters.
• Look in Campaigns > Assets, Associations tab, Location, to see how many locations synced.
• Check that the campaign or ad group isn't set to "No location assets" or to an empty location group.
• As a last step, unlink and relink the Business Profile.

Two changes can recreate location items: adding or removing an account-level filter, and adding a label in the profile and then filtering by labels. Changing the profile's password doesn't require relinking. The same profile can be linked to several Google Ads accounts, even under different manager accounts.

How we set them up

This is our own practice, not Google's guidance:

• We check the Business Profile first: verified, correct name without extra keywords or symbols, and a short website URL.
• We link the profile at account level, then use location groups when campaigns cover different regions, so each ad shows the nearest relevant branch.
• For service-area businesses that don't want an address shown, we set the campaign to "No location assets" rather than editing the profile.
• We turn on call reporting and look at the distance report after a month to adjust location targeting.

For how location assets fit a restaurant's campaigns, see Google Ads for restaurants. If you want help with Google Ads for local businesses, see our services.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a Google Business Profile for location assets?

Not always. A Business Profile is the usual source, but you can also use chain stores from Google's list or add up to 10 of your own locations from Google Maps.

Why don't my locations show in Google Ads after linking?

Syncing can take 24 to 48 hours. After that, check that the locations are verified in the Business Profile, that label or name filters match, and that the campaign isn't set to No location assets.

Can I use location assets and affiliate location assets in the same account?

No. Google allows only one type of location asset per account: your own locations or affiliate locations.

How do I change the address shown in my ads?

Edit it in your Google Business Profile or Google Maps. Google Ads takes location data from there, and changes sync into the linked account.

Can I show only some locations in a campaign?

Yes. Create a location group in Location manager and assign it to the campaign or ad group under Campaigns, Assets.

For more on Google Ads assets, see our guides to price assets and promotion assets, and our guide to service area pages for local SEO.