How to Write Google Ad Copy

Crafting Google Ad copy that grabs attention and earns clicks can feel more like an art than a science. You're trying to stand out in a sea of competitors, all while working within strict character limits. This guide breaks down the essential steps for writing effective ad copy, from researching your audience to testing what resonates and drives real conversions.

Understanding the Anatomy of a Modern Google Ad

First, let's get on the same page about what you're actually writing. Gone are the days of static Expanded Text Ads. Today, the standard is Responsive Search Ads (RSAs). This format is designed for flexibility and machine learning.

With RSAs, you provide Google with multiple assets, and its algorithm mixes and matches them to test different combinations, eventually showing the best-performing ad variations to users. Here are the components you'll be working with:

• Headlines: You can write up to 15 different headlines, each with a maximum of 30 characters. Google will show up to three headlines at a time, rearranged for the best performance.
• Descriptions: You can provide up to 4 descriptions, each with a 90-character limit. Google will display up to two of these at a time.
• Display Path: You can customize the URL shown in your ad with two optional 15-character paths (e.g., www.yourstore.com/running-shoes/mens). This helps users understand where they'll land.
• Final URL: This is the actual web page users are sent to when they click your ad. The Final URL itself isn't seen by users, but the destination is key.

The goal is no longer to write one or two "perfect" ads. Instead, your job is to craft a variety of compelling headlines and descriptions that can be combined in many different ways to appeal to different types of searchers.

The Foundation: Research Before You Write a Single Word

Great ad copy doesn’t come from lucky guesses. It comes from a solid foundation of research. Before you open the Google Ads interface, take the time to work through these crucial steps.

1. Align Copy with Keywords

Your ad copy must be directly relevant to the keywords that trigger it. This is why having well-organized ad groups is so important. Each ad group should focus on a tight theme of keywords. If you sell shoes, you shouldn't have an ad group containing both "men's running shoes" and "women's high heels."

By creating themed ad groups, you can write copy that specifically references the user's search. Someone searching for "discount leather sofas" is much more likely to click an ad with the headline "Discount Leather Sofas" than one with the generic "Furniture For Sale."

2. Analyze Your Competition

Do a few searches for your most important keywords and see what ads pop up. Don't click on them (it costs your competitors money!), but pay close attention to their copy. Ask yourself:

• What offers are they highlighting? (e.g., 20% Off, Free Shipping)
• What Unique Selling Propositions (USPs) are they using? (e.g., "Family-Owned," "Made in the USA," "24/7 Support")
• What calls to action do they use? ("Shop Now," "Get a Free Quote," "Book a Demo")
• What emotional angles are they A/B testing? (Urgency, savings, convenience)

This is not about copying them. It’s about understanding the landscape. Your goal is to find a way to stand out. If everyone is offering "Free Shipping," maybe you should highlight your "Hassle-Free Returns" or "5-Star Customer Rating."

3. Define Your Unique Value

What makes you the better choice? Why should a customer buy from you and not the other three ads on the page? This is your Unique Selling Proposition (USP). It could be anything, but it must be something the customer cares about:

• Price: "Up to 50% Off Retail"
• Quality: "Handcrafted Leather Goods"
• Service: "Award-Winning Customer Support"
• Convenience: "Same-Day Delivery Available"
• Selection: "Browse Over 1,000+ Styles"

You need to have a clear answer to "Why us?" before you can communicate it effectively in your limited character count.

Crafting Headlines That Get the Click

The headline is the most critical part of your ad. It's what people read first, and if it doesn't align with their search query and grab their interest, they'll scroll right past. Provide as many unique headlines as you can to give Google's algorithm plenty of material to test.

Tip 1: Include the Primary Keyword

This is Search Ads 101. If someone searches for "plumbers in brooklyn," including that exact phrase in at least one headline is a must. It immediately confirms to the user that your ad is relevant. Google will often bold the matching keywords, making your ad stand out even more.

Tip 2: Use Numbers and Specifics

Numbers stop the eye and imply concrete value. Compare "Save on All Laptops" to "Save Up To 40% on Laptops." The second headline is more compelling and specific.

• "Trusted By 50,000+ Customers"
• "Projects Completed in 3 Days"
• "Syncs With 100+ Apps"

Tip 3: Ask Questions

Asking a question that relates directly to the user's problem is an effective way to engage them. It frames your business as the solution they were just looking for.

• Searching for "roofing repair"? Headline: "Leaky Roof? Get a Free Quote"
• Searching for "project management tool"? Headline: "Need to Manage a Team?"

