What a search ad has to do
A search ad has one job: to make the right person click and the wrong person scroll past. Both matter. A click from someone who is never going to buy costs money and teaches you nothing useful, so a good ad is as clear about who it is for as it is attractive.
Formats and character limits vary by platform and change from time to time. Many search ads are built from several short headlines and descriptions that the platform combines. Check the current documentation for the limits that apply to you; the principles below hold regardless.
Start from the search
The person typed something specific, and your ad should look like an answer to it. Read the keyword group you are writing for and ask what the searcher wants.
- A search for “emergency plumber” wants speed and availability.
- A search for “plumber prices” wants some idea of cost.
- A search for “bathroom fitter near me” wants a local business that does that job.
Where it reads naturally, use the searcher’s own wording in a headline. This tells the person at a glance that your ad is relevant, and relevance is one of the things the ad auction takes into account. Do not force the keyword in if it makes the line awkward.
Lead with one clear message
With so little space, pick a single main point per ad. Good candidates are:
- what you offer, stated plainly;
- who it is for or where you work;
- one real reason to choose you, such as a service area, a guarantee you actually offer, or a delivery option;
- what happens next.
This is the same distinction as features and benefits in other copy: a feature tells people what something is, and a benefit tells them what it does for them. In an ad you rarely have room for both, so choose the one that fits the search.
Be specific, not hollow
Phrases like “best quality”, “top service” and “amazing deals” take up space without telling anyone anything. Specifics are more persuasive and easier to verify: opening hours, a delivery area, a product range, a price starting point if it is accurate, or a free quote if you really give one.
Use numbers only when they are true and current. If you mention a price or a discount, the landing page must show the same one.
Write a clear call to action
End with a short verb-led instruction that matches the next step: “Get a quote”, “Book a visit”, “Compare plans”, “Call today”. The best call to action matches the stage the person is in. Someone just browsing may respond better to “See options” than to “Buy now”. A call to action that promises a step the page does not actually offer will produce clicks and frustration.
Stay honest
Misleading ads waste money and damage trust, and they can break platform rules and, in some places, advertising law. Do not:
- claim to be the cheapest, the best or number one unless you can prove it and the platform allows it;
- promise results you cannot guarantee;
- use another company’s brand name in a misleading way;
- advertise an offer that is unavailable or has conditions you left out.
Rules on advertising claims differ by country and by industry, and some areas such as health, money and legal services are more tightly regulated. The principles of honest advertising are covered in more detail elsewhere on this site. Check the platform’s ad policies and the rules that apply to your business; this is not legal advice.
Keep the ad and the page in step
An ad is half of a conversation, and the landing page is the other half. People who clicked a headline about “same-day boiler repair” expect to see that on the page, near the top. Message match between ad and page is one of the simplest ways to avoid paying for clicks that bounce. If you cannot deliver what the ad says, change the ad.
Test, but sensibly
If you write several versions, compare them over a meaningful period. Change one thing at a time, such as the first headline or the call to action, so you know what made the difference. With low traffic, differences are often noise, so avoid declaring a winner after a handful of clicks. The ideas from A/B testing apply here, including the need for enough data.
Judge ads by cost per conversion, not only click-through rate. An ad that attracts many clicks and few sales is not a good ad.
A quick checklist
- Does the headline reflect what the person searched?
- Is there one clear point and one clear next step?
- Is every claim true, and shown on the landing page?
- Is the language plain, free of jargon and easy to read at a glance?
- Does the ad leave out the wrong audience, for example by mentioning a location or a price level?
Outcomes depend on your market, your competitors and your offer, and no wording can guarantee clicks or sales. Good copy simply makes the best use of the space you pay for.