How to Write Good Ad Copy for Google Ads

Good ad copy answers what the person has just searched for. It has the keyword in the headline and says what the customer gets and what the next step is. It also promises nothing that the landing page does not deliver. If you sell products, you can also show an image and a price with Google Shopping.

In Google Ads you write responsive search ads, because it has not been possible to create or edit expanded text ads since 30 June 2022. A responsive search ad has 3 to 15 headlines of up to 30 characters and 2 to 4 descriptions of up to 90 characters. With AI Max, Google can also write its own headlines based on your website, and then you need text guidelines. Google shows up to three headlines at a time in varying order, so each headline has to work on its own. These are the principles I follow when I write search ads in Google Ads.

20 principles for good ad copy

1. Keyword in the headline: Include your most important keyword in a headline so that the ad is relevant to the search. If someone searches for organic children's clothing, a headline should say "Organic Children's Clothing". You can pin the headline to headline position 1 so that it always shows, but according to Google that reduces the number of combinations.
2. Adapt to search intent: Write for where the person is in the buying process. Early on, "All about organic children's clothing" and "Free guide" work well. Close to purchase, "Buy organic children's clothing" and "Free delivery over SEK 500" work better.
3. Clear call to action: Include a call to action such as "Book an appointment today" or "Request a quote".
4. Imperative verbs: Start the call to action with a verb in the imperative, such as "Discover our range" or "Save 20% today".
5. Competitor comparisons: Highlight your advantages without naming competitors. One example is "27% cheaper than leading brands". According to the Swedish Consumer Agency (Konsumentverket), claims in marketing must be provable, and Google does not allow inaccurate claims in ads.
6. Repetition in moderation: A message gets stronger when the keyword comes back in a different form. The headline "Organic Children's Clothing" can be followed by "Every garment is made from organic cotton." Unnecessary or gimmicky repetition, however, is prohibited under Google's Editorial policy.
7. Show the result: Show what the customer gets out of the offer, as in "Save 3 hours a week with our meal kits".
8. Proximity and local relevance: Show that you are close by when you sell local services. One example is "Plumbing in Stockholm" and "On-site within 30 minutes".
9. Timing and season: Tie the ad to the season or something topical, as in "Winter jackets on sale before the cold".
10. Keyword insertion (DKI): With keyword insertion, Google Ads replaces a code with the keyword that triggered the ad. The headline Buy {keyword:shoes} becomes "Buy running shoes" when the keyword is running shoes, and the default text "shoes" is shown when the keyword does not fit. The code also controls capitalisation. {KeyWord:Shoes} capitalises every word and gives "Buy Running Shoes", which suits English title case but looks wrong in Swedish.
11. Create urgency: Time limits and limited quantities play on the fear of missing out (FOMO). One example is "24-hour sale. Limited stock". Only write it when it is true.
12. Features and benefits: Combine what the product has with what the customer gets. "5G speed" is a feature and "Stream without buffering" is the benefit.
13. One strong point: Sometimes a single point convinces more than a list. "Sweden's most satisfied customers 5 years running" is one example, and a claim like that needs the same evidence as a comparison.
14. Problem and solution: Describe the customer's problem and how you solve it. One example is "Tired of high electricity bills?" followed by "Save 30% with solar panels".
15. Reviews and customer numbers: Ratings and customer numbers build trust, as in "Over 10,000 satisfied customers" and "4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot". Star emoji are not allowed in Google ads. Stars in search ads can instead come from store ratings, which Google adds automatically when the rating is 3.5 or higher.
16. Awards and prizes: Mention relevant awards sparingly, such as "E-retailer of the Year 2024".
17. Pre-qualification: Write so that the right customers click and the wrong ones don't. "Premium cars for discerning enthusiasts" and "Prices from SEK 900,000" filter out people who are not willing to pay that, and you avoid paying for their clicks.
18. Positive tone: Write about what the customer gains. For a personal trainer it could be "Reach your health goals with joy".
19. Wordplay: Use wordplay sparingly and only when it suits the brand and the audience. An optician could write "See life more clearly".
20. Same message on the landing page: If the ad promises "50% off all jeans", the discount must be clearly visible on the landing page. Google does not allow offers in an ad that are hard to find on the page.

Common mistakes to avoid

1. Too many keywords: A line stuffed with keywords is hard to read and can be disapproved for unnecessary repetition.
2. Wrong search intent: The ad should answer what the person is actually searching for.
3. Exaggerated claims: Only write what you can back up, so that trust holds over time.
4. Forgetting mobile: Responsive search ads adapt to the screen, but the landing page has to work just as well on mobile.
5. Not testing: Google recommends at least two responsive search ads per ad group. Follow up on which headlines and descriptions work and replace the weak ones.