In short: a good set of headlines answers the search before boasting about the brand, and covers different angles so no combination repeats itself: what you sell, for whom, the advantage, the proof, the price, the urgency, the objection and the call to action. CTR almost always sinks for the same reason: fifteen headlines saying the same thing fifteen ways.
You already know that an RSA is made of pieces. This lesson is about what to write in each piece so that, however Google combines them, the ad answers the search and wins the click against the three or four sitting next to it. This is not literature: it is a method.
What should an ad headline say?
The person typed something specific. The winning ad is the one that hands back their own words and their intent in the first headline. If they searched for «pull-out kitchen tap», the headline «Pull-Out Kitchen Taps» connects; «Your trusted tapware store» does not. That is why ad groups are built by intent (Module 2): so the ad can talk about what the person asked for.
How do you build a good set of headlines?
Not all headlines do the same job. A complete set covers four functions, and Google needs several pieces of each to combine:
| Function | What it does | Examples (30 characters) |
|---|---|---|
| Keyword | Connects with the search | «Pull-Out Kitchen Taps» · «Kitchen Pull-Out Tap» |
| Benefit | Why you | «Free Delivery in 24 Hours» · «5-Year Guarantee» |
| Proof | Why believe you | «12,000+ Happy Customers» · «Rated 4.8/5» |
| Call to action | What to do now | «Buy Online Today» · «Get a Free Quote» |
Four or five headlines with the keyword (variants, not copies), four of benefit, two or three of proof, two or three calls to action. That gives you 12-15 different headlines that work in any combination.
Which angles keep your headlines from repeating?
When you run out of benefit ideas, walk down this list; each angle gives you one or two headlines:
- Price / saving: «From €89», «-20% This Week».
- Speed: «Delivery in 24 h», «Fitted in 48 h».
- Guarantee / zero risk: «Free Returns for 30 Days».
- Range: «300+ Models in Stock».
- Specialisation: «Tapware Specialists Since 1987».
- Social proof: «Verified Reviews 4.8/5».
- Proximity: «Shop in Madrid · Delivery Nationwide».
- Legitimate urgency: «Offer Ends Sunday» (only if it's true).
How do you write the descriptions?
They have 90 characters: room for one complete idea and one action. They work better as natural sentences than as lists of keywords. Pattern: problem or desire → how you solve it → action.
«Looking for a pull-out tap that lasts? Stainless steel, 5-year guarantee and free delivery in 24 h. Buy online with free returns.»
Write all four with different angles (benefit, proof, price, service); Google will show one or two.
Can you use numbers, capitals and symbols?
- Numbers convince: «12,000+ customers», «from €89», «4.8/5», «24 h». Specific, not suspiciously round.
- Title Case in headlines («Free Delivery in 24 Hours») is the convention for ads: it stands out without shouting. Never ALL CAPS (against Google's policy, and it looks bad).
- Punctuation in moderation: one exclamation mark at most in descriptions, none in headlines; no odd symbols and no emojis.
- Impeccable spelling and grammar: an ad with mistakes loses the click and the trust.
Which mistakes sink an ad's CTR?
- Talking about yourself instead of the person: «Industry leaders since 1987» in headline 1. The «since 1987» is proof, but it comes after answering the search.
- Redundant headlines: «Kitchen Taps», «Kitchen Tap», «Taps for Kitchens» — Google sees them as one and you waste three slots.
- Empty promises: «The best quality», «Excellent service». With no number and no fact, they convince nobody.
- Ad and page that don't match: promising «-20%» and sending people to a page with no discount sends bounce rate through the roof and sinks your Quality Score.
- Forgetting mobile: if only two headlines show, which two? Make sure any pair makes sense together.
💡 Ninja trick: the best-converting source of headlines is sitting in your Search terms report and in your asset report: the exact phrases people type and the pieces that already perform best. The RSA Optimizer starts from there —and from the relevance measured by the QS Analyzer— to propose new headlines with AI that respect the formula: keyword, benefit, proof, action.
What you should remember
- The winning ad hands the search back in the first headline.
- Complete set: headlines for keyword, benefit, proof and action, several of each, no redundancy.
- Descriptions = one complete idea + one action, 90 characters.
- Specific numbers, Title Case, perfect spelling, consistency with the landing page.