How to Write a Google Ad

Writing a Google Ad can feel deceptively simple. You have a few lines of text to convince someone to click — how hard can it be? But crafting an ad that not only gets clicks but also attracts the right clicks from customers ready to convert is an art and a science. This guide will walk you through exactly how to write compelling Google Ads, from understanding the core components to mastering the principles of persuasive copy.

Understanding the Building Blocks of a Google Ad

Years ago, you wrote individual, static ads. Today, the standard is Responsive Search Ads (RSAs), which are more flexible and powerful. With RSAs, you provide a collection of headlines and descriptions, and Google’s algorithm automatically tests different combinations to find the highest-performing variations for each individual search.

Here are the pieces you'll be working with:

• Headlines: You can provide up to 15 headlines, each with a 30-character limit. Google will show up to three of these at a time in various combinations. These are the blue, clickable lines of text in an ad and are the most important part of your copy.
• Descriptions: You can provide up to four descriptions, each up to 90 characters long. Google displays up to two of these beneath the headlines, giving you more space to detail your offer and unique value.
• Display Path: This is the customizable part of your URL shown in the ad. You can add up to two "paths" (15 characters each), like www.yourstore.com/Running-Shoes/Sale-On-Now, to make your URL more relevant to the searcher without changing the actual destination URL.

Before You Write a Single Word: Your Pre-Flight Checklist

Jumping straight into writing is a recipe for generic, ineffective ads. Great ads are born from great preparation. Before opening the Google Ads interface, take a few minutes to think through these four key areas.

1. Know Your Target Audience

Who are you trying to reach? What are their biggest problems or desires right now? Trying to write an ad without a clear picture of your audience is like trying to give a speech to an empty room. Consider their:

• Pain Points: What problem are they trying to solve with their search? Are they looking for speed, affordability, quality, or something else entirely?
• Goals: What is their desired outcome? Are they trying to finish a project, find a gift, or improve their health?
• Language: What words and phrases do they use? An ad for a technical B2B software should sound very different from an ad for handmade dog sweaters.

2. Pinpoint Your Unique Selling Proposition (USP)

Your ad will appear next to several of your competitors. Why should someone click yours? Your USP is the clear, compelling benefit that sets you apart. Is it your price, your quality, your speed, your warranty, or your service? Don’t make people guess. Your USP should be front and center in your ad copy.

3. Do Your Keyword Research

Your ad copy must align with the keywords you're bidding on. The search query someone types into Google is an expression of their intent. Your goal is to mirror that intent in your ad. If someone searches for "emergency plumber near me," your ad should scream "24/7 Emergency Plumbing Service" — not "Affordable Bathroom Remodeling." A tight connection between your keyword and ad copy increases your Quality Score, which can lower your costs and improve your ad position.

4. Analyze Your Competitors' Ads

Search for your top keywords and see what ads pop up. Don’t copy your competitors, but learn from them. Ask yourself:

• What offers are they highlighting? (e.g., Free shipping, 50% off)
• What language are they using? Is it formal, casual, urgent?
• What are their Calls-to-Action? (e.g., "Shop Now," "Get a Free Quote")
• How can you differentiate your offer to stand out?

This simple exercise will reveal content gaps and opportunities to make your ad more compelling than the rest.

How to Write Google Ad Headlines That Demand Clicks

Headlines are the star of the show. They are the primary element that determines whether a user even looks at the rest of your ad. Here are some proven strategies for writing headlines that work.

Tip 1: Include Your Primary Keyword

This is the most important rule. If someone searches for "organic dog food," your headline should include "Organic Dog Food." This immediately confirms to the user that your ad is relevant to their search. Google often bolds the search terms that appear in ad copy, making your ad stand out even more.

Tip 2: Use Numbers and Specifics

Our brains are drawn to digits and specifics because they feel concrete and factual. Vague claims are easy to ignore, specific ones grab attention.

• Instead of: Save on Laptops
• Try: Laptops From $299
• Instead of: Fast Shipping
• Try: Free 2-Day Shipping

Tip 3: Solve a Customer Problem or Ask a Question

Frame your service or product in the context of the user's problem. You’re not just selling a lawnmower, you’re selling them a beautiful lawn without the hassle. Questions are also powerful because they naturally engage the reader's mind and make them feel like you're speaking directly to them.