Tip 4: Create a Sense of Urgency or Scarcity

Loss aversion is a powerful motivator. If people feel like they might miss out, they're more likely to act now. Be honest here - don't create false urgency - but leverage it when it’s real.

• "Sale Ends on Friday"
• "Limited Stock Available"
• "Claim Your 7-Day Trial Today"

Tip 5: Control Your Message with Pinning

While the point of RSAs is to let Google test combinations, sometimes you need to control the message. You can "pin" headlines (and descriptions) to specific positions.

For example, you might always want your brand name in Headline 1, or a specific call to action in Headline 2. Pinning gives you that control. A common strategy is to pin your most important message (like your main offer or USP) to Position 1, pin a supporting benefit or CTA to Position 2, and then let Google test a variety of other headlines in Position 3.

Writing Descriptions That Seal the Deal

If the headline earns the user's attention, the description is what persuades them to click. Here, you have 90 characters to expand on the headline's promise and provide more reasons to choose you.

Tip 1: Connect Features with Benefits

Don't just list what your product does, explain why it matters. A feature is what something is, while a benefit is what the customer gets out of it.

• Feature: "Our software has a user-friendly interface." Benefit: "Get Your Team Onboard in Minutes. Spend Less Time on Training & More Time on Results."
• Feature: "Water-resistant hiking boots." Benefit: "Keep Your Feet Dry & Comfortable on Any Trail. Never Let a Sudden Puddle Ruin Your Hike."

Tip 2: Include a Clear Call to Action (CTA)

Explicitly tell users what you want them to do next. You'll probably have a CTA in a headline, but it's great to reinforce it in the description. Your CTA should align with your landing page experience.

• Leading to an e-commerce page? Shop Our Collection Now.
• Landing on a quote form? Get A Free Estimate Today.
• Landing on a webinar signup? Reserve Your Seat Now.

Tip 3: Build Trust and Credibility

Alleviate any potential fears or hesitations the user might have by including trust signals in your descriptions. This could include:

• Credentials: "BBB A+ Rated," "Certified Since 2005"
• Social Proof: "Join 100,000+ Happy Clients"
• Guarantees: "Free Returns & Exchanges," "Lifetime Warranty Included"

Amplify Your Message with Ad Extensions

Ad extensions are additional pieces of information that can show with your ad, making it bigger and more informative - without costing you extra. Using them properly is an easy way to increase your ad's click-through rate (CTR).

Some of the must-haves include:

• Sitelinks: Link to specific pages on your site, like "About Us," "Pricing," or product categories. This gives users shortcuts to what they're looking for.
• Callouts: Short, 25-character snippets that highlight key value propositions (e.g., "Fast & Free Shipping," "24/7 Customer Help," "Eco-Friendly Materials").
• Structured Snippets: Provide context for your Services or Brands by showing a list beneath your description (e.g., Types: Residential, Commercial, Emergency).
• Image Extensions: Add a visual element to your text ad, making it instantly more eye-catching on the search results page.

The Most Important Step: Test & Iterate

Writing ad copy is not a one-time task. Creating a successful ad is an ongoing process of testing and optimizing. Once your campaigns are live, you need to monitor performance to see what’s working.

Look at key metrics within Google Ads:

• Ad Strength: This is Google's in-platform grade (from "Poor" to "Excellent") on the quality and variety of your ad assets. Aim for "Good" or "Excellent."
• Click-Through Rate (CTR): If your CTR is low, your headlines and descriptions probably aren't resonating with searchers or standing out from the competition. Test new angles.
• Conversion Rate: This is the ultimate measure of success. A high CTR is useless if none of those clicks turn into leads or sales. Make sure your ad accurately sets expectations for the landing page.

Continually replace your worst-performing headlines and descriptions with new ones to test. Over time, you’ll hone in on the messages that truly drive your business forward.

Final Thoughts

Writing effective Google Ad copy is a repeatable skill, not a mystery. It's a formula of deep customer research, benefit-focused headlines, trust-building descriptions, and a relentless commitment to testing and improving based on real data.

The challenge is getting clean, easy-to-understand data to guide those improvements. Seeing CTR inside Google Ads is one thing, but connecting that to real sales in Shopify or pipeline value in Salesforce is a manual chore. That's why we built Graphed to simplify things. By linking your advertising platforms with your sales tools in one place, we allow you to ask simple questions like, "what's the ROAS for my top 5 Google Ads campaigns?" and get a real-time answer without ever touching a spreadsheet. This makes it so much faster to see which ad messages are actually a home run.