Google Ads Lead Form Assets: What They Are + How to Use Them

Google Ads lead form assets allow advertisers to capture lead info directly from ads without requiring users to visit a landing page. Read on to learn how, when, and why you should use them.

Key takeaways

Lead form assets let users submit their contact info through a Google-hosted form directly from the ad, with no landing page visit required.
They work only with Search (responsive search ads) and Performance Max campaigns, and cost nothing beyond your existing campaign budget.
They’re best for branded searches, retargeting audiences, and urgent services, and a weaker fit for research-heavy purchases.
You should export leads often, since CSV downloads only cover the last 30 days, and judge success by lead quality, not just volume.

Generating a lead from a Google ad typically requires someone to click through to your website, visit a landing page, and fill out a form.

Google Ads lead form assets simplify this lead generation process by allowing potential customers to submit their information directly from a PPC ad.

We spoke with digital marketing expert Abigail Beene to break down how Google Ads lead form assets work, when to use them, their limitations, and how to set them up.

Lead form assets at a glance

Category	Details
Eligible campaigns	Search and Performance Max; lead forms in Search are available with responsive search ads
Data retention	Leads expire after 60 days, so export on a regular schedule
Baseline requirements	Good policy compliance history, an eligible business vertical, and a linked privacy policy
Additional requirements	Certain lead form formats may have additional spend and Advertiser Verification requirements; check Google’s current eligibility requirements
Lead delivery	CSV download, webhook to your CRM, Google Ads API, or Zapier
Availability	70+ countries

What are Google Ads lead form assets?

Google Ads lead form assets (formerly called Google Ads lead form extensions) are a feature that allows advertisers to capture lead info directly from ads without requiring users to visit a landing page.

When someone interacts with the lead form, they can submit information such as their name, email address, or phone number through a Google-hosted form without visiting your website.

By streamlining the process for potential customers to express interest, lead generation form assets are particularly useful for businesses looking to generate leads quickly and efficiently.

Why use Google Ads lead form assets?

The biggest benefit of lead form assets is reduced friction.

Users don’t have to wait for a landing page to load, navigate your site, or complete a separate website form. That can help advertisers capture more leads, particularly from high-intent users who are ready to take action.

“From a rank and quality standpoint, it’s almost always a good idea to incorporate as many assets as possible in your ads,” Beene explains.

“These will allow your ads to take up more space on the search results page, and Google tends to serve these ads more, as they keep users on Google for a longer period of time.”

How do lead form assets work?

Lead form assets work by allowing Google Search users to submit their contact information directly inside an ad without navigating to a website.

Here’s how:

1. A user interacts with your ad

Lead forms can appear with eligible Search and Performance Max campaigns. When someone clicks or taps a qualifying ad, they see a form requesting their information instead of your website.

2. They complete the Google-hosted form

You can request specific information such as name, email address, and phone number, as well as include custom questions to gather more targeted info through the form.

For users signed into their Google account, the form may be pre-filled with relevant contact information, making it faster to complete and submit.

A newer option, qualifying response questions, lets you designate certain answers to multiple-choice questions as indicators of a qualified lead. Matching submissions are then automatically tagged as qualified in your lead data.

3. You receive and manage the lead

Users submit their information directly within the form. Google offers several lead delivery options, including email notifications, CSV downloads, webhook integrations, the Google Ads API, and Zapier.

If you rely on manual downloads, keep in mind that CSV files only include leads submitted within the last 30 days.

For businesses that generate leads regularly, CRM integration can help ensure new leads are routed to your sales team quickly.

What are the limitations of lead form assets?

Lead form assets offer many benefits, but as with any marketing tool, there are also some limitations to keep in mind.

Lead quality

Because lead forms reduce the steps required to convert, they can sometimes generate lower-intent leads, spam submissions, or inaccurate contact information.

Using qualifying questions and, for eligible Search campaigns, phone number verification can help improve lead quality.

Less control over the user experience

Lead form assets also offer less control over the user experience than sending someone to a dedicated landing page. You’re working within Google’s available fields, questions, and form customization options rather than designing the entire conversion experience yourself.

Lead management and follow-up planning

Advertisers need a plan for lead management and follow-up. Leads can be downloaded from Google Ads or sent to other systems through supported integrations, but businesses should make sure submissions reach the appropriate sales or marketing team quickly.

Can only be used for specific campaign types

Lead form assets currently work with Search campaigns (responsive search ads only) and Performance Max campaigns, per Google’s current documentation.

This limits where advertisers can use lead form assets compared with other Google Ads features.

Advertiser eligibility requirements

Advertisers must meet certain eligibility requirements to use lead form assets, including a good history of policy compliance, an eligible business vertical or sub-vertical, and a privacy policy.

Some lead form formats have additional requirements. For example, advertisers using a Search campaign where the ad headline opens directly to the lead form must meet Google’s applicable spend, account status, and verification requirements.

Google’s eligibility requirements have changed over time, so check its current lead form requirements before setting up a campaign.

Data storage and usage

Google Ads stores lead form submission data for a limited time, so advertisers should have a process for regularly transferring leads to their CRM or another system.

While lead data may be retained by Google for up to 60 days, manual CSV downloads only include leads received within the last 30 days.

If you need longer-term access to lead information, make sure you export or transfer it to your own system rather than relying on Google Ads for storage.

Once you collect lead information, your business is also responsible for handling and using that data in accordance with your privacy policy and applicable data protection requirements.

