How to Write Google Search Ads That Fit Together
- Difficulty
- Easy to moderate
- You need
- An ad group with keywords and a landing page
- Optional
- Search terms data from a live campaign
On this page
To write Google search ads that work, write responsive search ad assets that make sense in any order. Google mixes up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions into different combinations, so each headline must stand on its own and fit with the others. Start from the ad group's keywords and landing page, cover keywords, benefits, proof and a call to action, pin only what must appear, and replace weak assets from the reports. This guide is part of our paid advertising guide.
You'll need an ad group with its keywords and landing page decided. Search terms data from a live campaign helps but isn't required.
How a responsive search ad is assembled
A responsive search ad isn't one fixed ad. You give Google a set of headlines and descriptions, and it assembles them into combinations for each search. Google allows up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions per ad, with a minimum of 3 headlines and 2 descriptions.
Each combination usually shows up to three headlines and two descriptions. Headline 1 and Description 1 usually appear. Headline 2, Headline 3 and Description 2 appear when Google predicts they'll help or when there's space. Google may shorten text on small screens, and unused headlines can sometimes appear as extra links under the ad.
The limits are tight: 30 characters per headline, 90 per description and 15 per display path field. That's why responsive search ads reward planning. You're not writing one ad. You're writing a set of parts that must work in many combinations, for the searches in one ad group. A well-themed ad group from your Google Ads account structure makes that much easier.
Steps
- Start from the ad group's keywords and landing page.
Open the keyword list and the page the ad will send people to. The ad must match both: the searches that trigger it and the page people land on. If the keywords cover several different services, fix the ad group before you write. If the page doesn't support a claim, leave the claim out of the ad.
- List the points the ad can make.
Write a short list by role: the keyword or service name, the main benefit, proof you can back up, such as credentials or reviews, any offer, and a call to action. Aim for several options in each role. This list is your raw material, and it stops every headline from saying the same thing.
- Write headlines that make sense on their own.
Write each headline so it reads well alone and next to any other. Keep within 30 characters. Google suggests writing the first three as if they'll appear together, and including keywords in some of them. Vary the roles, so a combination might pair the service, a benefit and a call to action rather than three versions of the service name.
- Write descriptions that add detail.
Use the 90 characters to say what a headline can't: what's included, what makes you different, and what to do next. Each description should work under any headline. Write four if you can, each with a different angle, and end at least two of them with a clear next step.
- Set the final URL and display path.
Use the most specific landing page for the ad group, not the homepage. Add display path text, two fields of up to 15 characters each, that tells people where they'll land, such as the service name. The display path doesn't need to be a real page address, but it should describe the page honestly.
- Pin only what must always appear.
Pinning fixes an asset to a position. Google says text that must appear in every ad, such as a required disclaimer, has to be pinned to Headline 1, Headline 2 or Description 1. Pinning also cuts the combinations Google can test. If you must pin, pin two or three versions to the same position rather than one.
- Read the combinations out loud.
Use the ad preview in Google Ads and read several combinations aloud. Look for repeated words, two calls to action back to back, and pairs that contradict each other. Fix any headline that only makes sense next to one particular partner. This step catches most problems before an ad goes live.
- Use Ad Strength as a checklist.
Ad Strength rates the ad from Incomplete to Excellent, and lists actions such as adding headlines or using more keywords. Google says it doesn't affect whether the ad can serve, and isn't used in Ad Rank or Quality Score. Treat its suggestions as a checklist for variety and relevance, not as a goal on its own.
- Review asset results and replace the weakest.
Once the ad has run long enough to gather data, check the asset and combination reports. Replace assets that rarely serve or that sit in weak combinations with new versions from your list in step 2. Change a few at a time, so you can tell what made the difference.
If you'd rather have the ads written, tested and managed for you, our in-house ads team writes search ads alongside the rest of the creative.
