Ad Copy Google Ads

Domain Knowledge

Character Limits — The Hard Constraints

• Headlines: 30 characters (including spaces, punctuation, em dashes, pipes — every character counts)
• Descriptions: 90 characters
• Sitelink text: 25 characters
• Sitelink descriptions: 35 characters
• Callout extensions: 25 characters
• Structured snippet values: 25 characters
• DKI default text + {KeyWord:} wrapper must fit within the headline's 30-char limit. The longest keyword in the ad group determines whether DKI is safe.

Critical: LLMs consistently miscount characters by 1-3. Never estimate. Count every character deterministically using a reliable method. "Expert cosmetic dentistry" = 25 chars, not 28. Recount before finalizing.

Google-Approved Structured Snippet Headers (Exhaustive List)

Only these are valid: Amenities, Brands, Courses, Degree programs, Destinations, Featured hotels, Insurance coverage, Models, Neighborhoods, Service catalog, Shows, Styles, Types. Anything else (e.g., "Features," "Integrations," "Coverage Options") will be rejected by Google.

Quality Score — The Three Levers

1. Expected CTR: Driven by headline relevance to query + compelling language. Specific numbers and benefits > generic claims.
2. Ad Relevance: Keyword must appear naturally in headlines/descriptions. Not keyword stuffing — semantic alignment.
3. Landing Page Experience: Ad promise must match landing page content. If the ad says "Free Trial," the landing page must show a free trial above the fold.

DKI Syntax and Capitalization

• {KeyWord:Default Text} — Title Case each word
• {Keyword:Default Text} — Sentence case
• {keyword:default text} — lowercase
• {KEYWORD:DEFAULT TEXT} — ALL CAPS
• Default text appears when the keyword is too long or would create policy violations.

Search Intent → Copy Strategy Mapping

Non-Obvious Insights

• Pinning headlines reduces Google's optimization ability. Only pin when brand compliance or messaging control outweighs performance. Pin position 1 for brand terms, position 2 for CTAs if required.
• Callouts should never repeat what's already in a typical headline. "Free Shipping" as a callout is wasted if it also appears in headline rotation.
• Each RSA description must work independently with ANY headline combination. Descriptions that depend on a specific headline for context will produce incoherent ads 70%+ of the time.