Every line in a Google ad should earn its spot. If it is just filling space, it is wasting potential. The goal is always the same: grab attention, connect with the right audience, and get qualified clicks.
Here’s a proven way to structure ads that perform, plus when to use pinning to speed things up.
Why leave headlines unpinned
Leaving headlines unpinned allows Google to try different variations and, over time, find the combinations that drive the best results. This often leads to higher click-through rates (CTR) because Google learns which headline mixes connect with different types of searches.
Why pin headlines
Pinning locks a headline to a specific position in the ad. CTR is higher with unpinned, but what we’re really after is conversions.
Without pinning, Google can mix and match up to 47,280 different headline and description combinations. That’s fine for large ad groups with huge impression volumes, but in smaller ad groups, Google often favors a few keyword-heavy lines and ignores the rest.
That’s when ads start looking almost identical and missing key elements like calls to action or unique selling points.
Pinning can:
- Reduce the number of combinations
- Help Google learn faster
- Give more control over what shows in the ad
- Improve CTRs and conversion rates (even if “ad strength” drops)
Ad strength doesn’t affect ad rank or quality score, so a lower score isn’t a problem if performance improves. This could mean having a lower CTR but a higher conversion rate.
A formula for high-performing ads
Pinning isn’t mandatory, but it can help smaller ad groups perform better sooner. Here’s the structure to follow.
Headline 1: Draw attention
Show the searcher you understand what they are looking for.
Tips:
- Include the main keyword
- Add something extra like a call-to-action, a location, or a pain point
- Create two or three variations and pin them to Position 1
- Buy custom running shoes | Free shipping
- Toronto personal injury lawyer | Free consultation
Headline 2: Give a reason to choose you
Once you have their attention, give them a reason to click your ad over someone else’s.
Mix and match:
- CTAs – Book a demo today
- USPs – Serving Toronto for 25 years
- Offers – 20% off first order
- Pain point solutions – Fix your tax problems fast
For B2B campaigns, Headline 2 can also prequalify leads, such as For marketing teams of 5+.
Headline 3: Show authority
This headline doesn’t appear as often, but when it does, it can close the deal.
Ideas:
- Over 10,000 5-star reviews
- Trusted by Fortune 500 companies
- $100M won for clients
If Headline 1 and Headline 2 are pinned, decide whether to pin Headline 3:
- Pin it if you don’t want it showing as a sitelink.
- Leave it unpinned if you want the option for Google to promote it to sitelink status.
Bonus: Using headlines as sitelinks
Pinning all three headline positions but adding extra unpinned headlines allows Google to use those extra lines as sitelinks. These sitelinks can even go to the same landing page as the ad.
Limiting actual sitelinks to two at the campaign or account level can make Google more likely to promote extra headlines instead.
Wrapping up
A good ad:
- Grabs attention with relevance
- Shows why your offer stands out
- Brings qualified prospects to the site
Pinning is a tool to help reach that outcome faster. Unpinning, on the other hand, lets Google test more variations and optimize over time for the best CTR. Focus on what each headline position needs to achieve, and make sure every line earns its place.
