Reading Time: ~5 Mins | Written By: Luigi Macías
Google Ads copywriting hasn't gotten any easier over the years. It's gotten more layered.
You're still writing for a person scanning a results page in half a second, but now that same line of copy might also get pulled into an AI Overview, summarized by Gemini in AI Mode, or auto-tested against a dozen AI-drafted variants inside AI Max. But the character limits haven't changed much at least, right?
It’s important to remember that AI does not replace good copywriting. It relies on human input to feed it high-quality ingredients and make them more relevant. Think of it like a home cook following a recipe vs. a chef creating a unique dish. Therefore, it is crucial to monitor its output and ensure the content aligns with your product/service and your target audience.
Here's what actually matters right now, backed by what Google has confirmed and what's showing up in campaigns today.
The fundamentals haven't gone anywhere
Before getting into best practices for copywriting, especially with AI, it's worth grounding this in the basics, because they're still the foundation everything else sits on.
Responsive Search Ads remain the default search ad format, and the specs are unchanged: headline fields support up to 30 characters and can be added up to 15, description fields support up to 90 characters each but can only add up to 4, and Google mixes and matches them to find the best-performing combination for each search regularly, depending on how generous we are with the budget.
A few things that still trip people up
One idea per headline. Thirty characters can be very limited to capture a full idea, so pick a benefit, a number, or a hook per headline strategically to come up with an attractive one. For example:
Best Practice: Save 20% On Your Order Today
Poor: Save 20% & Fast Shipping
Avoid sequence headlines. Google can show any combination in any order, especially in any type of campaign, so a headline that only makes sense after another one might hurt your ad performance. For instance:
Headline 1: The Best CRM Software
Headline 2: For Small Businesses
Headline 3: Plus, Save 20% Now
Be aggressive with volume. Ads built with only 3 to 5 headlines tend to get a lower Ad Strength rating, limiting their capacity and increasing ad fatigue. Providing more than 10 headlines is recommended for better performance and testing.
In a Search campaign, we can pin headlines and descriptions, though pinning a headline locks its position and limits how much Google's system can test. Using it only for a specific case is recommended.
Feed the System Genuine Variety
Although it is recommended to create at least 10 headlines, many marketers tend to make the same mistake, writing 15 headlines that all say the exact same thing (or are very similar). If all your assets focus exclusively on pricing, the AI cannot test whether your audience responds better to trust signals, specific features, or problem-solving messaging.
When drafting your ad copy, consider dividing it into distinct categories:
Primary Keyword Focus: Clear, direct match to search intent (e.g., "Certified SEO Training Course").
Benefits and Outcomes: What the user gains (e.g., "Boost Monthly Organic Traffic").
Social Proof and Trust: Authority indicators (e.g., "Taught by Industry Experts").
Urgency and offers: If a sale or promo ends soon, ensure you provide details; numbers can also communicate value quickly. (e.g., "Get 25% Off Only This Month").
Direct Call to Action (CTA): Clear next steps (e.g., "Enroll Online Today").
Note: Whatever promise is in the headline needs to be visible and easy to identify within the same landing page when someone lands. A mismatch between ad and page can hurt Quality Score and negatively impact conversion performance.
By providing distinct angles, you give Google’s algorithm real data to evaluate and test, leading to better optimization over time. Before building your copy, make sure you understand your audience and how your campaigns are structured. If you are new to digital marketing, ensure you learn the basics.
Start With Search Intent, Not AI
You need to understand what the user is actually searching for before writing headlines. For example, someone searching for "emergency plumber near me" has a very different intent from someone searching for "how to fix a leaking faucet." Even though both searches relate to plumbing, the first person may be ready to contact a business, while the second may simply be looking for information.
On top of this, it’s crucial that the content on the landing page is clear about what you offer. This is essential, as Google uses AI to understand queries and determine which ad messaging and landing page are relevant. This is why it is recommended to create specific ad groups and match ad text with the keywords and landing page associated with the search, service, or product.
Treat Your Landing Page as Part of Your Copywriting Strategy
Google's AI Max text customization can use information from your landing pages, existing ads, keywords, and other context to generate additional headlines and descriptions.
That means your landing page is no longer just where the user goes after clicking. It can also become part of the information Google uses to understand your offer and create relevant messaging.
Make sure your landing page clearly communicates:
What you offer
Who it’s for
Your main benefits
Your differentiators
Relevant products or services
Current pricing or promotions
Important brand messaging
Note: Ensure your content is strong and clear enough, following SEO best practices, on each landing page of your website before utilizing AI Max campaigns. This can deliver promising results at a similar or better cost per action (CPA) if well optimized.
Understand What AI Max Changes for Copywriters
AI Max is one of the biggest changes Google Ads marketers need to understand right now. AI Max is not a separate campaign type. It is an optimization layer within existing Search campaigns. It includes features such as search term matching, text customization, and Final URL Expansion.
For copywriters, the important part is the text customization. Google can generate additional headlines and descriptions using information from your existing ads, landing pages, keywords, and other campaign context. Therefore, if a landing page is not properly optimized, it could show irrelevant headlines or descriptions to customers.
What Does It All Mean For You?
AI can do a lot of the heavy lifting in Google Ads. It can test thousands of combinations, draft extra headlines, and match your ads to searches you never thought to target. But it can only work with what you give it, so the ideation has to start with you! Make sure your copy, keywords, and landing page all tell the same story, and that your headlines show different angles of your product or service.
A good way to do this is to think like the customer. Write your headlines and descriptions the way a real person would search for or describe what you offer. This makes your ads more likely to match real searches, and it gives the AI stronger material to build variations from.
Once your ads are live, keep an eye on them. Google Ads can now pull from your landing page to create headlines and descriptions. While that is useful, it can also miss the mark. Review what it produces and make sure it fits your brand and your offer. AI can speed up the work, but real people still decide what’s worth saying.