Google expands messaging platforms in Ads beyond WhatsApp support

Google has expanded its Message extension functionality in Google Ads to include Facebook Messenger and Zalo as conversation platforms. The update allows advertisers to initiate customer conversations across these additional messaging services alongside the existing WhatsApp Business integration.

The expansion addresses regional communication preferences where Facebook Messenger and Zalo maintain significant user bases. According to Google's official documentation, "Advertisers can now connect with customers through Facebook Messenger and Zalo as conversation starters, opening up new opportunities to engage audiences where they prefer to chat."

Message assets enable direct customer communication through responsive search ads and Performance Max campaigns. When users click the message button, they initiate conversations through their selected messaging platform rather than being redirected to advertisers' websites. This functionality creates dedicated communication channels between businesses and potential customers.

The technical implementation requires advertisers to provide specific platform credentials during configuration. For Facebook Messenger integration, businesses must supply URLs formatted as "https://m.me/username" where the username corresponds to their Facebook business page. Zalo implementation accepts either official account IDs formatted as "https://zalo.me/OAID" or custom URL names following the pattern "https://zalo.me/customURLname."

WhatsApp Business numbers require country selection and active phone number verification. SMS functionality operates similarly through verified phone numbers. The system maintains consistent starter message requirements across all platforms, ensuring advertisers create messages that comply with Google Ads policies.

Campaign creation involves selecting "Leads" as the primary objective with "Messages from your ads" designated as the preferred goal achievement method. Search and Performance Max campaign types support message asset integration. The system automatically generates a "Leads from Messages" conversion goal once message assets receive approval.

Google's documentation specifies that message assets require advertiser verification program completion alongside positive policy compliance history. New advertisers may experience temporary impression limitations until positive user interactions demonstrate account reliability. These restrictions help Google assess account quality while reducing fraudulent communication attempts.

The message asset interface prevents other extension types from serving simultaneously. When message buttons appear, users cannot access call extensions, lead forms, or additional asset types within the same advertisement. This exclusivity ensures messaging functions receive prominent placement without competing interface elements.

Regional availability varies between platforms. Android devices support message assets globally, while iOS implementation operates in 52 countries including Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Pakistan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.

The feature maintains standard Google Ads reporting capabilities including impressions, clicks, cost metrics, click-through rates, cost-per-click calculations, conversions, and view-through conversions. Offline tracking remains available for retailers utilizing Store Visit Rate and Store Sale Rate measurements through existing Google Ads integrations.

Policy restrictions apply to sensitive verticals including gambling-related content, sexual material, misuse of personal information, affiliate networks, healthcare products, unavailable offers, alcohol promotion, political content, and trademark violations. Campaigns flagged as sensitive verticals may experience serving limitations requiring content removal and resubmission for policy review.

For PPC Land readers, this update represents a significant expansion of conversational advertising capabilities beyond traditional call extensions and lead forms. The multi-platform approach enables marketers to meet customers through their preferred communication channels rather than forcing platform adoption. This development follows Meta's June 2024 announcement of enhanced business messaging features that integrated AI optimization for WhatsApp marketing campaigns and improved conversion tracking.

The timing coincides with broader messaging platform developments in digital advertising. Meta has been enhancing its business messaging tools throughout 2024, introducing AI-powered marketing message optimizations and improved conversion tracking for WhatsApp Business Platform integrations. These improvements demonstrated significant performance gains for businesses using messaging-based advertising approaches.

Google's message asset expansion particularly benefits businesses operating in regions where Facebook Messenger and Zalo dominate communication preferences. Vietnam represents a primary market for Zalo adoption, while Facebook Messenger maintains strong usage across various international markets. This geographic targeting capability enables more precise audience engagement based on local communication habits.

The integration process requires careful configuration management to ensure proper platform connections. Advertisers must verify that headline content avoids mentioning specific messaging platforms to prevent user confusion. When headlines reference messaging capabilities, users may expect website redirection rather than messaging platform activation, creating disconnect between expectations and actual functionality.

Technical requirements extend beyond basic configuration to include ongoing verification maintenance. Phone numbers associated with message assets must remain active and verifiable through Google's systems. Failed verification prevents message asset serving, requiring advertisers to maintain current contact information across all integrated platforms.

