Sitelinks
Sitelinks are additional links displayed under a main advertisement or search result, leading to specific pages of a website. They help users quickly navigate to the desired section—for example, a product catalog, “Contacts,” or “Delivery” pages.
What are Sitelinks?
Sitelinks are navigational elements that appear under the main headline of an advertisement in contextual advertising or under an organic search result.
They make the ad more informative, increase its occupied space, and enhance click-through rate (CTR).
Example:
text
Smartphone Repair — Service Center
Fast, with warranty and free diagnostics.
iPhone | Samsung | Xiaomi | Huawei
Sitelinks: [Prices] [Contacts] [Reviews] [Book Online]
Where are Sitelinks Used?
- Contextual Advertising:
- Yandex.Direct
- Google Ads
Here, sitelinks are added manually in campaign settings and displayed alongside the advertisement.
- Organic Search Results (SEO):
- In Google and Yandex search results.
- They are generated automatically based on the website’s structure and user behavior.
Why Use Sitelinks?
- Increase CTR. Users immediately see more navigation options and are more likely to click on the ad.
- Improve Relevance. You can specify links to sections directly related to the user’s query.
- Enhance User Experience. Visitors find needed information faster—delivery, payment, promotions, contacts, etc.
- Occupy More Space in Results. Ads with sitelinks visually stand out, pushing competitors down.
- Test Audience Interest. Analyzing clicks on sitelinks helps understand which site sections are most in demand.
What Do Sitelinks Look Like?
- In Yandex.Direct: Up to 8 sitelinks (4–6 displayed on desktop, 2–4 in mobile version). Each link can have its own title (up to 30 characters) and a short description (up to 60 characters).
- In Google Ads: Usually 4 links are displayed, each with a separate title (up to 25 characters) and description (up to 35 characters per line).
Example of Sitelinks for an Online Store
text
Main Ad:
Buy a Lenovo laptop — delivery across Russia
Sitelinks:
Lenovo ThinkPad Models
Compare Specifications
Delivery & Payment
Warranty & Service
How to Add Sitelinks (Example for Yandex.Direct)
- In the campaign interface, open the ad.
- Navigate to the “Sitelinks” section.
- Specify:
- Link title (up to 30 characters).
- URL of the page.
- Description (optional) — a brief explanation.
- Save and submit for moderation.
After approval, Yandex will automatically choose how many links to display based on format and user device.
Tips for Designing Sitelinks
- Make titles clear and short—no more than 2–3 words.
- Use key phrases from the ad (improves relevance).
- Do not duplicate the main headline or the main URL.
- Direct to different pages of the site, not the same URL.
- Check link validity—404 errors or redirects lower quality.
- Update periodically—especially when promotions or site structure change.
Advantages of Sitelinks
- Can increase CTR by 20–40% compared to ads without them.
- Make the ad more noticeable.
- Help users achieve their goal faster.
- Improve the ad’s Quality Score.
- Expand reach as the ad appears more informative.
Potential Mistakes
- Links lead to the same page.
- Titles are too long or unreadable.
- No descriptions—missed chance to occupy more space.
- Non-relevant transitions—e.g., an ad for laptops leads to the homepage.
Summary
Sitelinks are an additional tool in contextual and organic search results that make advertising more noticeable, informative, and clickable.
They help users quickly reach the desired section and help advertisers improve CTR, lower cost per click, and increase conversion.
Well-configured sitelinks are one of the simplest and most effective ways to improve advertising performance.
