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Google ad copy best practices

Google Ad Copy Best Practices for PPC

Google Ads are a powerful tool for businesses. To maximize metrics like cost-per-click (CPC), click-through rate (CTR), conversions, and return on ad spend (ROAS), you need to optimize your Google ad copy to resonate with your audience and drive action.

Forge Apollo is a PPC agency in Philadelphia. In this guide, we’re covering everything you need to know about writing ad copy for Google ads.

Types of Google Ads

Before you can write effective Google ad copy, it’s important to understand where and how users will see that copy. Let’s do a quick refresher on the types of Google ads.

Search Ads

Search ads appear as sponsored listings in Google search results. Each ad has a headline (the blue text), a description, and a display URL as the primary components. Advertisers can also add elements like site links and call-outs to enhance these ads.

For example, when searching “dog groomer in Philadelphia,” the following appears at the top of the search results page.

Google search ad

Shopping Ads

Shopping ads appear throughout Google results with product information, pricing, and links to purchase. They include information like the product title, image, store name, and extras like ratings or special offers.

For example, when searching for “women’s sneakers,” the following ads appeared in the search results.

Google shopping ad

Display Ads

Display ads appear on millions of websites across the internet. They appear in spots throughout a page, such as the top, right sidebar, and throughout the content. They’re typically a square or rectangle linking to an offer.

For example, this ad was at the top of the Forbes website.

Google display ad

Video Ads

Google owns YouTube, so its video ads play before, during, or after a video. They can also appear elsewhere on the website, such as a sponsored video at the top of YouTube search results.

For example, Google ran a video ad for themselves about Google ads before a video defining Google ads.

Google video ad example

Performance Max

Performance Max campaigns dynamically mix and match ads from a range of asset groups you set based on goals and other campaign data. This might include images, videos, headlines, descriptions, and logos. Each ad looks different depending on what channel it’s on and what can appear on that channel.

Google performance max ad example

Demand Gen

Demand gen ads are video and image assets in entertainment-focused places, including YouTube, YouTube Shorts, Discover, and Gmail. They can include videos, images, headlines, and descriptions.

For example, this sponsored ad appeared in my email inbox. When I opened it, I was led to the ad itself.

Demand gen ad example Demand gen ad example 2

Google Ad Copy Components

Google ad copy components

So, what copy do brands need to write for these ads? The most common types of copy used across ad types are headlines, descriptions, and the display URL.

  • Headlines – This is the most prominent aspect of your ad. Google can display one to three headlines at a time separated by a vertical pipe (“|”). Each headline has a 30-character limit.
  • Descriptions – Google displays these under the headline. They’re typically either a 60 or 90-character limit (depending on the placement). For search ads, Google will display one to two descriptions at a time.
  • Display URL—This is the link that the ad displays, so it’s important to ensure it’s consistent with your brand. For example, we could use forgeapollo.com here. However, you can send users to more specific pages when they click, like https://forgeapollo.com/website-design-and-development/.

In search ads, you can also add elements like site links and callouts.

  • Sitelinks – These feature specific information or pages on your site and are limited to 25 characters.
  • Callouts – These display under the description and call out specific features or attributes of your business.

Best Practices for Google Headlines, Descriptions, and More

1. Keyword Usage

  • Best Practice: Use your campaign’s target keywords throughout the ad. This includes headlines and descriptions, plus copy on the landing page they go to when they click an ad.
  • Why? An ad containing a user’s search term is more obviously relevant to them, so they’re more likely to click. 

2. Make it Sound Natural

  • Best Practice: While keyword usage is important, it shouldn’t prevent natural writing. Integrate your keywords, but don’t stuff too many into your copy.
  • Why?: When users see an unnatural, obviously keyword-stuffed ad, they get suspicious and may think it’s spammy.

3. Match the User’s Intent

  • Best Practice: Before you start writing, consider what someone may look for when searching your target keywords. Match your copy to their intent while searching to resonate and drive engagement.
  • Why?: Users respond best to ads that are the most relevant to them.

4. Include a CTA

  • Best Practice: Include a specific call to action (CTA) in your ad copy to clearly tell users what they’re expected to do when they click your ad.
  • Why?: A specific call to action will appeal to users who are ready to take that action. Google also finds that generic calls to action lead to lower engagement.

5. Pay Attention to the Ad to Landing Page Experience

  • Best Practice: When a user clicks from your ad to your landing page, they should have a cohesive experience. This means that the keywords they see in your copy should be present, your headings should reflect similar messaging to your ad copy, and the call to action should be the same. For ad formats with imagery, this should also be similar.
  • Why?: Changing up the experience on your users can create friction, confusion, aggravation, and suspicion. If you don’t deliver on your promises from the start, users might not trust you enough to convert.

6. Highlight What Makes You Special 

  • Best Practice: Highlight your brand’s unique selling proposition (USP) or what makes you stand out from the competition.
  • Why?: When users see a sea of sameness in ad copy, they tend to ignore it all rather than putting the effort into researching each individual brand. Leading with your USPs makes you more likely to grab attention and drive action.

7. Ignore All of This

  • Best Practice: Ignore best practices. Okay, not really. But there is some value in crafting a unique voice.
  • Why?: The secret sauce for Google ad copy is Optimization to Win Ad Placements + Standing Out + Engaging Users. Your brand and your audience are unique. If you lean too hard into what everyone else is doing, you might slip into the sea of sameness and lose out on the “standing out” and “engagement.”

8. Test, Test, Test, and Test Some More

  • Best Practice: Test different variations, combinations, and ad features constantly.
  • Why?: Once again, you and your audience are unique. There’s no guaranteed playbook and what will work, so it’s important to test different strategies and let the data tell you what works.

Get Help With Google Ads

Writing Google ad copy may seem intimidating. It’s a fine balance between authenticity, promotion, and optimization. If you need help with copywriting for Google ads, Forge Apollo is your team. We are a Philadelphia PPC management agency that also offers a full suite of digital marketing and video production services. Contact us today to discuss your Google Ads goals and how we can help.

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