Campaign structure implications affect how advertisers organize messaging-focused initiatives. Unlike traditional text ads requiring separate campaigns for different objectives, message assets enable single campaign management across multiple messaging platforms. This consolidation simplifies budget allocation while maintaining platform-specific optimization capabilities.

The development reflects Google's broader strategy of expanding advertising touchpoints beyond traditional search results. Message assets complement existing extension types while providing dedicated customer communication pathways. This approach acknowledges changing user preferences toward direct messaging over form submissions or phone calls for business inquiries.

Conversion tracking improvements accompany the platform expansion. The "Leads from Messages" conversion goal provides standardized measurement across WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook Messenger, and Zalo interactions. This unified tracking enables comparative analysis of messaging platform performance within single campaign structures.

Implementation considerations include policy compliance verification across multiple messaging platforms simultaneously. Each platform integration must satisfy Google's destination requirements while maintaining platform-specific functionality. Advertisers operating across multiple regions may need different messaging platform combinations based on local user preferences and platform availability.

The update establishes Google Ads as a more comprehensive messaging advertising platform competing with native social media advertising tools. By integrating multiple messaging services within single campaign structures, Google enables advertisers to reach audiences across various communication preferences without requiring separate platform-specific campaigns.

For performance marketers, the expansion creates opportunities for more sophisticated audience engagement strategies. Rather than limiting messaging campaigns to WhatsApp or SMS, advertisers can now implement multi-platform messaging approaches based on detailed audience analysis and regional communication preferences.

Google's focus on conversation-based advertising reflects broader industry trends toward personalized customer interactions. Message assets enable businesses to move beyond one-way advertising toward two-way communication channels that support customer service, sales consultations, and relationship building through preferred messaging platforms.

The enhanced functionality positions Google Ads message extensions as alternatives to platform-specific messaging advertising tools. Businesses previously requiring separate Facebook Messenger campaigns and Zalo advertising initiatives can now consolidate messaging strategies within Google Ads campaign management systems.

This development continues Google's pattern of expanding advertising format capabilities to match evolving user behaviors and platform preferences. The multi-messaging platform integration demonstrates Google's commitment to providing comprehensive advertising solutions that adapt to regional and demographic communication preferences.

Timeline

• January 2020: Google announces plans to sunset original Message Extensions in Google Ads platform
• April 2024: Meta enhances Messenger capabilities with high-definition photo sharing and collaborative albums
• June 2024: Meta introduces AI-powered business messaging optimizations for WhatsApp and Messenger advertising campaigns
• July 2025: Google extends phone verification requirements to message assets with enforcement beginning August 1, 2025
• 2025: Google expands message assets to support Facebook Messenger and Zalo platforms alongside existing WhatsApp and SMS integration

PPC Land explains

Message Assets: Digital advertising components within Google Ads that enable direct customer communication through messaging platforms rather than traditional website redirections. Message assets function as interactive buttons within search advertisements that initiate conversations through WhatsApp, SMS, Facebook Messenger, or Zalo when clicked. These assets require specific technical configurations including verified phone numbers or platform URLs, starter messages complying with Google Ads policies, and advertiser verification program completion. Unlike traditional ad extensions, message assets prevent other extension types from serving simultaneously, ensuring messaging functionality receives prominent placement without competing interface elements.

Google Ads: Google's comprehensive advertising platform that processes billions of search queries and display opportunities across its ecosystem including Search, YouTube, Gmail, and partner websites. The platform utilizes machine learning algorithms to match advertisements with relevant audiences based on search intent, demographic data, and behavioral patterns. Google Ads encompasses various campaign types including Search, Display, Video, Shopping, App, and Performance Max campaigns, each designed for specific advertising objectives. The platform generates revenue through auction-based pricing where advertisers bid for ad placement opportunities across Google's properties and partner network.

Facebook Messenger: Meta's standalone messaging application that evolved from Facebook's integrated chat system into a comprehensive business communication platform. Messenger supports business interactions through features including customer service chatbots, automated responses, marketing message distribution, and direct sales conversations. The platform processes billions of messages monthly across its global user base, making it a significant channel for customer engagement in regions where Facebook maintains strong adoption rates. For advertisers, Messenger integration requires specific URL formatting and compliance with Meta's business messaging policies alongside Google Ads requirements.

