When Google AdWords launched Social Extensions, I was a little sceptical of the benefit. How could adding a link to a Google+ business page improve conversions?
I have to say, I've been proved wrong. The investment Google has made in social means that it's here to stay.
Benefits of AdWords Social Extensions
1. Social Proof of your authority
2. Increase trust signals
3. Increase engaged followers on G+
4. Display a personal recommendation (circle connection)
How do I know if a Social Extension is right for me?
Well you won't know until you try. All PPC managers should try it out to see what the results are: run an AdWords experiment to get objective results.
Common concerns with Google+ Social Extensions
Some marketers can be a little reluctant to add social extensions on, as they mistakenly think that it will take the place of another extension.
Remember that a social extension is only a small part of the ad itself, and many times can be combined with other important extensions, such as sitelinks.
Look at this example: a combination of extended site links and social, with the seller reviews added too.
In the end, there's really no substitute for crafting compelling ad copy, and A/B testing it over and over again.
Another question that pops up is: "What if I have a new Google+ account with a small number of followers?"
I don't think this matters so much - people are aware that Google Plus is still developing. The sooner you build a community on G+, the better. Develop your authority and niche as you do on other social media channels.
Hope you find this helpful. Comment below if you've any questions.