19 Tips To Help Write Effective Google Ad Headlines

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You’re paying a premium to advertise on Google Search, you shouldn’t let bad headlines sabotage your ad spend.

Your headline is the first impression you make to potential customers. It plays a large part on whether searchers click or keep scrolling. You only have thirty characters, you need to make them count.

All we do here is work on generating Google Ads copy, so we have some thoughts on what makes a great one.

Here are 20 tips to help you write Google Ads headlines that drive conversions and leave a lasting impact.

Table of contents

Make sure headlines and landing pages are aligned

Your headline should match the content of your landing page. If it doesn’t, users will feel misled and bounce. Ensure your headline and landing page are aligned to increase conversions.

Wix Ad: Candle dropshipping: product and suppliers
Wix blog post: Candle dropshipping: products and suppliers

Use ad group keywords in the headline

Include your ad group keywords in your headline to show users you have what they’re searching for. This increases relevance and drives more clicks. Keyword matches headlines and descriptions get bold emphasized in ads. It’s one of the easiest ways to drive up CTR and lower CPC.

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Clear > clever

Ditch the puns and focus on clarity. Users should instantly understand what your headline is offering. Using simple and straightforward language often improves how well your ad performs.

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Make use of your benefits for top of funnel searches

Instead of listing features, highlight the benefits of your product or service. What problem does it solve? How does it make users’ lives better?

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Features are a factor for bottom of funnel searches

While benefits are key, features can still be important. Use them to differentiate your product or service from competitors. More informed buyers will be looking for specific differentiating features or to solve things they hate about their current solution.

MailMonitor Organic Result: Email Sender Reputation Tracking

Differentiate from your competitor

Stand out from the crowd by highlighting what sets you apart. Use headlines that showcase your unique value proposition. This is especially important in established verticals with a lot of known competitors.

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Ask a question

Asking a question in your headline can pique users’ interest and encourage them to click.

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Obliterate an objection

Address common objections in your headline to alleviate concerns and increase conversions. What are common objections your current customers have on sales calls or support emails?

Babbel Google Ad: Languages with Babbel. Learn A New Language Fast - It Works: 92% of users improve their language proficiency.

Get as specific as you can

Use specific numbers, statistics, or results to demonstrate the value of your product or service. Be so specific that make the numbers look very believable.

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Mention pricing and discounts

If you offer competitive pricing or discounts, highlight them in your headline to attract price-sensitive users.

WallStreetJournal Ad: The Wall Street Journal | WSJ Intro Offer: $2/month

Leverage scarcity

Create a sense of urgency by highlighting limited-time offers or scarce resources.

StubHub Ad: Taylor Swift Tickets | Tickets 2024. Won't Last Long.

Create a curiosity gap

Pique users’ interest by creating a curiosity gap. Use headlines that make them wonder what’s inside. This might be a good option to add to test against the clear > clever headlines.

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Be funny and memorable

Humor can be an effective way to make your headline more memorable. Just be sure to keep it relevant and respectful. It’s hard to be funny in 30 characters or less in a search ad, but pulling it off could lead to very good results.

hhcc.com Google Ad: Hill Holiday - We're Not an Ad Agency.

Take advantage of social proof

Highlight customer testimonials, reviews, or ratings to build trust and credibility.

Select Blinds Canada Google Ad: Select Blinds Canada - Custom Window Shutters

Use a call to action

Include a clear call-to-action in your headline to direct users on what to do next.

Disney+ Google Ad: Disney+ | The Best of Disney | Subscribe Now

Experiment with pinned vs unpinned RSAs

Test pinned and unpinned responsive search ads to see which performs better for your brand.

Screenshot of the Google Ads pinning UI

Great advertisers steal

Draw inspiration from successful headlines on Google. Use them as a starting point and make them your own. You can use the Google Ads Transparency Center to see what companies are serving on Google Ads.

Use “free” if you can

If you offer a free trial, demo, or resource, highlight it in your headline. People love free stuff!

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Use Title Case

You should test this. But most advertisers use title case to make headlines more readable and scannable. Clix Marketing did a study and found that there was a slight advantage to title case.

By incorporating these expert tips into your Google Ads strategy, you’ll be well on your way to writing headlines that drive conversions, increase brand awareness, and leave a lasting impact. These are only guidelines, be sure to test headlines and see what performs better.

Looking to generate headlines quickly? Give 30characters a try! We’ve baked in all these tips into our app.

Picture of Raymond Sam
Raymond Sam
Raymond is the co-founder of 30characters. He's been in growth marketing for 15 years and independently consulting for 5 years. He's recently started to build tools to help marketers be more effective and efficient.

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