• Tired of Slow Wi-Fi?
• Need a Plumber Fast?
• Get Your Dream Kitchen

Tip 4: Highlight a Clear Benefit

A feature is what your product is or does. A benefit is what the customer gets out of it. People care far more about benefits. Think "what's in it for me?" from the customer's point of view.

• Feature: Our shoes have foam insoles.
• Benefit: Walk in Comfort All Day
• Feature: Our software automates reports.
• Benefit: Save 10 Hours Every Week

Tip 5: Create a Sense of Urgency or Scarcity

Giving someone a reason to act now is a classic marketing tactic that works incredibly well in the fast-paced environment of a Google search results page.

• Sale Ends Friday
• Limited Stock Available
• Order Now for Holiday Delivery

A Quick Note on Pinning: With Responsive Search Ads, you can "pin" headlines or descriptions to certain positions. For example, you can tell Google that a specific headline (like your brand name) MUST appear in position 1. This gives you a bit more control over the final ad combination, but use it sparingly. The more freedom you give the algorithm to test, the better it can optimize performance.

Writing Descriptions That Seal the Deal

If the headlines got their attention, the descriptions are where you convince them to click. Here, you have more room to expand on the promises made in your headlines and make a clear case for your offer.

Tip 1: Expand on Your Headline's Promise

Use the description to provide more detail and context. If your headline is "Best Accounting Software for 2024," your description could follow up with, "Easily Manage Invoices, Track Expenses & Organize Taxes. Integrates With Your Bank & Payroll."

Tip 2: Include a Strong Call-to-Action (CTA)

This is arguably the most critical part of your description. Don’t assume people know what you want them to do next. Tell them directly! Be clear and use action-oriented verbs.

• Shop Our Collection Now
• Get Your Free Quote Today
• Download a Free Trial
• Book Your Consultation

Tip 3: Address Potential Objections

Think about what might stop someone from clicking. Are they worried about shipping costs, return policies, or being locked into a contract? Proactively address these concerns in your description.

• Risk-Free With Our 30-Day Guarantee
• Free Shipping & Returns On All Orders
• No Credit Card Required

Tip 4: Incorporate Social Proof or Authority

People trust what other people trust. If you have impressive numbers or accolades, show them off. It builds instant credibility.

• Trusted by Over 50,000 Small Businesses
• Rated 4.8/5 Stars by Real Customers
• As Seen In Forbes and Business Insider

Putting It All Together: Ad Writing Best Practices

As you build your campaigns, keep these final principles in mind.

1. Create Congruence: Keyword > Ad Copy > Landing Page

A successful ad campaign has a strong "scent trail." The user searches a keyword, sees an ad that speaks directly to that keyword, and then clicks through to a landing page that fulfills the promise of the ad. If any of these links are broken — such as an ad for "running shoes" that leads to a general homepage for all apparel — you'll see high bounce rates and low conversion rates.

2. Always Be Testing

With RSAs, Google is constantly testing headline and description combinations for you. Your job isn't done, though. You should still periodically create entirely new ad variations to compete against your existing ones. Test completely different angles, offers, and CTAs. Performance can always be improved — never assume your first ad is the best you can do.

3. Power Up with Ad Extensions

Ad extensions add more information to your ad, making it bigger, more noticeable, and more useful. They come at no extra cost and almost always improve click-through rates. Make use of sitelink extensions (to link to specific pages on your site), callout extensions (to highlight benefits like "24/7 Support"), price extensions, and more.

Final Thoughts

Crafting high-performing Google Ads is a skill that blends creativity with a methodical, customer-focused approach. The process boils down to aligning your ad copy with the searcher's intent, highlighting a clear and unique benefit, and providing a powerful call-to-action that encourages an immediate click. Remember to test, iterate, and always keep your customer's goal in mind.

But writing a great ad is only half the battle. The other half is knowing if it's actually working and driving real business results, not just clicks. To answer questions like "which ad campaign is driving the most revenue?" or "what’s my true cost per sale?", you often have to manually export data from Google Ads and combine it with data from Shopify, Salesforce, or your other platforms. That process is slow, tedious, and frustrating. We built Graphed to solve exactly this problem. We provide an AI data analyst that connects your data sources so you can simply ask in plain English for the reports and dashboards you need. It creates them for you in real time, giving you a full-funnel view of your ad performance without ever having to touch a spreadsheet again.