Can’t directly integrate with all CRMs

While Google Ads supports webhook integration for real-time lead data transfer to CRMs, setup requires a webhook URL and key from your CRM or lead management system, so it may require some technical knowledge.

Zapier is now an officially documented delivery option alongside CSV downloads, webhooks, and the Google Ads API, which can make it easier to send lead data to CRM and marketing platforms such as HubSpot.

Who do lead form assets work best for?

Like many digital marketing tools, lead form assets are not for everyone.

For example, Beene advises that for industries where users need to do more research before converting, lead form assets are likely not the best option.

“Because [lead form assets] encourage users to convert before ever clicking onto a website, they’re unlikely to produce many high-quality leads this way, as the user hasn’t had a chance to explore the brand,” says Beene.

On the flip side, advertisers with a lot of brand recognition or repeat customers could benefit from these assets, since users typically already have an idea of what they have to offer.

Finally, says Beene, “These assets may work well for companies that offer more urgent services, such as plumbing or other home services.”

This is especially true if the lead form is to inquire about pricing. People who need something fixed quickly could convert right from the form, and response time may be their highest priority.

When should I use lead form assets?

Beene took us through a couple of circumstances where lead form assets could work well for advertisers regardless of industry.

Branded campaigns

If a user knows a brand well enough to search for their name specifically, there’s a much higher chance they’d be willing to fill out a lead form before clicking on the ad to explore the site.

Search retargeting or RLSA campaigns

These campaigns target a group of users who have already visited your website but may not have converted yet. Because we know this audience has already explored the site, including a lead form asset may be a good option to provide a quick and easy way for those users to convert.

How to create lead form assets

Ready to hit the ground running? Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for creating lead form assets in Google Ads.

1. Sign in

Use your credentials to sign in to your Google Ads account.
Confirm your account has a good policy compliance history, is in an eligible business vertical, and has a linked privacy policy.

2. Create a new campaign (or select an existing one)

If you’re creating a new campaign, click + New campaign, choose your campaign goal, select the campaign type, and follow the prompts to set up your campaign settings.
Set the campaign objective to Leads, with “Submit lead form (Google-hosted)” as the conversion goal.
If you’re selecting an existing campaign, navigate to the Campaigns tab and select the campaign you want to add the lead form asset to.

3. Add lead form assets

Add your lead form asset at the campaign level. In a Search campaign, go to the Ads section and select “+ Lead forms.”
In a Performance Max campaign, go to the Assets section, select “More asset types,” then choose Lead forms.

4. Set up your lead form asset

Add a compelling headline, your business name, and a brief description to encourage users to fill out the form.
Select the information you want to collect (e.g., email, name, phone number). You can also add custom questions.
Add qualifying response questions if you want to automatically identify and tag qualified leads (Search campaigns only).
Provide the URL to your privacy policy.
Enter a thank-you or form submission message users will see after submitting the form.
Select the call-to-action (CTA) text, such as “Get Quote,” “Sign Up,” or “Contact Us.”

5. Customize

This step is optional, but it can help you stand out in the crowd.

Background image: You can upload a background image for your lead form to make it more visually appealing.
Delivery method: Choose how you want to receive leads, whether that’s a manual CSV download, webhook integration to your CRM, the Google Ads API, or Zapier.
Lead form optimization: Depending on your campaign setup, choose whether to optimize your form for more volume or more qualified leads.

6. Review and save

Review all the information you’ve entered to ensure accuracy.
Note that certain edits, like adding custom questions after the form is live, can trigger a policy review that pauses associated campaigns until it’s approved.
Click Save to save your lead form asset.

7. Monitor and optimize

Keep an eye on performance metrics such as conversion rate, cost per lead, and lead quality in the Google Ads dashboard.
Compare lead form performance with your other conversion paths and make adjustments based on both lead volume and quality.
Review conversion tracking and attribution to understand which campaigns, ads, and interactions are contributing to lead form submissions.

The bottom line

We think Beene sums it up nicely: “It’s important to note that incorporating lead form assets won’t be best practice for every advertiser. Downsides can include the lead form asset showing instead of another one you’d prefer to show, or getting an influx of spam or bot leads.”

That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t explore more. They can be great for some advertisers or in highly targeted Google Ads campaigns (like branded or RLSA).

However, Beene recommends testing this strategy before launching with a lot of budget behind it.

“Be sure you pay close attention to the quality of leads that come from the asset, and not only determine if the strategy is successful based on lead quality,” she says.

Think lead form assets might be a good fit for you? Chat with the Hawks today, and we can get you started.

FAQs about lead form assets

Are Google Ads lead form assets worth it?

It depends on the brand and the buying cycle. According to Beene’s experience, branded searches, retargeting audiences, and urgent-need services tend to see the best results, while categories that require more research before converting often see weaker lead quality.

How much do lead form assets cost?

There is no separate fee to use the asset. It runs on the same budget and bidding strategy as the rest of your Search or Performance Max campaign.

How long do I have to download my leads?

Google Ads stores lead form data for 60 days, but manual CSV downloads only include leads from the last 30 days. Export leads regularly or use an automated delivery method, such as a webhook, Zapier, or the Google Ads API, to avoid losing access to lead data.

Can I use lead form assets on any campaign type?

Not anymore. Google’s current documentation limits lead form assets to Search campaigns (responsive search ads only) and Performance Max campaigns.

This article has been updated and was originally published in September 2024.