WhatsApp Business: Meta's business-focused version of the popular WhatsApp messaging service, designed specifically for company-customer communications. WhatsApp Business provides features including business profiles, automated greeting messages, quick reply templates, and catalog integration for product showcasing. The platform requires phone number verification and supports both individual business accounts and enterprise-level API integrations for larger organizations. In Google Ads message assets, WhatsApp Business integration enables advertisers to initiate conversations directly from search advertisements, requiring active phone numbers and country-specific configuration settings.

Zalo: Vietnam's dominant messaging and social media platform developed by VNG Corporation, serving as the primary digital communication channel for Vietnamese users. Zalo combines messaging functionality with social networking features, news distribution, and business services including Zalo Pay for digital payments. The platform maintains official account systems enabling businesses to establish verified presences for customer communication and marketing activities. For Google Ads integration, Zalo requires either official account IDs or custom URL configurations, making it particularly valuable for advertisers targeting Vietnamese markets where Zalo usage exceeds international platform adoption.

Messaging Platforms: Digital communication services that facilitate real-time text, voice, image, and file sharing between individuals and businesses. These platforms have evolved from simple chat applications into comprehensive business communication tools supporting customer service, marketing campaigns, sales consultations, and relationship management. Modern messaging platforms integrate with advertising systems to enable direct customer engagement from advertisement clicks, creating seamless transitions from marketing exposure to conversation initiation. The proliferation of messaging platforms reflects changing consumer preferences toward private, direct communication over public social media interactions.

Campaign Configuration: The technical setup process for advertising campaigns that defines targeting parameters, budget allocation, bidding strategies, and asset management within advertising platforms. For message asset campaigns, configuration involves selecting campaign objectives, specifying messaging platforms, providing verification credentials, creating compliant starter messages, and establishing conversion tracking systems. Proper configuration ensures campaigns operate within platform policies while maximizing performance potential through appropriate audience targeting and budget optimization. Configuration requirements vary between campaign types and platforms, requiring detailed understanding of technical specifications and policy compliance standards.

Conversion Tracking: The measurement system that monitors and attributes customer actions to specific advertising interactions, enabling performance analysis and campaign optimization. For message asset campaigns, conversion tracking captures leads initiated through messaging platform conversations, providing metrics including message initiation rates, conversation completion percentages, and business outcome attribution. Google Ads automatically generates "Leads from Messages" conversion goals when message assets receive approval, standardizing measurement across different messaging platforms. Effective conversion tracking requires proper implementation of tracking codes, goal definition alignment with business objectives, and attribution model selection appropriate for messaging-based customer interactions.

Policy Compliance: The adherence to advertising platform guidelines that govern content standards, business practices, and user experience requirements across digital advertising systems. Google Ads policy compliance encompasses editorial standards, destination requirements, prohibited content categories, and verification procedures designed to maintain platform quality and user safety. For message assets, compliance includes phone number verification, starter message content approval, business verification completion, and ongoing monitoring of messaging platform interactions. Policy violations can result in asset disapproval, campaign suspension, or account-level restrictions, making compliance management essential for sustained advertising performance.

Performance Max: Google's automated campaign type that utilizes machine learning to optimize advertisement delivery across all available Google properties including Search, Display, YouTube, Gmail, Maps, and Discover. Performance Max campaigns require minimal manual configuration while providing access to Google's complete advertising inventory through single campaign management interfaces. These campaigns support message asset integration alongside other asset types, enabling comprehensive customer engagement strategies that combine traditional advertising with direct messaging capabilities. Performance Max optimization relies on conversion data and audience insights to automatically adjust bidding, targeting, and creative selection for maximum campaign performance across diverse placement opportunities.

Summary

Who: Google Ads advertisers using message assets for conversational advertising campaigns can now access Facebook Messenger and Zalo platforms alongside existing WhatsApp Business and SMS integrations.

What: Google expanded its Message extension functionality in Google Ads to include Facebook Messenger and Zalo as messaging platforms, enabling advertisers to initiate customer conversations across multiple messaging services within single campaign structures.

When: The expansion became available in 2025 following Google's broader message asset policy updates that implemented phone verification requirements beginning August 1, 2025.

Where: The feature operates globally on Android devices and across 52 countries on iOS devices, with Facebook Messenger and Zalo integration available in regions where these platforms maintain significant user adoption.

Why: The expansion addresses regional communication preferences and enables marketers to reach audiences through their preferred messaging channels rather than forcing platform adoption, creating more effective customer engagement opportunities for businesses operating across diverse geographic markets.