How to Write Google Ads Headlines That Get Clicks
Keyword first, differentiator second, action third. Why specifics beat adjectives, how much to pin, and why Ad Strength is not a performance measure.
A practical formula for Google Ads headlines, with South African examples and the mistakes that waste impressions.
TL;DR: Quick Answer
Keyword first, differentiator second, action third. Why specifics beat adjectives, how much to pin, and why Ad Strength is not a performance measure.
Key takeaways
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Your ad is competing with three others on the same screen, all making similar claims. The one that wins is almost always the one that is specific where the others are general.
The structure that works
Headline 1: the search term. If someone searched "geyser repair Centurion", headline one says that. It confirms they are in the right place and it raises quality score, which lowers what you pay per click.
Headline 2: a specific differentiator. Same-day callout. From R2,800. 12-month guarantee. 24/7. This is where the click is won or lost.
Headline 3: the action. Call now for a free quote. Book online today.
Headlines are 30 characters each, which is tight. Cut adjectives before you cut facts.
Specifics beat adjectives
| Weak | Better |
|---|---|
| Quality Plumbing Services | Geyser Repair Centurion |
| Affordable Prices | Geyser Replacement From R2,800 |
| Fast & Reliable | Same-Day Callout, 7 Days |
| Experienced Team | Serving Centurion Since 2011 |
| Contact Us Today | Free Quote in 30 Minutes |
| Trusted Professionals | 4.9★ From 180 Google Reviews |
Every phrase on the left could belong to any competitor. Every phrase on the right belongs to one business, and that is the whole point.
Writing for responsive search ads
Google's responsive ads take up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions, then mix them. That only works if the headlines are genuinely different.
Write at least 8 to 10 covering distinct angles: the keyword, location, price, speed, guarantee, proof, the offer, the action. Fifteen rewordings of "quality service" gives the system nothing to test.
Remember any headline may appear alongside any other, so each has to make sense on its own. Two headlines that only work in a specific order will eventually be shown in the wrong one.
Pinning
Pinning fixes a headline to a position. Used sparingly it helps; used everywhere it defeats the purpose.
The common sensible use is pinning headline one to your main keyword, so relevance is guaranteed on every impression. Leave the rest unpinned so the system can test combinations.
If you must pin something for legal or brand reasons, pin that and nothing else.
Ad Strength is not a performance metric
Ad Strength rates the variety and relevance of your assets. It does not know whether your ads produce customers.
Aim for Good. Chasing Excellent usually means adding generic headlines to satisfy a variety check, and diluting the specific claims that were doing the work.
An ad rated Average with a strong offer will beat one rated Excellent with none.
Use the whole ad
Sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets, call extensions and location extensions all cost nothing extra per click and take up more of the results page. An ad with extensions physically pushes competitors down the screen.
Sitelinks are the most useful for service businesses: link to your main services, pricing page and contact page so the visitor can self-select.
Testing without fooling yourself
At small business volumes, four to six weeks per test, and at least 100 clicks per ad before drawing a conclusion. Below that you are reading noise.
Judge on conversions, not click-through rate. A headline promising something you do not deliver earns clicks and loses customers, and the click-through rate will look excellent while the account loses money.
Juicy Designs writes and tests ad copy as part of management. See Google Ads management. Related: ad extensions and improving quality score.
Frequently asked questions
How do I write Google Ads headlines that get clicks?
Put the search term in the first headline, make the second a specific differentiator, and the third the action. Specifics beat adjectives: a price, a response time or a guarantee outperforms 'quality service' every time.
How many headlines should I write?
Responsive search ads take up to 15 headlines and 4 descriptions. Write at least 8 to 10 genuinely different headlines rather than 15 rewordings of the same idea.
Should I pin headlines?
Pin sparingly. Pinning headline one to your main keyword is often worth it for relevance. Pinning everything removes the testing that responsive ads exist to do.
What is Ad Strength and should I chase it?
It measures variety and relevance of your assets, not performance. Aim for Good rather than Excellent, and never sacrifice a specific claim to satisfy it.
How long before I know which headline works?
Four to six weeks at typical small business volumes. Below about 100 clicks per ad you are reading noise rather than a result.