An example headline set
Here is part of a headline set for a hypothetical landscaping company's lawn aeration ad group. Each headline has a role, and any two or three can appear together.
| Headline | Characters | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Lawn Aeration Service | 21 | Keyword |
| Aeration for Thicker Lawns | 26 | Benefit |
| Core Aeration, Done Right | 25 | Keyword and claim |
| Licensed and Insured Crews | 26 | Proof |
| Same Crew on Every Visit | 24 | Proof |
| Get Your Quote Online | 21 | Call to action |
Two matching descriptions might read "Core aeration loosens packed soil so water and roots reach deeper. Book a visit today." (86 characters) and "Licensed, insured crews and a clear written quote before any work starts. Ask for yours." (88 characters). Every claim has to be true for the business, and supported on the landing page.
What Ad Strength does and doesn't measure
Ad Strength looks at the assets you've written. Google says it mainly checks whether headlines and descriptions use your most relevant keywords, how many unique combinations they allow, and whether the ad has enough sitelinks, with six or more counted across account, campaign and ad group.
It doesn't measure your landing page, your offer or whether people click. An ad can score Excellent and still underperform, because the message isn't one people want. That's where the creative itself matters, which we cover in what makes ad creative perform.
Ad Strength is also separate from Quality Score, which looks at expected clickthrough rate, ad relevance and landing page experience for each keyword. A strong ad set helps both, but neither score is the goal. Leads and sales are.
Troubleshooting
Ad Strength stays at Poor or Average
Cause: the ad has too few headlines or descriptions, the assets repeat each other, or they don't use the ad group's main keywords. Too few sitelinks across account, campaign and ad group also hold the rating down. Heavy pinning lowers it too, because it cuts the number of combinations Google can build.
Fix: add unique headlines from your list in step 2, covering roles you haven't used yet, and work in the ad group's main keywords naturally. Remove near-duplicates. Add sitelinks at whichever level suits them. Unpin anything that doesn't have to be fixed, or pin more than one version to the same position. Then check the action items again.
Combinations read awkwardly or repeat themselves
Cause: headlines were written as one fixed ad rather than as parts. Some only make sense next to one other headline, several say the same thing in different words, or two calls to action can land side by side. Keyword insertion can add clumsy wording when keywords are long.
Fix: rewrite each headline so it stands alone, as in step 3, and give each one a clear role. Keep only one or two headlines per role that are close in meaning. Read combinations aloud in the preview, as in step 7. If keyword insertion produces awkward text, tighten the ad group's keywords or replace the inserted headline with fixed text.
A required line doesn't always show
Cause: the line sits in an asset that won't appear in every ad. Google can drop Headline 3 and Description 2, and assets pinned to those positions aren't shown in every ad either. Text can also be shortened on smaller screens, which can cut off the end of a long description.
Fix: pin required text to Headline 1, Headline 2 or Description 1, which Google says always show. Pin a few versions to that position if you can, so Google still has options. Keep required text short enough to survive shortening. If a disclaimer is long, put the full version on the landing page and keep the ad's version brief.
Common questions
How many headlines should a responsive search ad have?
Google allows up to 15 headlines and requires at least 3. More unique headlines give it more combinations to test, and Ad Strength rewards variety. But 15 near-identical headlines add nothing. Aim for as many as you can write that each say something different, covering keywords, benefits, proof, offers and calls to action, and stop when you start repeating yourself.
Does Ad Strength affect where my ad shows?
No. Google says Ad Strength doesn't decide whether an ad can serve, and isn't used to calculate Ad Rank or Quality Score. It's feedback on the variety and relevance of your headlines and descriptions, plus your sitelinks. Use it to spot missing assets while you write, and judge the ad on clicks, conversions and asset reports once it runs.
Should I use keyword insertion in my headlines?
Use it sparingly. Keyword insertion swaps a matching keyword into your text, which can make an ad feel closely tailored to the search. It can also produce clumsy headlines when keywords are long or oddly worded. If you use it, keep the ad group's keywords tightly themed and readable, and always set default text that makes sense on its own.
Why does Google show my ad without some of my headlines?
Because each ad shows only some assets. Google usually shows up to three headlines and two descriptions, choosing combinations it predicts will perform best, and may shorten or drop parts when space is tight, for example on small screens. Headline 2, Headline 3 and Description 2 aren't certain to appear, so put essential text where it always shows.