Search ads are powerful. But with fierce competition in PPC, it’s not enough to just show up.
To stand out, you need more than basic ad copy.
This article breaks down how to craft search ads that grab attention and drive results.
You’ll learn actionable strategies for writing compelling headlines and descriptions, plus advanced techniques like A/B testing, ad asset optimization, and competitor analysis.
Master the fundamentals of search ads
Strong search ads start with the fundamentals. Here’s what to keep in mind:
- Use relevant keywords: Include keywords from your ad group in the headline and description to improve Quality Score, CTR, and conversion rates.
- Add a call to action (CTA): Phrases like “Call now” or “Order today” encourage action and increase CTR and conversions.
- Highlight unique selling points: Make your business stand out with details like:
- “30 years of experience.”
- “Locally owned and operated.”
- “A+ BBB rating.”
- “Certified organic.”
- “Licensed, bonded, insured.”
- “Free shipping.”
- Follow proper formatting: Use title case for headlines and sentence case for descriptions.
- Use the display path: Don’t overlook the display path (formerly display URL). It’s an easy way to add more keywords.
- Prioritize performance over ad strength: Focus on KPIs – not just achieving excellent ad strength. Avoid writing bad ads just to improve this rating.
- Align keywords, ads, and landing pages: Match keywords in your ads to your landing page content to ensure a consistent experience, which increases conversions.
- Ensure flexible copy: Write headlines and descriptions that make sense in any order.
- Quality matters more than quantity: You don’t need to max out your headlines or descriptions. Prioritize clarity and relevance.
- Review AI suggestions carefully: Double-check AI-generated copy. It’s not always accurate and requires human oversight.
- Maximize ad assets: Take advantage of ad assets to provide additional information and improve performance.
- Apply to Google and Microsoft Ads: These best practices work across both Google Ads and Microsoft Ads platforms.
- Be concise: Use abbreviations, symbols (&), and lists to save space. For example:
- Good
- “Fast, Friendly, Local & Affordable – Call Now”
- Bad
- “We offer fast service and our team is friendly. Our company is locally owned and operated and we offer affordable service. Call us today to speak to one of our friendly customer service representatives.”
- Good
Proven sources for ad copy ideas
Great ad copy doesn’t have to start from scratch. Use these sources to find ideas and refine your messaging.
- Analyze competitor ads: Search your target keywords on Google to see how competitors position themselves or use third-party tools to explore their ad copy for inspiration.
- Leverage website content: Review your website or competitor websites for unique selling points, product or service benefits, and differentiators. You don’t need to start from scratch – repurpose existing content when it fits.
- Use AI as a starting point: AI tools can help brainstorm ad copy, but never copy and paste the output directly. Always have a human review before your ads go live.
- Disable automated ad creation: Turn off automated assets, as well as ads and assets auto-apply recommendations to prevent Google from publishing ads without your approval. While Google’s suggestions can be useful, manual oversight ensures your messaging stays accurate and on-brand.
Create headlines that drive clicks
For better results, write several headlines that start with keywords and selling points when possible. This improves Quality Score, CTR, and conversion rates.
Consider pinning the first headline if it contains a keyword, but avoid pinning all headlines.
In the old extended text ads (ETAs) format, the first headline typically included the target keyword, the second highlighted a selling point, and the third featured a call to action.
With responsive search ads (RSAs), write headlines that cover these roles and allow the algorithm to rotate them for optimal performance.
Ensure your headlines make sense in any order, and avoid overusing one particular format.
Some examples of headlines with keywords, the Most Important Headline Format:
- “Best running shoes.”
- “Fast appliance repair.”
- “Personal injury attorney.”
Write descriptions that convert
Ad descriptions provide more space to highlight selling points that may not fit into headlines.
The same principles apply:
- Include keywords.
- Emphasize selling points.
- Add a call to action.
With a higher character limit than headlines, descriptions allow for more detail and specificity.
Examples of descriptions with selling points are:
- “Licensed, bonded, insured.”
- “Get a free, no-obligation estimate today.”
- “Former prosecutor.”
- “We are committed to excellent customer service.”
- “Commercial and residential services available.”
- “Proudly serving Houston for over 35 years.”
- “Locally owned and operated.”
- “Free shipping available.”
- “We guarantee our work for 3 years.”
Optimize RSAs with pinning and A/B testing
Should you pin headlines and descriptions in your RSAs?
In most cases, you don’t need to pin all headlines and descriptions.
However, pinning the first headline can be useful if you want to consistently display a specific message – like a target keyword or dynamic keyword insertion (DKI).
If your ad needs to follow a specific order, you can pin up to three options in each position (e.g., three headlines in Position 1, three in Position 2, etc.).
While this approach is less common, it’s worth testing if your messaging relies on a fixed sequence.
Alternatively, you can avoid pinning altogether and let the algorithm rotate multiple headline and description combinations to find the best-performing mix.
Many advertisers find a hybrid approach effective – pinning Headline 1 while leaving the rest unpinned.
The key is to test and adjust based on performance, focusing on conversions and conversion rates rather than Ad Strength.
A/B test RSAs for maximum impact
With RSAs, you typically test one RSA per ad group.
Only test two RSAs if your ad group has significant traffic, and ensure each ad emphasizes a different theme to make the test worthwhile.
For example, if one RSA highlights credentials, the other could focus on discounts or special offers.
Avoid testing multiple ads with repetitive messaging, as it won’t provide meaningful insights.
Test these ad themes for better performance
Here are a few approaches for testing distinct ad themes:
- Use personal language to build trust
- “Licensed, bonded, insured.”
- “Your trusted local law firm.”
- “Your best choice for premium, organic clothing.”
- Test question (problem) / answer (solution) formats
- “Hurt in a car accident? ABC Law Firm can help!”
- “We’ll help you get the money you deserve – Call now!”
- Highlight your company’s unique qualifiers
- “#1 AC repair in Houston – We beat any price.”
- “30 years of experience – Fast and affordable service.”
- Speak directly to the individual
- “We fix your AC fast – Get your free quote now.”
- “You deserve a cool home – We can help today!”
- Emphasize local service
- “Houston AC repair – Call now & save.”
- “Locally owned Houston AC repair – Same day service available.”
For dynamic search ads, where headlines are automatically generated, you should still A/B test descriptions to identify the most compelling copy.
Bringing it all together
While Google Ads and Microsoft Ads continue to evolve, the core principles of effective ad copy remain the same.
Formats and setup may change, but the fundamentals of strong, high-performing search ads still apply.
Keep these key strategies in mind – no matter how the platforms update.
source https://searchengineland.com/how-to-craft-search-ads-that-stand-out-452827
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