Google Ads headlines are made to be seen. That’s why they appear above their organic-ranking counterparts in Google’s SERP results. If you’re running a strategic ad campaign and you’re not getting the clicks you want or need, the fastest diagnosis is in the headline.
Like everything under the digital marketing sun, the trick to making clickable — rather than clickbait— headlines is as much about honing a technical mindset as a creative one. Writing for conversions is a balancing act, and we’ve got the practical and artistic elements to craft attention-grabbing headlines below.
Google Ads: The Bigger Picture
Before we jump into the “how,” let’s lay down the foundations:
Google Ads is the name of Google’s advertising platform. In terms of pay-per-click (PPC) models, Google is the most potent advertising platform, controlling 90% of the search engine market. Here are three key concepts to get on lock:
Google Display Network
Your Google Ad is disseminated throughout the Google Display Network (GDN), a suite of over 200 million websites, apps and videos, including mobile. Within this network, businesses can directly target audiences and optimize campaigns to meet specific goals, such as site traffic or conversions.
Pay-Per-Click Ads
You’ve likely already stumbled across (a billion or so) ads cutting through YouTube videos or heading the SERPs when you search online. These are PPC models, but they’re not the only ones. Here are some other examples:
- Google Search ads: Classic PPC ads appear at the top of search engine results pages, where advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their ad.
- Google Display ads: These ads appear across the Google Display Network on various websites, and while they are also PPC, some may be billed on a cost-per-thousand-impression (CPM) basis, particularly if the focus is visibility rather than clicks.
- Google Video ads: Shown on YouTube and partner sites, video ads can also work on a cost-per-view basis (CPV) or CPM.
- Google Shopping ads: These help showcase products, including images and prices, in response to specific search queries.
- App promotion ads: App ads are designed to encourage users to install mobile apps.
- Social media ads: You’ve surely seen these in your social media feeds, like Facebook ads, targeting specific demographics.
Google Display and Search ads appear before organic search results, making them ideal for time-sensitive campaigns. For instance, if your goal is increased ROI, brand visibility or higher conversions over the short term, you may opt for a PPC strategy.
Organic SERPs Rankings
Organically ranking websites, on the other hand, have forged authority within Google’s algorithms over a longer period, and will likely remain in the top organic positions for longer than paid ads. While ads and organic ranking websites appear visually similar, they’re two completely different strategies. Unlike paid ads, good ol’ fashioned SEO can win your site traffic and increase conversions and ROI for years, rather than weeks or months.
Perspectives on Nailing Your Google Ads Headline
Remember when I mentioned that getting your Google Ads headline right was a balance of creativity and technicality? That’s because it’s necessary to understand:
- Who you’re targeting.
- Where they hang out online.
- What you aim to achieve in your campaign.
This is the technical stuff. This is what gets your ads in the right place at the right time, without reaching into any extra reserves of hope. This is how we target for optimal performance. So what about creativity?
Consider this: If even the best ice cream store in the world was located on a deserted island with zero inhabitants, sales would be shot from the beginning. No matter how good the product is, positioning is wrong. Similarly, if the messaging in the most well-positioned ad in the world didn’t resonate with its audience, it would also fail to hit targets.
Case in point, dO U tRUsT HEaDLiNEs LikE Diz? Nobody does. It’s an extreme example, but you have so few characters to connect with your audience — 30, to be exact, which is the same number as the example headline I’ve just given.
Creativity addresses the question of how you plan to make that connection and drive cold, hard goals to completion. And that’s what we’re about to take a look at.
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Tips To Make Your Google Ads Headline Shine
Mark Twain once said, “I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Tight copy is always harder to write. But tight copy is our only option here.
I’d suggest creating a list from these points, generating multiple ideas and then selecting refinable options. You don’t have to check all the boxes, but the more you can, the stronger your headline will be.
1. Reflect Your Product/Landing Page in the Ad Copy
What’s the deal with your product or page? Let us know in the headline. This communicates to Google where it’s optimally positioned for your target audience. It also indicates to your audience that you are, or might be, exactly what they’re looking for. You want to move the right people into your funnel from the start.
2. Match Headlines and Keywords
Here’s a Google Ads optimization tip: Include your primary keyword in the headline. If the search term isn’t workable, that’s OK — use a secondary one, and aim to keep the language as closely aligned with your niche, product or landing page as possible. These terms do matter.
3. Highlight Your Unique Selling Points
What makes your business different or better than the ad above or below yours? Show us where you’re leading the way or how you resolve our pain points better than the competition. We’re dying to know.
4. Focus on Search Intent
Is your audience searching for information, comparing alternatives (informational intent) or ready to buy (commercial intent)? Figure out where they are in the sales cycle and tailor your PPC ad headlines to meet them there.
For example, if your ideal search target wants to find a local business — your business — and come to your physical location, ad extensions can show your address or contact number to help them find you. There are a ton of creative callout extensions that equally serve your campaign and your customer.
5. Speak to Brand Value
Emphasize your offer’s broad value proposition. Often, your value prop appeals to humanity’s deep-rooted needs, such as love, safety, community, freedom of choice, stability and self-actualization. Show how your brand can help us along our journeys.
6. Add a Clear Call to Action (CTA)
Make it glaringly obvious what step needs to be taken to get what you offer. A clear, compelling CTA challenges us to take the action required to solicit the solutions we need (yours, obviously). It’ll clarify your copy, leaving a signposted direction toward what both you and your customer aim to achieve.
7. Use Artificial Intelligence (AI) To Generate Alternatives
I wouldn’t recommend using only AI to create a compelling headline. That said, ChatGPT or other generative AI tools can add a new layer of creativity if you’re hitting a wall. Even when you’re not, a second brain can offer good feedback to keep the ball rolling. You could try asking:
- How does the headline come across?
- How can I improve it?
- Tell me about who this headline likely targets and what they want.
8. Mix Up Your Language
Don’t be afraid to play around with your words and get creative. As you refine your best options, mix up the verbs, nouns and your CTA. Rearrange and experiment with different structures, compare results and see what you like best.
9. Test and Optimize For Clicks
Had too much fun with the last step and accidentally made multiple working headlines that are absolute fire? Good. Keep them. At this stage, what your customer thinks is more important than what you and I think. So put your headlines to the A/B test and see which hit your targets more effectively.
Shoot over to Google Analytics and link it up with your Google Ads account. Then you’ll be able to:
- Create Google Ads conversions based on GA4 actions.
- View your conversions and ad performance.
- Re-engage users based on their online behavior.
Find out what works and what doesn’t, then take action to refine it. Remember — you may only be a different headline away from making some real impact.
Optimize Google Ads Headlines for Better Conversion
Google Ads are a powerful way to increase brand visibility, enhance ROI and drive conversions for short-term campaigns. However, without headline optimization, you may be leaving a slice of your campaign’s success on the table. To improve your ad strength, remember to start from a technical mindset and finish with a creative one.
Apply some of these ideas to your ad campaign and keep refining them to craft the best Google Ads headlines in your niche.
